Preheat the smoker to 225°F, add desired wood pellets, and season your steak with a homemade dry rub. Smoke the steak until the internal temperature reaches 130°F for medium-rare. Reverse-sear the smoked steak in a preheated skillet over high heat for 2 minutes per side and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Tired of overcooking your favorite cut of meat on the smoker? Whether you love tender beef tenderloin or a juicy smoked ribeye steak, you can transform your favorite cut into the best steak of your life using a pellet smoker!
Method for Smoking Steak Using a Pellet Smoker
Tools Needed to Make Steak on a Pellet Smoker
Here are the tools you will need to smoke steak on a pellet smoker:
- Pellet smoker: Pit Boss and Traeger are popular choices.
- Meat thermometer: Cook your steak to your desired doneness with a digital meat thermometer.
- Wood pellets: Hickory, pecan, or mesquite.
- Cast iron skillet: or any other temperature-stable pan
How to Prep the Steak for Smoking
The best cuts for smoking on a pellet smoker are those with good marbling and a high-fat content like beef ribeye because this helps prevent them from drying out.
Smoking is perfect for almost any thick cut of steak. Ribeye, tenderloin, Porterhouse, New York Strip, and skirt steaks are all great for smoking and have great flavor.
For steak seasoning, pat your steak of choice dry with paper towels on all sides and season with black pepper and kosher salt.
Prepare the Pellet Smoker
Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F with the hardwood of your choice.
Smoke the Steak
Place the steaks on the pellet smoker, close the lid, and smoke until the internal temperature of the steak reaches your desired doneness. Pull the steaks off the grill when they reach the desired temperature. This is not the final temperature, and the steaks will be seared in the next step.
| Doneness | Temperature |
| Rare | 115°F |
| Medium-rare | 125°F |
| Medium | 135°F |
| Medium-well | 145°F |
| Well-done | 155° |
Sear the Steaks
Coat the bottom of a skillet with high-heat oil. Put the steak in the searing pan and sear for around two minutes on each side. Cook steaks like this until they reach your final desired level of doneness:
| Doneness | Temperature |
| Rare | 125°F |
| Medium-rare | 135°F |
| Medium | 145°F |
| Medium-well | 155°F |
| Well-done | 165°F |
Rest the Steaks
After removing the steaks from the smoker, move them to a cutting board, and cover them with foil. Let them rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute and reabsorb within the meat for the most delicious steaks you’ve ever had!
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Smoked Steak on a Pellet Grill Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Description
Smoking steak on a pellet smoker is a great way to cook the most delicious steaks you’ve ever eaten. Keep the seasonings simple with Kosher salt and pepper since the smoke will do the magic for you.
Ingredients
Equipment Needed
- Aluminum foil
- Cutting board
- Meat thermometer
- Pellet smoker
- Sharp knife
- Wood pellets
Steak Ingredients
- 4 1 1/2-inch steaks (Ribeye, Tenderloin, and New York Strip)
- Cracked black pepper
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 225°F and add the wood pellets of your choice. Allow it to preheat for at least 15 minutes.
- Pat your steaks dry with paper towels on both sides. Then, season liberally with black pepper and kosher salt.
- Put the steaks on the preheated smoker directly on the grill grates. Place your cast-iron skillet on the grill grates next to the steaks, and close the lid.
- Smoke the steaks until their internal temperature is within 10 degrees of your desired final temperature.
- Pull the steaks off the smoker and place them on aluminum foil. Pull the warm cast-iron skillet out of the smoker, and place it on the stovetop on high heat.
- Coat the bottom of the skillet with a high smoke point oil such as Avocado oil. Put the steaks in the skillet pan to sear them for around two mins per side.
- Continue to cook steak until the desired internal temperature is reached. Your steaks are done once the internal temperature reaches 125°F (rare); 135°F (medium-rare); 145°F (medium); 155°F (medium well); or 165°F (well done).
- Remove your steak from the heat and let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Rest Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 steak
- Calories: 470
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 118mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Protein: 45g
- Cholesterol: 138mg
How Long Does It Take to Smoke Steak at 225?
Smoking at 225°F will take roughly 40 minutes to an hour depending on the thickness of the meat and your desired doneness level. You should rely on the internal temperature when smoking steaks for precision and only use time as a guideline.
Check out the chart below for time and temperature guidelines for smoking different cuts of steak at 225°F:
| Type of Meat | Weight | Smoker Temperature | Time | Meat Doneness |
| Ribeye Steak | 1 pound | 225°F | 25 mins/lb | 135°F (medium) |
| Beef Tenderloin | 4 pounds | 225°F | 2½-3 hours | 135°F (med-rare) |
| Prime rib | 6 pounds | 250°F | 2-3 hours | 135°F (med-rare) |
| Strip Steak | 1.5 pounds | 225°F | 45 to 60 mins | 135°F (med-rare) |
| Flank Steak | 1.5 pounds | 225°F | 45 minutes | 120°F (med-rare) |
| Filet Mignon | 1 pound | 225°F | 1 hour | 130°F (med-rare) |
| T-Bone | 16 ounces | 225ºF | 45-60 mins | 135°F (med-rare) |
Target Internal Temperatures for Smoked Steak
Time, grill marks, and the color of the steak are not accurate indicators of doneness. The best way to test for doneness is to check the internal temperature.
To test for doneness, use a reliable instant-read thermometer or meat thermometer.
Here are the desired temperatures for smoked steak for various levels of doneness:
| Doneness | Temperature |
| Rare | 120°F – 130°F |
| Medium-rare | 130°F – 135°F |
| Medium | 135°F – 145°F |
| Medium-well | 145°F – 155°F |
| Well-done | 155°F – 165°F |
What Temperature is Best for Smoking Steak?
The best temperature for smoking steak is in the range of 225°F -250°F. This allows the fat and tissue to break down and prevents the steaks from drying out.
Best Wood Pellets for Smoking Steak
If you’re looking for a bolder, more robust smoke flavor, go for hickory, oak, or mesquite wood chips.
For a milder, sweeter flavor, try apple, cherry, pecan, or maple wood pellets.
There are numerous wood options, so choose the best one based on availability and your taste preferences.
Best Smoked Steak Side Dishes
Here are some of my favorite side dishes to pair with a tender and delicious smoked steak:
1. Crispy Triple-Cooked Potato Wedges
These ultra-crispy potato wedges are one of the few side dishes that may be as good as your steak! Serve them with your perfectly smoked ribeye steak or top Sirloin for a satisfying meal.
2. Smoked Mushrooms with Garlic Butter
This exciting side dish recipe is so easy and quick to prepare. All you need is a smoker or a grill and a few readily-available ingredients. A mild smoky flavor makes these delicately textured mushrooms an excellent side for any smoked steak.
3. Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
Crispy bacon is expertly combined with fresh asparagus to make the perfect side dish for any cut of steak. It takes just 30 minutes to make!
4. Celery and Parmesan Salad
If you’re sick of coleslaw or potato salad, consider experimenting with fresh celery & Parmesan cheese to make this refreshing salad. This highly versatile dish is effortless to prepare and is best paired with smoked steak or poultry.
5. Homemade French Fries
Nothing beats hot homemade French fries because they are fluffy and crunchy, perfectly contrasting the rich, tender meat.
Keep the seasonings simple or add a light dusting of cajun spice seasoning! Either way, your family and friends will be impressed.