searing with dome open or closed

Roll Tide

I have read where some people prefer searing with the dome open so they can keep an eye on things and others mention they keep their's closed. I am just wanting to see what the preferences are and the reason for or against one or the other. Also, how long do you sear your steaks, before the roasting phase?
By the way, after calling the mothership concerning my burnt gasket, they replied via-e-mail that a brand spankin' new Nomex is on its way!!!!

Little Steven

Roll Tide,

Depends what you are searing but I usually do dome down for most of it.

Steve

Carolina Q

I sear mine for 90 seconds per side, rotating halfway thru each side for those cool grill marks. I vary the roasting time depending on the thickness of the steak and who I'm cooking for.

Dome open for the sear (it's only 90 seconds after all), closed for the roast. Haven't had a bad steak yet!

Roll Tide

Okay, thanks for the feedback. I am thinking mostly ribeyes or filet's will be what I am searing. Of course, as time goes on I hope to get very creative in my egging and expand. Although, I have tried to be pretty creative with my egging and have been very happy with my results.

Roll Tide

Thanks, Michael
I agree that the sear marks do make for an attractve steak.

RRP

As an avid fan of reverse searing I find I can get rip roaring sears done quicker and with more precise results leaving my dome open. OTOH most all of my sears only last a total of 3 minutes. 45 seconds turn for cross hatch marks for 45 then flip and repeat 45 and 45. As usual "what method works best for you" is the right one regardless of what I prefer!

Little Steven

Roll Tide,

To be honest, have gone away from the blast furnace sear on most meat cooks. I do the reverse sear sometimes or XerT. (I'm pretty sure that was mine )
I like hot tubbing and more of a gentle cook. I've done a fair bit of high temp stuff and the results have been OK but the margin of error decreases. If you shoot for a rare steak with the needle buried, you can get a good one but if you go to long the results are almost inedible. If you use more of a roasting temp and you get medium or medium well, the meat is still moist. I did some steaks years ago with a shop vacuum hose, reversed, duct taped into the lower vent of my small and they were amazing. More often than not, I end up with a dry steak.

Steve

Roll Tide

RRP, thanks for comment and you would be proud to know I double nutted my egg this morning. Thanks for the tip.

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

open, it is a true direct-cook. only the bottom is cooking.

if it's closed, you get some radiant heat from the dome (and the heat from the hot gasses themselves) cooking the upper side of the meat in addition to the coals below.

but dome open, you can get flare ups from fatty foods (like burgers or rib eyes). when the dome is closed, there's no spare oxygen to allow the fat to ignite and flare up

in the end, you will get used to either way.
i tend to cook dome closed out of habit

Little Steven

Ron,

I agree. With the reverse sear you really just want the grill marks without much more cooking.

Steve

RRP

eggactly, kind Sir! I should have also added that for steaks I am also an avid fan of hot tubbing so my searing is strictly that of creating the perfect outside since the inside is nearly ready to eat before it goes on the egg.

RRP

Glad to hear that - you'll be happy and satisfied with that old mechanics trick.

Fidel

I like my steaks rare, bordering on black-n-blue/Pittsburgh style. Cool red center with a little char on the outside. So I sear with the dome open for about 75-90 seconds per side depending on the thickness and visible fat content.

I then roast on a raised grid until they reach the temps I desire.

Misippi Egger

I sear with the dome open when doing a TRex steak for a couple of reasons.

1) It seems to help keep the lump at nuclear levels (I do sear on a spider about 2 inches or so above the lump).

2) Since I am going to roast after the sear at 400*, I don't want the dome ceramics to get nuclear, so I leave it open. I think it helps control the temp better for the roast.

Hungry Joe

I sear with the dome open but I use the spider with a small CI grate. Using the spider your grate is closer to the coals so I don't have to get the egg to 700+ degrees. 500-550 1" from the coals gives a nice sear. Then I finish on the large grate.

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

I’m in the camp with “stripsteak” regarding the flair ups with the dome open with the REALLY hot sear. I always do that with the dome down!!
I’ve done both ways, however, and now tend to lean the direction of the reverse sear. Just seems to work better for my family’s wants…Which isn’t black on the outside and red on the inside. Doing reverse, I think I have a bit more control.