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No Egg! Broiler?

Frankiesez
Frankiesez Posts: 21
edited October 2014 in EggHead Forum
Having a second-annual reunion for my college roommates.  Last year we did tomahawk ribeyes, reverse-seared on the Egg.  They came out great.  

This year, the Egg will not be present at the lakehouse where we have the reunion, just a pretty weak propane Weber (should be fine for brats/wings, but not the steaks).  

Was thinking of doing my reverse sear, but using the broiler for the sear and maybe cheating with some butter to help create surface melanoidins/crust.  This isn't a whole lot different than what they do at the steakhouses, yes?  Any pointers for searing with a broiler?  Rack-over-oven pan?  Lot of rotation once searing?

Comments

  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    @Cazzy pan fried method....
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • Jeremiah
    Jeremiah Posts: 6,412
    Why not go and buy a cheap weber knockoff and load it up with lump??
    Slumming it in Aiken, SC. 
  • Jeremiah
    Jeremiah Posts: 6,412
    Like this. image
    Slumming it in Aiken, SC. 
  • blind99
    blind99 Posts: 4,971
    What henapple said. as a mediocre steak cooker I have more luck roasting in the oven then finishing in hot CI than trying to guess what's happening under the broiler.
    Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    edited October 2014
    I would go sear on the Weber Grill and finish the roast in the oven brushing with your butter blend.
    A couple big cast iron pans would work great in the oven.

    Truly I would just do it all on the gasser.

    It's really all about spending time with friends. Don't put to much pressure on the meal.




    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,657
    sear in a pan, rest the steak, then make a pan mushroom sauce in the dirty pan while you finish up the steaks in the oven, some shallots, shrooms butter, then a little wine, simmer down, add some sage and a little cream, pour over steaks. you could also just roast a turkey instead
    :D
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • so nobody here is a believer in the reverse sear?  

    I can sear on a 24"CI pan I have (its one of the super hot electric cooktops...ugh..but it can get scorching).  The reason I didn't want to do that was smoke in the house (no hood).  All I'm really getting from the broiler is the carmelization, so I can pull them pretty regularly and rotate/check temp.  

    Not meaning to 'pressurize' the meal, seriously excellent advice, but I do enjoy plating up a perfect steak.  Maybe I'll try a test run this week with the wife with my oven broiler method!

    No way I'm cooking these on the gas :-)
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,657
    i dont have a broiler so no advice there. but is there a fire pit for searing and just bring a cooking grid
    :D if there was a fire pit i would be cooking a roast leg of lamb with a caveman sear and roast it on a rock next to the fire
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Get it as close to the broiler as you can.  You may use another pan turned upside down on the top rack to get it higher and closer to the element. 

    Little Rock, AR

  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    edited October 2014
    No way I'm cooking these on the gas :-)
    Yea, because the oven provides better flavor. lol

    Sear them on the Gasser. Pull them off for a rest. Drop the temp to low, and slow roast them.
    Rig up a little raised cooking grate in the gasser if you can. Or reverse it. A very good steak can be cooked on gas grill. Add a foil pack of wood chips for some smoke. 

    Make a basting sauce as fishlessman posted above to top it off. No real reason to smoke up the house.

    Post some photos and let us know how it went.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • Bring a weber kettle. Best bang for the buck out there.
  • Photo Egg said:
    No way I'm cooking these on the gas :-)
    Yea, because the oven provides better flavor. lol


    Yeah, I mean I'm not really looking for a smoke flavor in my steaks anyway.  The reason I am able to do them the way I like on my egg is I have a small CI grate that sits on my large CGS spider, which ends up just over the flame and is probably around 1100-1200*.  Do you like Smith & Wolenskis, Mortons, Del Friscos, or any of the other steakhouses?  No smoke on those steaks.  Just oven/sous-vide then track broiler...

    I'm also surprised at the lack of love reverse sear is getting on here...

    I may try BG Pharmacist's idea...
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,657
    why not do an extended hot tub and broiler sear, ive gone 3 hours in the sink in a bag with salted steaks before changing the water regularly with hot water. works really well with thinner ribeyes. with that gas grill a good alternative is santa maria tritip, the gas grill will get hot enough for that
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
    I have done reverse sear with steaks in the oven first, and then finished with a hot cast iron pan on the stove top.

    Works great, should replicate your egg setup somewhat.

    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    Most home oven broilers are pretty weak. Reverse sear in a ci pan on the stove top would be better. But with the lack of a vent hood, moving the sear outside would be better. Consider using lump in a charcoal starter with a small grid on top. You are limited to one at a time, but each one will sear off very fast. It will also be entertaining to watch, so your friends won't mind waiting a minute or two for their steak. If having them all done together is important, you could do a traditional sear first (on the starter) and then finish indirect on the gasser or inside oven.
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    I'm also surprised at the lack of love reverse sear is getting on here...
    I really like the reverse sear. Helps me with the timing of the rest of the meal. 
    Never had a steak from Smith & Wolenskis but have from other high end places.
    I agree, I prefer no smoke on a high dollar aged steak. Was just trying to better understand why you were so insistent about not using the gasser when at first you listed it as a option.
    I think you should always take the route you feel comfortable with and not experiment at a critical moment. Hope you will share the outcome...
    @jtcBoynton also has some great ideas.

    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    edited October 2014
    Plenty of love for reverse sear around here!  I think the point of contention is whether or not you can get a good sear in the broiler.  Like @DMW and others suggested most common use of indoor equipment for reverse sear is oven at 275ish for the roast, then sear in the CI on the stove top. 

    I think if you get it close to the flame like @Biggreenpharmacist said it would work.  My oven's top rack is darn close to the flame.  I haven't tried searing a steak...but I can burn the $hit out of toast in about 30 seconds on the top rack.  Mine oven is gas however. If it is electric I'm not sure how good the heating element will work.  

    Just another suggestion to throw out.  You mentioned you have a 24 inch CI pan but don't want to use it inside.  What if you set it on the gasser?  Roast steaks in oven, then carry them out to the gasser to finish on the CI.  I would imagine that will all the gasser burners going you could get the CI hot enough for a good sear.  



    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 14,602
    the broiler they use in a steakhouse is nothing like what's in a residential oven - isn't it called a salamander or something like that and gets above 1500?  anyway, it's a totally different animal.  I think if you use the over broiler you're more likely to roast the steak to well done before you get the crust you're looking for.  you may want to consider CI pan on gasser as @SmokeyPitt suggested - it will absorb heat and do a better job than just putting the steak on the grill.
  • blind99
    blind99 Posts: 4,971
    I'm a convert to the reverse sear. My problem with my broilers is probably that the oven is too hot and the steak cooks too much during the sear. Maybe getting the steak higher would help.
    Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle

  • Photo Egg said:



    No way I'm cooking these on the gas :-)

    Yea, because the oven provides better flavor. lol



    Yeah, I mean I'm not really looking for a smoke flavor in my steaks anyway.  The reason I am able to do them the way I like on my egg is I have a small CI grate that sits on my large CGS spider, which ends up just over the flame and is probably around 1100-1200*.  Do you like Smith & Wolenskis, Mortons, Del Friscos, or any of the other steakhouses?  No smoke on those steaks.  Just oven/sous-vide then track broiler...

    I'm also surprised at the lack of love reverse sear is getting on here...

    I may try BG Pharmacist's idea...


    One more trick. Prop oven door open with a little something so the thermostat doesnt turn the broiler off. If door is open the element will stay on.

    Little Rock, AR

  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
    One more trick. Prop oven door open with a little something so the thermostat doesnt turn the broiler off. If door is open the element will stay on.
    That works for pizza as well. Just make sure you have a good stone.
    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    I strongly second @cazzy‌ on the motion for a CI pan method. Excellent crust, color and intense flavor you just can't beat. I like doing this on the egg or the stove. On the egg you also get some extra flavor in there. Give it a whirl.
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    One more trick. Prop oven door open with a little something so the thermostat doesnt turn the broiler off. If door is open the element will stay on.
    Doen't work for all stoves.  Some (like mine) shut off the broiler when the door is opened. The door must be closed for the broiler to work.  Read the stove user manual if not sure how it works.
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
  • One more trick. Prop oven door open with a little something so the thermostat doesnt turn the broiler off. If door is open the element will stay on.
    Doen't work for all stoves.  Some (like mine) shut off the broiler when the door is opened. The door must be closed for the broiler to work.  Read the stove user manual if not sure how it works.
    Good point, too.  Mine stays on, but you are certainly correct. 

    Little Rock, AR