How to smoke a steak so it’s medium or well done on the inside with an amazing dry rub on the outside. Great ready for the ultimate beef dinner tonight.

Looking for some killer smoker recipes? We smoked steaks last weekend and using this homemade dry rub they came out amazing! We’re here to share how to smoke a steak with you so you can enjoy the yum too! (originally published 5/19, affiliate links present)
Smoked Steak
With any cuts of meat you’ll love the bold flavors. Choose a T-bone, Filet Mignon or other type of smoked steak at grocery stores or your local butcher. We usually have a lot on hand since we buy half a cow at the beginning of every year.
Of course I love a filet over any other but financially that isn’t always what I can afford. You can make an otherwise okay steak into something amazing when you put it into your Traeger though. You must give this a try.
To get your meats absolutely perfect we have this printable meat smoking chart to refer to so each and every time it will be fork tender.
- Recently we upgraded to this Traeger pellet smoker and grill and love it.
- We started with an electric smoker that was a Charbroil which worked well to start with.
- These are the pellets we always have on hand and use for almost everything.
- This smoker cookbook has some more great ideas if you want to cook outside more regularly.

Can you smoke a steak in a smoker?
You can use whatever type you like, yes. I do enjoy using pieces that have some fat in them so it gets a great flavor to it and stays really nice and moist. Another personal preference is no bone, it is just easier to eat when done, I’m hangry and I want to just dig in.
- Yes! We will show you how.
- It’s one of the easiest and best meats to smoke ever.
We started our smoking meats journey with our electric smoker, and now own a pellet smoker / grill too.
Choose good cuts of meat is tip number one. The next is to print out our what temperature to cook steak chart so you can remove it once it’s perfect for you!
Traeger Steak

We got our filets from ButcherBox (you can get free bacon + $15 off your order here). It’s a great way to have quality meats delivered right to your door and they’re great!
The other steaks came from a cow we bought actually. 😉 So, it’s organic and grass fed right here in Idaho. The best kind. We have smoked New York strip and rib eyes and they’re wonderful too.
What kind of beef can you smoke?
The best types are those with a higher fat content like brisket, otherwise they can get dried out.
- Done for a shorter amount of time though + a great rub all steaks can come out delicious. Even smoked pork steaks!

What spices go well with steak?
We will share 2 different steak dry rub recipes with you so you can choose.
- When we made smoked filet mignon I had my husband put a very basic salt and pepper rub on them.
How to smoke a steak with dry rub
First add wood chips or pellets into your smoker. We used mesquite, it creates delicious flavors. Now, preheat your smoker to 250 and rub seasonings on your steaks on both sides. Then, place them inside and let them soak up the smoky flavor.
But stay close! It won’t take an hour of smoking unless your cuts are REALLY thick. Typically 45 minutes is plenty of time.

For the T bone pieces I wanted a bit of sweetness and less pepper. We share that recipe below in the printable recipe card. You can use either depending on your preference.
How long do you leave dry rub on a steak?
- How much rub you put on a steak depends on your tastebuds. We put a generous helping on both sides prior to laying them on the grill grates.
- I like BOLD flavors so this and the smoke creates a steak you’ll be raving about for a long time.
How long does it take to cook a steak at 250 degrees?
It depends on how well done or rare you want it.
- We found that with the thickness of ours 30 minutes was perfect for medium.
- 45 minutes was just right for medium well. You can see the inside of both cuts above in photos.
- Medium rare would be less than 30 min but we haven’t done that. Use instant read thermometer at the end.
You could set it at a lower temp for slow smoking for longer if you wanted.

What is the best way to reheat steak?
For best results let it reach room temperature. Place on a cooling rack on top a baking sheet. Bake in oven at 300 F for 30 minutes flipping after 15 min. Brush with olive oil a bit to keep it moist. Enjoy once warmed.
Smoked Steaks
We of course have a lot of other easy smoker recipes you will love but a few of our favorites are below. What is something you MUST make on your Traeger or electric smoker during the summertime?
- Smoked hamburgers and this best grilled steak recipe are great for the summertime.
- Try smoking bacon in the morning for an out of this world taste.
- we used this inside our meatloaf recipe with cheese and OH MY.
- Easter ham is great with hickory pellets.
- Smoke pulled beef sometime and serve it on little buns as fun sliders!
Throw some smoked corn on the cob on the grill while you’re at it too! Make sure you use a food thermometer to ensure internal temperature is at least 125 degrees, that would be rare.
I typically use my meat smoking chart for reference. That is where I got the optimal temperature, everyone likes their protein a particular “doneness” so check often. Remember meat will increase in temp 2-3 degrees when resting too.

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How to Smoke a Steak
Ingredients
- 6 steaks
- steak rub
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees.
- In a small bowl mix together ingredients for dry rub. Rub on all sides of steaks. Put steaks into smoker directly on the rack. Close lid.
- For medium steaks cook total of 30 min, flip half way through. For medium well done steaks cook total of 45 min, flip after 30 minutes.
- * Thickness of steaks will vary time necessary, check temperature before removing for best results. 120-130 F = rare, 135-145 = medium, 155 F = well done. Keep in mind when resting meat will increase temp 2-3 degrees F.
- Remove from heat and allow to rest at least 5 minutes to maintain juiciness.
mary cocans
Tuesday 20th of July 2021
Thank you so much for such a well written article. It is filled with detailed information. Your point is the best among many blogs without fail.
The Typical Mom
Monday 26th of July 2021
Thanks
Patricia L Hrusa
Tuesday 4th of May 2021
I love your recipes and look forward to receiving them by email. But I do not seem to be receiving them any longer. Do you still post your recipes or do I have to hunt on Pinterest for them?
justine
Tuesday 4th of May 2021
Yes there’s a new one each day. Check your spam and see if they’re trapped there. I send 3x a week.
Peter Colson
Saturday 9th of January 2021
The best rib eye I have ever cooked. Went by the recipe that was provided and it came out great!!!
The Typical Mom
Saturday 9th of January 2021
Oh yay!!
Marge
Monday 19th of October 2020
Used this recipe twice now and the steaks turned out perfect each time. Once with N Y strips and once with T-bones. My husband doesn’t care much for steak but he loves them this way! Thanks for sharing!
The Typical Mom
Tuesday 20th of October 2020
Awesome!
S Taylor
Friday 7th of August 2020
You might enjoy the Pit Boss smoker page on FB... Lots of recipes and lots of wonderful people... I would recommend the reverse sear on steaks...