Traeger Ribeye Steak
Smoky, juicy, and boldly flavored with Montreal steak seasoning, this Traeger Ribeye Steak is a foolproof crowd-pleaser. This simple recipe delivers perfectly tender steaks that you can serve whole with your favorite sides, or slice them up for easy, delicious lunches and dinners in tacos, sandwiches, or salads.
Seasoning the steaks is essential for deep, savory flavor. Feel free to adjust the cooking time to reach your preferred level of doneness, from rare to medium. To take the guesswork out of it, I’ve included the internal temperatures below that you’ll need for perfect results every time!
Here’s a tip, when we buy a pack of 4 steaks (usually from Costco)–if we are grilling for two, we prepare all four of the steaks with seasoning, and we grill two and freeze two (before grilling). Grab the TIP below!
And for the juiciest results, let the cooked steaks rest for 10 minutes before serving. This little step allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, keeping every bite moist and flavorful.
Smoking ribeye steaks takes them to the next level, infusing the meat with a rich, woody aroma that oven roasting or quick grilling simply can’t replicate. The low, steady heat keeps the beef incredibly tender without any risk of drying out. Best of all, it’s a mostly hands-off process – just set the Traeger and let it work while you prep sides, relax, or socialize.
What is a ribeye steak?
Ribeye is one of the highest quality steak cuts you can buy. Cut from the beef rib primal (the same section that gives us prime rib), it’s loved for its tenderness, rich flavor, and juiciness.
Whether you’re planning a romantic date, a celebratory dinner, or any other special occasion, ribeye is a perfect choice. For an even more decadent meal, try the ribeye cap steak, or go for the dramatic, bone-in tomahawk ribeye.
Why you’ll love these Traeger ribeye steaks
- Delivers deep, smoky, wood-fired flavor that you simply can’t achieve with an oven or standard gas grill.
- The simple 4-ingredient recipe with step-by-step directions is virtually foolproof, even if you’re cooking steak for the first time.
- Serve this juicy steak as the centerpiece of your dinner, or slice it up for easy, crowd-pleasing steak tacos, sandwiches, or salads.
Ingredients needed to make Traeger ribeye steak
- Ribeye steaks: You’ll need 4 bone-in steaks with 1-1.5-inch thickness.
- Olive oil: Massaging the oil into the steaks ensures it evenly coats the surface, which helps the seasonings stick and promotes more consistent browning and heat transfer during cooking.
- Montreal steak seasoning: A coarse blend of spices (typically garlic, coriander, black pepper, dill, and red pepper flakes) that adds a savory, slightly smoky crust and robust flavor to the steaks when sprinkled on both sides. BBQ rub is another option.
How do you make Traeger ribeye steak?
Prepare the steaks:
- Drizzle the steaks with olive oil, then gently rub it into the meat.
- Lightly season both sides of the meat with Montreal Steak Seasoning.
- Let the steaks rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Cook the steaks:
- When ready, set your Traeger to 325°F and preheat with the lid closed for 15 minutes.
- Insert a probe into the thickest part of a steak, avoiding the bone and large fat pockets.
- Place the steaks directly on the grill grates, close the lid, and cook, flipping every 6 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 132°F for medium rare (about 14-20 minutes).
Rest before serving:
- Remove the steaks from the grill and cover loosely with foil if you like.
- Let them rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Serving
Enjoy these Traeger ribeye steaks with classic BBQ sides, such as Creamy Jalapeno Coleslaw, baked beans, Air Fryer Garlic Bread, mac and cheese, Summer Corn Tomato Salad, Creamy Dill Pasta Salad, and cornbread.
Add a touch of sophistication to the mix when serving your ribeye steaks to guests for dinner and pair them with roasted asparagus, roasted sweet potatoes, Mashed Potato Cups, or Pea and Asparagus Salad. We served it with Boursin Pasta and a basic side salad.
Complete the meal with a bowl of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
Sandy’s tips and substitutions:
- Storage: Leftover Traeger ribeye steaks keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Once prepared with the seasoning, place the steaks into a ziplock bag (remove the air) and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Remove from the freezer and defrost and grill.
- Make ahead: You can season the steaks anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 days (for deeper flavor) before cooking. Always store the seasoned steaks in the fridge when allowing them to rest for longer than 20 minutes.
- Use a high-smoke point oil: Using avocado oil spray to coat the grill grates in a smoker (or any grill) is a great choice as it has a high smoke point which won’t burn easily. It also has a mild flavor and won’t overpower the meat. Lastly, it creates a good non-stick surface so that your steaks can flip easily. Grapeseed oil spray is a good alternative.
- Let the steaks rest: Resting the smoked ribeye steaks allows the juices inside to redistribute so that the meat remains moist and flavorful and you don’t end up with a plate full of leaked juices.
- Tent with foil: While optional, you can loosely tent the cooked steaks while they rest so that they don’t cool down too much before serving.
- Double the recipe: Smoke more steaks when feeding a crowd. Make sure to tent the cooked steaks as you go along to keep them warm.
Variations:
- Spice rub: Use a store-bought steak seasoning like I’ve done for convenience or make your own by combining a blend of spices, such as garlic, coriander, black pepper, dill, and red pepper flakes. Adjust the spices to give your steaks an extra kick of heat or a different flavor profile.
- Internal temperature options: For a very rare steak, cook until the internal temperature reaches 200°F. For medium rare, cook until 130-135°F. For medium, cook until 136-142°F. For medium well, cook until 143-153°F. And lastly, for well-done, cook until 154°F.
- Flavor of pellets: I’ve used Traeger hickory pellets, but you could also use mesquite, oak, pecan, or cherry.
As the weather warms up, what better way to enjoy the outdoors while cooking some of your family-favorite dishes. Get your outdoor grill heated to make Smoker Macaroni and Cheese, Smoked Corned Beef Brisket, Traeger Chicken Thighs, or Traeger Pork Tenderloins.
More tasty steak recipes you may want to try:
- Miso Steak Marinade
- Open Face Flank Steak Sandwiches
- New York Steak Marinade Recipe
- Easy Flank Steak Tacos Recipe
Get the Recipe:
Traeger Ribeye Steak
Ingredients
- 4 rib-eye steaks, 1-½ inch thick bone-in
- Olive oil
- Montreal Steak Seasoning
Equipment
Instructions
- Drizzle the steaks with olive oil, then gently rub it into the meat.
- Lightly season both sides of the steak with Montreal Steak Seasoning.
- Let the steaks rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- When ready, set your Traeger to 325°F and preheat with the lid closed for 15 minutes.
- Insert a probe into the thickest part of a steak, avoiding the bone and large fat pockets.
- Place the steaks directly on the grill grates, close the lid, and cook, flipping every 6 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 132°F for medium rare (about 14-20 minutes).
- Remove the steaks from the grill and cover loosely with foil if you like.
- Let them rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Sandy’s tips:
- Storage: Leftover Traeger ribeye steaks keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Once prepared with the seasoning, place the steaks into a ziplock bag (remove the air) and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Remove from the freezer and defrost and grill.
- Make ahead: You can season the steaks anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 days (for deeper flavor) before cooking. Always store the seasoned steaks in the fridge when allowing them to rest for longer than 20 minutes.
- Use a high-smoke point oil: Using avocado oil spray to coat the grill grates in a smoker (or any grill) is a great choice as it has a high smoke point which won’t burn easily. It also has a mild flavor and won’t overpower the meat. Lastly, it creates a good non-stick surface so that your steaks can flip easily. Grapeseed oil spray is a good alternative.
- Let the steaks rest: Resting the smoked ribeye steaks allows the juices inside to redistribute so that the meat remains moist and flavorful and you don’t end up with a plate full of leaked juices.
- Tent with foil: While optional, you can loosely tent the cooked steaks while they rest so that they don’t cool down too much before serving.
- Double the recipe: Smoke more steaks when feeding a crowd. Make sure to tent the cooked steaks as you go along to keep them warm.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
