There is no denying that a slow-smoked backstrap is one of the tastiest meals on the planet. Slow smoking at low temperatures, say between 180 and 200 degrees, allows the backstrap to cook evenly all the way through with tons of smoke flavor without overcooking the outer surface. The SuperSmoke function on the Traeger grill is perfect for this style of cooking, maintaining a low, even temperature with lots of wood smoke.

This double cooking method produces a perfectly medium-rare interior and a crusty exterior on the backstrap.

But just like a good steak, a properly cooked backstrap needs some heat to caramelize the surface of the meat and add another layer of flavor. To get both, use a method called reverse searing. Instead of applying high heat to the meat at the beginning of the cooking process, reverse searing slowly cooks the meat to almost the desired finished doneness level. Once the meat has been removed from the grill and rested a few minutes, sear it for just a minute or so per side in a super hot skillet, giving the meat’s surface a nice seared crust.

I prefer to do my reverse searing outdoors over a gas burner. To really do the method justice, the cast iron needs to be hot enough to cause a ton of smoke when the meat hits it. Unless you have a commercial-grade hood above the range in your kitchen, this can cause problems indoors.

Pan-searing the backstrap outdoors keeps the unavoidable smoke out of the kitchen.

For even more flavor, we coat the exterior of the backstrap with a steakhouse-style rub before cooking. The brown sugar helps to caramelize the surface of the backstrap on the cast iron. After you have seared the meat, give it a few minutes to rest, then slice across the grain into perfect medium-rare medallions.