Looking for a complete meal to make on your Traeger grill? This recipe is exactly what you’re looking for, with reverse seared ribeye steaks, baked sweet potatoes, and grilled broccolini (or your favorite green veggie) all going on the grill together.
The recipe starts with low and slow smoked ribeyes and sweet potatoes and is finished by searing hot and fast right on the Traeger.
Part One: Smoked Ribeyes and Sweet Potatoes
In terms of seasoning or rubs in this recipe, you won’t need anything beyond salt and pepper. Though you’re welcome to use your favorite steak seasoning.
For the ribeyes, I always stick to the rule of thumb of one teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of beef. If you’re cooking two-pound steaks, that’s two teaspoons of salt each. I would recommend using about half the amount of black pepper, but season to your taste preference.
For best results, I recommend at least a 24-hour dry brine (seasoning the steak and refrigerating on a wire rack) before cooking.
The goal of the first phase of this cook is to smoke low and slow to pick up smoke flavor and cook the steak to a perfectly even internal temperature.
I recommend 115ºF for rare, 120ºF for medium-rare, and 125ºF for medium. The steaks will experience carryover cooking while the grill heats up to sear and continue cooking while searing. So you want to stop short of your final desired internal temperature.
In my testing, I’ve found larger two-pound ribeye steaks reach 120ºF in 90-100 minutes at 200ºF with Super Smoke on my Traeger Ironwood.
As for the potatoes, you’re welcome to use classic russet potatoes instead of sweet potatoes. Either will work fine. I like to salt the exterior to eat the skins, but you could skip the salt if you’re just eating the flesh.
Part Two: Reverse Seared Ribeyes and Grilled Broccolini
Because pellet grills can’t reach super high temperatures, they aren’t known for being THE best option for searing. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Just take a look at the caramelization and browning on my grilled chicken breast or Texas steak fajitas for examples of what you can do on a Traeger.
As long as you give your grill time to get hot, get a feel for its hot spots (hottest positions on the grill grates), and move the steaks around as you flip them, you can achieve a great Traeger reverse seared steak.
All that said, if you’re looking for an extra crusty exterior, you can’t beat a cast iron skillet or griddle. See my reverse seared tri tip or ribeye steak tacos recipes for examples of smoking and searing in a skillet.
As for baby broccoli or broccolini, you can easily swap it for asparagus, spring onions, green beans, halved broccoli or cauliflower florets in a grill pan, or another veggie that’s close in size.
Or change directions with something like the mushrooms and zucchini (7 to 10 minutes in a grill pan before glazing with a blend of soy or Worcestershire sauce, honey, and sesame seeds) in my grilled flanken short rib recipe.
If you’re working on a smaller grill like mine, you may need to move the veggies around to get direct contact with grill grates for browning. Just make sure you work fast to avoid leaving the Traeger’s lid open while searing the steaks.
I’ve included instructions for making the compound butter you see pictured here in the notes of the recipe card below. Let me know in the comments if you have a question about the recipe I forgot to touch on.
And if you make these reverse seared ribeyes on your Traeger and love them, I always appreciate recipe reviews!
Traeger Ribeyes with Sweet Potatoes and Broccolini
Smoked and reverse seared ribeye steaks with Traeger baked sweet potatoes and grilled broccolini.
Ingredients
- 2 Ribeye Steaks (1.75 to 2 pounds each)
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
For the Sweet Potatoes
- 6 Sweet Potatoes (about 8 oz each)
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt (optional)
For the Broccolini
- 2 bunches Broccolini or Baby Broccoli
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
Instructions
Preparing the Steaks
- Season the ribeyes on all sides with salt and pepper. For best results, place the steaks on a sheet pan lined with a wire rack and refrigerate 24-48 hours before cooking.
Smoking the Ribeyes and Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat your Traeger grill or pellet smoker to 200ºF. Use Super Smoke, if your grill has the capability.
- Wash and dry the potatoes before using a fork to poke holes to vent the potatoes. Rub olive oil over the potatoes and season with kosher salt.
- Place the steaks and sweet potatoes on the grill together, with the potatoes going on the top rack for more indirect heat.
- Cook for 75-90 minutes or until the steaks reach an internal temperature of 115ºF for rare or 120ºF for medium-rare at their thickest point. Transfer the steaks to a sheet pan and tent with foil. Leave the potatoes on the grill.
Reverse Searing the Steaks and Grilling the Broccolini
- Increase the grill temperature to 500ºF. While the grill comes to temperature, toss the broccolini in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Once the grill is hot, place the steaks to the bottom rack of your grill and the broccolini on top. Close the lid.
- Cook the steaks for 2-3 minutes per side to sear. Be sure to place the steak in a different spot on the grill when flipping. Transfer the seared steaks back to the sheet pan and tent with foil to rest for 10 minutes while finishing the veggies.
- Cook the broccolini for 7-9 minutes, turning once or twice. (If the potato skins are getting too dark, you can wrap them in foil. The potatoes will be ready to come off the grill when fork tender or they reach an internal temperature of 205ºF to 215ºF.)
- Once the potatoes and broccolini are cooked, you can slice the steaks against the grain and serve.
Notes
I topped my resting steaks and baked sweet potatoes with chili crisp compound butter. To make it, blend 2 sticks of unsalted butter with 1/4 cup of salsa macha or chili crunch, roll into a log using parchment paper or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes before using.
Searing a Smoked Ribeye in a Cast Iron Skillet
It's hard to beat the sear of a cast iron skillet or griddle. If you'd rather go that route, use tongs to sear the edges and both sides of the smoked ribeyes over medium-high to high heat. You can cook the broccolini in the pan or on the griddle in any rendered fat from the steak while it rests.
You'll want to wrap the sweet potatoes in foil and increase the temperature to finish cooking them or just bake them in an oven or air fryer (30-35 minutes at 400ºF).
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: about 8 oz steak, 1 sweet potato, and 1/6 the broccoliniAmount Per Serving: Calories: 785Total Fat: 36gCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 70g