Decisions....Decisions...Decisions

WJS

Picked up a cryovaced beef loin and it's time to commit. Looking at doing a piece about 5-6 inches long as a "Chateaubriand". Always previously did it the same way. Sear it first, pull it while the Egg cools, then slow at 225 or so until internal hits about 127. Turns out good, but.....[p]Thinking about reversing it this time to get a little more flavor (slow until 120, then sear it for looks).[p]Anybody tried it on a beef loin previously? Any thoughts?

Unknown

WJS,[p]I believe the searing actually helps the later cooking process (builds a cauterized barrier .... something to do with the maillard reaction).[p]I did a chateaubriand with one of those gelatine pastrami spice wraps and it was unbelievable. I seared then brought the internal temp up to 130. I put it in the freezer to stop the cooking and sliced it before it was frozen (the freezer made it firm).[p]YUMMY.[p]That was before the BGE. You've got me thinking now about using the BGE with a strong flavored wood (mesquite).[p]boz.

WJS

bozzy,
Was definitely going with mesquite, with a bit of Oak. I always thought that once the exterior of the meat reached a certain temp, you couldn't get as much (any?) smoke flavor into the meat, hence the desire to start low.

BobS

WJS,
I think that the recommended temp would be to stop at 95 - 100, if you want the final around the 127 you mentioned.[p]I read the following in Cooks Illustraged:[p]The goal is to get the best possible crust, with minimum, over cooked layer between the crust and the warm center.[p]The process starts by putting the steaks in a low oven -- or in this case, your grill -- at 275F[p]Leave for 20-25 minutes or until 90-95 degrees for rare or 25-30 minutes, to 100-105, for medium.[p]This step does two things -- dries out the exterior and brings the center up to a warmer temperature.[p]Heat a skillet, over high heat, until the oil is smoking. Place steaks in skillet and sear until well browned and crusty - 1 1/2 - 2 minutes, lifting once half way through to redistribute the fat underneath the steak. Reduce heat if fond begins to burn.[p]It goes on to recommend searing on the sides, but that seams like overkill to me. Need to check the internal temp to get it to 125 for rare.[p]Apparently there is some science to explain why this makes a better steak. [p]These steaks spend a long time in a warm oven, yet taste more tender than traditionally prepared steaks, which can be tough and chewy. The explanation? Meat contains active enzymes called cathepsins, which break down connective tissues over time, increasing tenderness. (a fact that is demonstrated to great effect in dry-aged meat). As the temperature of the meat rises, these enzymes work faster and faster, until they reach 122 degrees, where all the action stops. While our steaks are slowly heating up, the cathepsins are working overtime, in effect "aging" and tenderizing the steaks within half an hour. When steaks are cooked by conventional methods, their final temperature is reached much more rapidly , denying the cathepsins the time they need to properly do their job.