How to Smoke a Steak

4.73 from 11 votes

My reverse seared Smoked Tomahawk Steak recipe is packed with flavor and so easy to make, even for total beginners to smoking beef!

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: how to smoke a steak, smoked steak, smoked steak recipe, smoked tomahawk steak

Servings:

Calories: 1261kcal

See our Beef Temperature Chart for helpful tips on cooking any cut of beef!

Preheat your pellet smoker to 250°F. While it’s preheating, let your steak sit outside the fridge to come to room temperature. This is important!
Sprinkle the entire steak with the salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic.
2.5 Pound Tomahawk Steak, 1 Tablespoon Coarse Sea Salt, 1 Tablespoon Black Pepper, 1 Tablespoon Granulated Garlic, 1 Tablespoon Paprika
Place on the smoker for 1 hour 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 125°F. Use a meat thermometer for best results. Season lightly a second time when it comes out of the smoker.
Heat a large cast iron skillet to medium-high heat and add the butter. When melted, add the thyme and place the steak in the skillet. Sear on each side for about 2 minutes.
2 Large Sprigs Fresh Thyme, 1 Tablespoon Butter
Allow the steak to sit for about 5-10 minutes before serving.

The process of searing after the steak is cooked is called a “reverse sear.”
Allowing the steak to sit for a few minutes after being cooked allows it to reabsorb some moisture that was cooked out. It makes it a tender and melt-in-your-mouth steak.
125 degrees makes the steak medium-rare. If you want rare, that’s 120 degrees, and 130 degrees is medium.
I used mesquite pellets for this recipe, but any pellet would do just fine.
If your steak is a different weight, simply check the internal temperature instead of going off of time, since the cooking time will change with the weight change. The internal temp is the deciding factor, no matter the size of the steak.