Wojapi Smoked Ribeyes: Reverse Seared on the Traeger

Ribeye is the king of steaks and we're not going to argue about it. The fat marbling, the beefy flavor, the way it handles smoke — nothing else comes close. We've been doing these on the Traeger with the Original Wojapi Meat Rub and a reverse sear finish, and honestly it might be the best thing we've cooked yet. The berry sugars in the rub melt into the fat during the low smoke and build this dark, almost lacquered crust. Then when you hit it with high heat for the sear, everything caramelizes and you get a bark on a steak that most people only see on competition brisket.

Why Reverse Sear a Ribeye

A ribeye has so much intramuscular fat that it can handle a long, low cook without drying out — unlike a filet where you're racing against the clock. The reverse sear lets all that fat render slowly during the smoke phase, which means the meat is basically basting itself from the inside the entire time. Then you crank the Traeger to max and sear hard. The result is edge-to-edge medium-rare with a crust that crunches when you cut into it. The Wojapi rub adds another dimension — the berry and smoke flavors build during the low phase, and the natural sugars caramelize into something special during the sear.

What You Need

• Bone-in ribeye steaks — thick cut, at least 1.5 inches. Bone-in holds heat better and gives you something to grab when you're flipping.
• Original Wojapi Meat Rub™ — be generous. Ribeye can handle a heavy coat.
• A reliable meat thermometer — we use Meater
• Butter — for basting at the end

How We Cook It

1. Prep: Pull the steaks out of the fridge about 45 minutes before you cook. Pat them completely dry — every drop of moisture on the surface is working against your crust. Season all sides heavy with the Original Wojapi. Press it into the meat. Don't be shy — ribeye has enough fat and beef flavor to stand up to bold seasoning. Let them sit while the Traeger comes up to temp.
2. Smoke low: Fire up the Traeger to 225°F. If you have Super Smoke, use it — this is where you're building all your smoke flavor. Place the steaks directly on the grates with a probe thermometer in the thickest part. Close the lid and leave them alone. You're looking for an internal temp of 115–120°F, which usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour depending on thickness. The steaks won't look like much at this stage — pale, a little gray on the outside. That's exactly right. Be patient.
3. Pull and rest: When you hit 115–120°F, pull the steaks off and set them on a cutting board. Don't tent them with foil — you want the surface to dry out a little, which helps the sear. While they rest, crank the Traeger up to its max temperature — 450–500°F depending on your model. Give the grill a good 10–15 minutes to get screaming hot.
4. Sear hard: Put the steaks back on the hottest part of the grill. Sear about 2–3 minutes per side. You're listening for that aggressive sizzle — if it's quiet, the grill isn't hot enough. The Wojapi's berry sugars caramelize fast at this temp, building that deep mahogany crust you see in the photo. Keep an eye on flare-ups from the rendering fat — move the steaks if needed but don't panic. A little flame kiss adds character.
5. Butter finish: Right when you pull the steaks off, drop a pat of butter on top of each one. Let it melt down over the crust while the steaks rest for about 5 minutes. The butter mixes with the Wojapi bark and the rendered beef fat and creates this rich, smoky, berry-tinged sauce that pools on the cutting board. Don't let that juice go to waste — drag every slice through it.

Temperature Guide

• Rare: Pull from smoker at 110°F, sear to 125°F final
• Medium-rare (our pick): Pull from smoker at 115°F, sear to 130°F final
• Medium: Pull from smoker at 120°F, sear to 135°F final
• Medium-well: Pull from smoker at 125°F, sear to 140°F final

Remember — the steak will climb another 5 degrees during rest after the sear. So if you want 135°F final, pull it at 130°F.

A Few Things We've Learned

• Bone-in is worth the extra cost. The bone acts as an insulator that slows cooking on one side, which actually gives you more control. Plus it looks incredible on the plate.
• Don't skip the rest after the sear. Those 5 minutes let the juices redistribute. Cut too early and all that good stuff runs out onto the board instead of staying in the meat.
• If your Traeger doesn't get hot enough for a good sear, have a cast iron skillet preheated on a burner as backup. Get it ripping hot with a little avocado oil and sear 90 seconds per side. Works just as well.
• The leftovers — if there are any — make an unreal steak and egg breakfast the next morning. Slice cold, sear quickly in a hot pan, and the Wojapi crust comes right back to life.
• We run hickory pellets for ribeye. The heavier smoke stands up to the fat and the bold flavors in the rub. Cherry works too if you want something a little sweeter.

Ready to try it? Grab a jar of Original Wojapi Meat Rub™ →