Rogan spent three hours explaining to Lex Fridman why cooking elk at 225°F for 45 minutes before searing is “the only way that makes sense” and honestly, after trying it myself, the bastard’s right.
This is the same method that made Elon Musk stop mid-chew at 1 AM and ask “what the f*ck is this and why is it so good?” True story. Episode #1609.
Here’s the thing – Rogan’s been perfecting this reverse sear method for years. Started talking about it constantly around 2018, learned it from some YouTube rabbit hole about competition BBQ, and now literally every guest who comes to Austin gets fed this exact meal. The guy has it down to a science.
If you’ve been listening to JRE for any length of time, you know Rogan’s obsessed with elk meat. The guy literally has multiple freezers full of it. And yeah, he’s that guy who actually hunts his own food. But his cooking method? That’s what really gets people talking.
The Reverse Sear Thing (Or Why Rogan’s Steaks Look Better Than Yours)
Look, Rogan’s not cooking your average grocery store ribeye. His freezer is packed with wild game – mostly elk from his hunting trips to Utah and Colorado.
The meat’s lean as hell. Way leaner than beef. Tastes kind of like beef’s cleaner, slightly sweet cousin? Hard to describe if you haven’t had it. Rogan calls it a superfood and honestly won’t shut up about it. Remember when he got Post Malone to try it on episode #1535? Dude was converted instantly.
But here’s the thing – the reverse sear method is what makes these steaks legendary.
Instead of searing first like everyone teaches you, you cook it low and slow FIRST. Then blast it with heat at the end. Sounds backwards, right?
It is. That’s literally why it’s called reverse sear.
I tried this with regular beef first and honestly thought I screwed it up because it looked gray and sad after the low cook phase. Then you hit it with that sear and boom – perfect crust, pink edge to edge. No gray ring of overcooked meat like when you do it the normal way.
What You Actually Need (Spoiler: Not Much)
Rogan’s not doing anything fancy here.
Salt, pepper, garlic powder. That’s it.
Sometimes he’ll use that Flavor God Garlic Lovers seasoning he’s always pushing on Instagram. Or that @pitmasterus OG rub. But 90% of the time? Just the basics.
- Salt: He uses pink Himalayan because of course he does. Redmond Real Salt is what I use – same mineral content, fraction of the price
- Black pepper: Coarse ground. Don’t use the pre-ground dust
- Garlic powder: Not garlic salt. There’s a difference
Sometimes he goes rogue and adds butter at the end. Grass-fed, obviously. The guy’s consistent with his health obsessions. Same reason he takes like 47 supplements a day.
Oh, and the meat should be room temp before you start. Rogan lets it sit out for like 30 minutes which seems excessive but whatever. Pat it dry with paper towels first – this is actually important or your sear will suck.
The man literally said on a podcast once that moisture is “the enemy of the crust.” Direct quote. Can’t remember which episode but it was definitely during one of his cooking rants with Cam Hanes in episode #2050.
Equipment – You Don’t Need a $2000 Grill (But It Helps)
Rogan uses a Traeger Ironwood 650.
Of course he does.
The thing costs more than most people’s rent. But here’s the secret – you can do this in your oven. The Traeger Ironwood 885 is actually better anyway (bigger, same features, often on sale). I’ve done it both ways. The Traeger adds some smoke flavor but honestly? Not worth it if you’re just making steaks occasionally.
What you actually need:
- Something that holds 225-250°F steady (oven, pellet grill, whatever)
- A meat thermometer that actually works
- Cast iron skillet for the sear
- Tongs
That’s it.
Rogan uses the MEATER Plus wireless thermometer which yeah, costs like $100 but you can monitor it from your couch. Or just get a ThermoPro instant-read for $30 and check it every 10 minutes like a normal person.
The cast iron is non-negotiable though. Get a Lodge 12-inch – it’s like $30 and will outlive you. I tried it with a regular pan once. Don’t. Just don’t.
Actually Cooking the Damn Thing
Alright here’s where people mess this up.
Step 1: Low and slow
Set your oven or grill to 225°F. Rogan sometimes cranks it to 275°F when he’s impatient – I’ve seen it on his Instagram stories.
Put the seasoned steak on a wire rack. If using an oven, put the rack over a baking sheet. Stick your thermometer in the thickest part.
Now wait.
And wait.
This is gonna take 30-45 minutes for a thick steak. Maybe longer. You’re pulling it at 110-115°F internal temp.
Don’t flip it. Don’t mess with it. Just leave it alone.
Step 2: Get your sear ready
When the steak hits about 105°F, start heating your cast iron. High heat. Like, smoking hot. Open your windows.
Add a tablespoon of beef tallow if you have it. Rogan swears by this. Avocado oil works too.
Don’t use olive oil unless you want your smoke alarm going off.
Step 3: The sear
Pull the steak from the oven at 110-115°F.
Into the screaming hot pan. It should sound angry.
45-60 seconds per side. That’s it. Don’t move it around. Don’t press it constantly. Just let it sit and develop that crust. If it’s a thick cut, grab it with tongs and sear the edges too.
Rogan sometimes throws butter in at the end with crushed garlic. Says he learned this from Gordon Ramsay’s appearance on episode #1936 but I’m pretty sure everyone does this.
Step 4: The waiting game
This is the hardest part.
Put it on a cutting board. Tent with foil. Wait 5-10 minutes.
I know you want to cut into it. Don’t.
The internal temp is still rising (it’ll hit about 130-135°F for medium-rare). The juices are redistributing. Rogan explained this whole process in painful detail once and used the phrase “the fibers need to relax” like four times. The man takes his meat seriously.
Step 5: Finally
Slice against the grain.
If you did it right, it’s pink edge to edge with a dark crust. Instagram worthy, as Rogan would say while posting his 400th elk steak photo.
What to Eat With It
Rogan keeps sides simple.
Usually just sautéed kale or spinach. Maybe some asparagus. Half an avocado if he’s feeling wild. The guy’s basically on carnivore diet half the time anyway.
I’ve seen him post jalapeños on the side too. Raw jalapeños. Just eating them like that. Psychopath behavior but okay.
Wine? He’s mentioned Cabernet but honestly he’s more likely to have Athletic Greens or one of those mushroom coffees he’s always pushing. Or just water with his anti-aging NMN stack that he won’t shut up about since David Sinclair came on.
Oh wait, almost forgot – kimchi. He puts kimchi with everything now. Started that after David Chang came on the podcast. It’s actually pretty good with steak, not gonna lie.
The Reality Check
This method works. Your steak will be better than 90% of restaurants.
But let’s be real – most of us aren’t cooking elk. We’re not using a Traeger. We don’t have Rogan’s setup.
That’s fine.
Get a decent ribeye or New York strip. At least 1.5 inches thick. Use your oven. Follow the temps and you’ll nail it.
First time I tried this, I used a cheap Choice grade ribeye from the grocery store. Still better than any steak I’d made the normal way. The reverse sear is literally a cheat code for cooking meat.
Rogan acts like he invented this method sometimes but it’s been around forever. He just made it famous by posting about it constantly and talking about it on literally every podcast where food comes up.
Common Screw-Ups
Since I’ve messed this up every possible way, here’s what not to do:
Don’t rush the low cook. I tried doing it at 350°F once to save time. Disaster.
Your sear pan needs to be properly hot. Like, concerningly hot. If it’s not smoking, it’s not ready.
The meat thermometer isn’t optional. Guessing doesn’t work with this method. I ruined two elk steaks my buddy gave me trying to eyeball it. Still haven’t lived that down.
Don’t skip the rest. I know I already said this but seriously. Every time someone posts a photo of their steak bleeding all over the plate, it’s because they cut too early. Rogan’s all about the recovery – whether it’s steak resting or his BPC-157 peptide protocol for his injuries.
Final Thoughts
Is this extra? Yeah.
Does it take forever? Also yeah.
Is it worth it?
Look, I’m not gonna sit here and tell you this will change your life like Rogan does. But it’s definitely the best way to cook a thick steak. Period.
The reverse sear method basically idiot-proofs the whole process. As long as you have a thermometer and patience, you’ll get a perfect steak.
Try it once. Post the photo. Tag Rogan. He probably won’t see it but you’ll feel accomplished.
And hey, next time you’re listening to JRE and Rogan starts his inevitable rant about elk meat and reverse searing (usually happens around the 2-hour mark after the weed kicks in), you can nod along knowingly.
You’re part of the cult now.
Welcome.