Why we like this cook
This is the backyard steakhouse cook: thick ribeye steaks, a low smoke start, a ripping hot sear, and lobster tails finished with butter, garlic, lemon, and enough smokehouse attitude to make it feel special.
Grill or smoker setup
Start the ribeyes low on a pellet grill around 225°F. Use oak, hickory, or a competition blend. Finish on a hot grill, cast iron, or Weber Genesis II for the sear. Lobster tails can cook during the finish window.
Ingredients
- 2 thick-cut ribeye steaks
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
- Garlic powder or steak rub if desired
- 2 to 4 lobster tails
- Melted butter
- Minced garlic
- Lemon juice and zest
- Parsley or Italian herbs
- Olive oil
- Flaky salt for finishing
Step-by-step method
- Season ribeyes generously and let them sit while the grill comes up to temperature.
- Smoke steaks at 225°F until they are 10 to 15 degrees below your final desired temperature.
- Remove steaks and rest while you heat a grill, skillet, or sear station as hot as you can safely manage.
- Split lobster tails, lift the meat slightly, brush with garlic-lemon butter, and season lightly.
- Sear steaks 60 to 90 seconds per side until a crust forms. Add butter if using a skillet.
- Cook lobster tails until the meat turns opaque and reaches about 135°F to 140°F.
- Rest steak briefly, slice if serving family-style, and finish with flaky salt and extra butter.
Pit notes
- Reverse sear is forgiving because the steak warms evenly before the crust happens.
- Do not rush the sear. A weak sear is usually a heat problem, not a seasoning problem.
- Lobster tails cook fast, so prep them before the steak comes off the smoker.
- For a more Italian direction, add Calabrian chili butter or garlic-herb compound butter.
What we’d try next
- Try a dry brine overnight for deeper seasoning.
- Test a cast iron sear versus Weber grates and compare crust.
- Add grilled bread and use the leftover garlic butter like a steakhouse scarpetta.
Serving and pairing ideas
- Grilled asparagus or broccolini
- Crispy roasted potatoes
- Garlic bread on the grill
- A bright salad with lemon and shaved Parmesan