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TREX Directions

Mark from Utah
Mark from Utah Posts: 52
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Hi,
I've tried the trex steaks several times and can never get the temp up high enough unless I constantly have an air source on the lower vent. Plus, when I put the steaks on the temp drops even more. I think that my problem is not having the lid open - daisey wheel off, but the lid is closed. Could someone who has trex'd a steak successfully give me some help. Thanks, Mark[p]PS Thanks for the help last week in looking for a meat slicer. I finally ended up buying one at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

Comments

  • Mark from Utah,
    i trex all the time on my large, and never have trouble getting the needle to peg straight down (around 900 degrees). .. .[p]first, make sure you clean out all the ash, and all the holes in the firebox grate are clear (sometimes they get clogged from small bits of lump). . .then, fill the egg up above the firebox with fresh lump (i usually go about one inch above the firebox into the fire ring). . .some folks will load the fire box with lump to insure large pieces at the bottom to make sure the grate holes are free, but i just pour from the bag. . ..light up the lump in 3 or 4 spots. . ..close the lid. ..i'm usually up to 900 degrees in about 15 - 20 minutes. . ..once you put the steaks on, the temps will drop some, and they won't return to 900 for the duration of the searing, but they will still be in th 700+ range. . .. there are a couple of different thoughts on the dome during searing... originally trex wasn't clear about this, so i (and most others) seared with the dome closed. ..i always felt this helped keep the overall temps way up. ..trex then later clarified that he leaves the lid open as all that matters is the direct heat from the coals during searing....i still close the dome. . ..HTH

  • Mark Backer
    Mark Backer Posts: 1,018
    mad max beyond eggdome,[p]I, unlike max, am of the lid up searing school. I put about the same amount of lump in, light 3 or 4 spots, leave the lid up and in about 30 minutes, I've got a nuclear reactor. Although I don't know precisely the temp like the lid-down folks, I know it's earth-shatteringly hot. [p]I wait until the lump is fully involved and the coal is basically white hot. And when I throw the steaks on, flames are licking as high as a foot in the air.[p]It's a thing of beauty. But get a welding glove. You'll thank me.
  • Standbell
    Standbell Posts: 42
    Mark from Utah,[p]I don't post alot here, only when I have some value to add. So as far as Rib-Eye goes, I do the following: clean out the egg, add fesh lump, plus what ever was left from the last cook. I get it up to 850-900F in about 30min....all vents wide open. Add steaks, close dome, sear for 4', then open dome, turn steaks, and sear 4'.Then close all vents, and "bake" for an additional 4'. Medium rare....and wonderful. The steakes are 1.5-2" thick. You can use any rub you like, although French's Yellow Mustard layered on thick works pretty good....Enjoy!!

  • Mark Backer,
    ahh, but with the dome open, you don't get the volcano, or sr71 afterburner effect :o)[p]DSCN0693.jpg[p]and trust me, when i very carefully lift the dome, i'm still going nuclear. .. [p]DSCN0307.jpg

  • mad max beyond eggdome,
    I use all the small bits and pieces for my TRexing. I do make sure all the ash is cleaned out as well. I also sear with the lid down. However, like the English language there is an exeption to this rule ... for Ribeyes I leave the lid up for the sear. Too much fat burning off that it leaves a soot on the steak fat. Not good eats. [p]I also have found that I cannot wait 20 minutes for the rest ... I usually only make it to about 18. I do 90 second sears per turn. 90 seconds rotate 45 degrees, 90 seconds flip steak, 90 seconds rotate 45 degrees 90 seconds more then the big wait ...[p]My only problem with TRexing has been the soot thing. I can always get up to temperature.[p]Oh ... and a welding glove with long tongs is a good idea. I'm just now growing the hair back on my knuckles ... LOL.[p]

  • Smoked Signals,
    so you are doing 3 full minutes of searing for each side? . . .i finally settled on 30 seconds per 1/2 inch of steak per side. ...i regularly buy 2 inch thick steaks (we prefer sirloins and/or tenderloins, so i don't have that problem with the big hunk of fat in the ribeyes, but i understand your point). . ..i do manage to stay patient for the 20 minutes. ...what i've really found is that you have to have those initial temps over 750....i did some one night in the 600 degree searing range, and what i found was they then took a lot longer in the dwell portion of the cook to hit 125 internal, and the steaks were mushy. . ..[p]but you are correct in that there is more than one way to get a great steak. ..even more than one way to do a trex. ..

  • hottemp.jpg
    <p />mad max beyond eggdome,
    Yeah .... I think that jet engine was running just about this temp.[p]

    [ul][li]Crud ... I forgot how to post multiples ... dang it[/ul]
  • Smoked Signals,
    yes sir!!! that's what i'm talking about. ..if it were the starship enterprise, scottie would be up on the bridge crying to capt. kirk "aye captaan, the dilithium crystals just can't take much more of this!!!" heee

  • moo.jpg
    <p />mad max beyond eggdome,
    Steak is about 1-3/4" to 2" thick ... Perhaps I should cut back .. the steaks are quite crusty. Maybe I'll cut it back to 75 seconds per flip/rotate.[p]My wife prefers the ribeyes ... I'm with you about sirlion and tenderloin. Tenderloins over 2" are my favorite.[p]I think we will be having steak over the weekend ... I think its just about Martini time !! :-)

  • Mark Backer
    Mark Backer Posts: 1,018
    mad max beyond eggdome,[p]Touche, Mad Max. I have found, however, that lid down t-rexing is rougher on my gasket. I cooked a gasket in one night by having the egg nuclear for about 45 minutes with the lid down. That's never happened to me with the lid up.[p]And by cooked, I mean as in a spider web on fire when I opened it. [p]I also closed it and shut it down until the next day, when I found that it was melted shut. [p]Beer: where good judgement and common sense go to die.
  • Mark Backer
    Mark Backer Posts: 1,018
    Smoked Signals,[p]I like ribeyes and when I buy a whole one, I have the butcher pull that one side of fat off and toss it. Then I have nice round, well marbled ribeyes like yours.[p]Here's my open-lid searing:[p]smallDsc06405.jpg[p]smallDsc06404.jpg[p]
  • Mark Backer,
    been there, done that. ..your problem was 45 minutes in the nuclear range. ...that will melt down most anything. . sure cleans the ceramic good though :)

  • Mark Backer
    Mark Backer Posts: 1,018
    mad max beyond eggdome,[p]Yeah, it was one of those things. I lit it, had it about ready to go, but had to get lauren bathed and to bed, so I left the cap off, the bottom vent open and the lid closed, and didn't think it'd be a big deal.[p]The good news is my boss broke a firebox, so he drove to the mothership to replace it and got me a gasket. [p]I may do that sunday night after this weekend's butts come off...[p]
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,674
    d73fa1c6.jpg
    <p />Mark from Utah,
    new lump, firebox opening lined up with vent, daisy off, dome closed, should just be a matter of time. try waiting it out to 45 min and see what happens. i sear dome open, sometimes on the grill, sometimes in the coals. this is one 28 ounce sirloin steak

    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • TRex
    TRex Posts: 2,714
    pr05sear3.JPG
    <p />mad max beyond eggdome,[p]"ahh, but with the dome open, you don't get the volcano, or sr71 afterburner effect :o)"[p]I must respectfully disagree.[p];-)[p]Cheers and happy searing, however you choose to fuel your nuclear reactor,[p]TRex[p]

  • TRex,
    sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.. . ..very cool pic!!!! . .. and i am humbled by the master jedi himself :-)

  • mad max beyond eggdome,
    One word ... WOW. That is one huge piece of meat on a mini. Or a giant on a small.[p]Either way ... WOW.

  • Ironbaugh
    Ironbaugh Posts: 93
    TRex,
    Is that hunk of meat on the mini and does the mini go 700* plus?

  • Thanks everyone for all your suggestions - I'll give it another try. Mark

  • TRex
    TRex Posts: 2,714
    Ironbaugh,[p]Yes, that's a 4.5 lb prime rib getting seared and yes I routinely get the Mini to 750++ degrees.[p]It's a GREAT little cooker.[p]Cheers,[p]TRex