Big Green Egg - EGGhead Forum - The Ultimate Cooking Experience...
Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg at:

Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #EGGhead4Life.


In Atlanta? Come visit Big Green Egg headquarters, including our retail showroom, the History of the EGG Museum and Culinary Center!  3786 DeKalb Technology Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30340.

Trex Method on Steak - Fail

Duke_staDuke_sta Posts: 25
edited June 2012 in EggHead Forum
I tried trex's method on some 1.5" rib-eye's over the weekend and the inside was tender and a nice medium, it was great. But my egg got up to over 1200 degrees (I thought the hotter the better) and I must have left the steaks in for the sear too long (char crust and cowlick with EVOO) because the crust on both sides over seared to the point it was disgusting with a powerful burnt taste. I had a cast iron grate right over the firebox on a PSWOO3 that I put on for 90 seconds per side like TRex said but the crust tasted like everything incinerated. I want to try steak again this weekend and need your help. Should I try reverse sear? I need details on that, or should I just try again with less sear time and lower temp (750) on the upper grate?

Any help would be appreciated!

Comments

  • njlnjl Posts: 871
    Reverse sear is even harder to get right.  Stick with T-Rex, but keep in mind, you can go too hot for the good of your steaks.  Even on a regular grid at regular height, on my LBGE, I've had the egg hot enough once or twice that 60-90s per side searing burned the outside of the steaks.  600-700F dome with normal grid height is plenty hot enough for the sear.  if you're on cast iron closer to the fire, I'd probably check them at 30-45s per side.
  • fishlessmanfishlessman Posts: 22,718
    trex 750/800 with the stainless grill, 650/700 with a castiron. sear til it looks like how you want it and get it off for the rest. 1200 and castiron is way way too much heat
    fukahwee maine

  • Little StevenLittle Steven Posts: 354
    I use the reverse sear if I don't have time to hot tub. Then again I make the time to hot tub most often. Reverse sear is just doing your roast temp first getting close to your finish temp, remove the meat and knock the vents open. Throw the meat back on when the egg comes up to the sear temp you want. It's a good idea when you are searing anything to use salt as your only seasoning so your other stuff doesn't burn.
  • lousubcaplousubcap Posts: 16,200
    I Trex without regard to BGE temperature-dome open, bed of hot lump-sear til it looks right (60-90 secs depending on thickness), then set vents for around 400*F on the dome-rest then finish to desired temp.
    Louisville;  L & S BGEs, PBC, Lang 36; Burnin' wood in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer.  
  • Ragtop99Ragtop99 Posts: 1,560
    I Trex without regard to BGE temperature-dome open, bed of hot lump-sear til it looks right (60-90 secs depending on thickness), then set vents...
    Same here; dome open and don't preheat the egg.  I just want to preheat my CI grid sitting on the spider.  To get a good sear doesn't ubber hot coals, especially if you are lowering the grid closer to the coals. Just get some nice glowing coals and start cooking.  I adjust my sear time based upon how strong the fire is. 
    Cooking on an XL and Medium in Bethesda, MD.
  • Little StevenLittle Steven Posts: 354
    trex 750/800 with the stainless grill, 650/700 with a castiron. sear til it looks like how you want it and get it off for the rest. 1200 and castiron is way way too much heat
    Ya think that's why mine is in a hundred pieces?
    :))
  • DuganboyDuganboy Posts: 1,118
    I use the reverse sear if I don't have time to hot tub. Then again I make the time to hot tub most often. Reverse sear is just doing your roast temp first getting close to your finish temp, remove the meat and knock the vents open. Throw the meat back on when the egg comes up to the sear temp you want. It's a good idea when you are searing anything to use salt as your only seasoning so your other stuff doesn't burn.
    I'm also a big fan of the reverse sear.  One of the reasons is that it is a lot easier to get the egg up to searing temps than it is to get them down to roasting temp.  Get near your internal temp target, take off the DW and open the bottom vent and in just a couple of minutes you are ready to sear.
  • Duke_staDuke_sta Posts: 25
    Thanks everyone any more comments you can add to this discussion will be appreciated.
  • hartofatigerhartofatiger Posts: 199
    I'm boring.  I've T-Rexed many times, but now I just put them on direct at 425-450F and cook until med rare.  I make sure meat is close to room temp before grilling and give a good rest period afterwards (1 beer).  It's great to try all the different methods, and you'll find one that works for you.  Good luck.

    GEAUX TIGERS!!!!!!!!!

  • The Naked WhizThe Naked Whiz Posts: 7,780


    I'm also a big fan of the reverse sear.  One of the reasons is that it is a lot easier to get the egg up to searing temps than it is to get them down to roasting temp. 
    The Trex method has you sear and then rest the meat for 20 minutes.  That is at least double the time you need to get the Egg back down to roasting temperatures.  The following chart shows what happens if you take the cooker to 700 degrees and immediately shut the vents (pink line) and if you take the cooker to 700 degrees long enough to sear a steak and the shut the vents (blue line).  Worst case, the Egg is back to 400 degrees in about 7.5 minutes. 

    image

    And it is even quicker if you sear with the dome open and don't let the ceramic heat up.  I sear with the dome open in order to sear both sides.  Otherwise, you sear the first side and roast the second while searing the first side.  But regardless, you should have no trouble getting the Egg back down to 400 degrees in time for the roasting period.
    The Naked Whiz
  • The Naked WhizThe Naked Whiz Posts: 7,780
    Duke, did you read the Trex Method instructions?  Trex Method Instructions  You want the fire to be about 750 degrees.
    The Naked Whiz
  • tazcrashtazcrash Posts: 1,852
    The following chart shows what happens if you take the cooker to 700 degrees and immediately shut the vents (pink line) and if you take the cooker to 700 degrees long enough to sear a steak and the shut the vents (blue line).  Worst case, the Egg is back to 400 degrees in about 7.5 minutes.  
    And it is even quicker if you sear with the dome open and don't let the ceramic heat up.  I sear with the dome open in order to sear both sides.  Otherwise, you sear the first side and roast the second while searing the first side.  But regardless, you should have no trouble getting the Egg back down to 400 degrees in time for the roasting period.
    Thanks for this info, but.... 
    I must be doing something wrong. It takes me WAYYYYY longer to get my egg cool if I get it up to 700! 
    Heck to took my egg over 3 hours to get it under 200 from 400 after roasting potatoes last night. 
    Perhaps because I spent so much time cooking at that temp?  
    Per
    Bx - > NJ ->TX!!! 
    All to get cheaper brisket! 
  • XLBalcoXLBalco Posts: 604
    i need some steak now to go with these eggs.  thanks everyone!
  • misumisu Posts: 213
    Heck to took my egg over 3 hours to get it under 200 from 400 after roasting potatoes last night. 
     

    The Whiz was not talking about going from 400 to below 200, that's basically cool and it should take a few hours to get there.
  • zosobao5150zosobao5150 Posts: 133
    Not sure on the use of EVOO on steaks at that type of temp.  Isn't the burning point around 400F?  If so, that may be why the outside tasted burnt.
    XL BGE
  • fishlessmanfishlessman Posts: 22,718
    Not sure on the use of EVOO on steaks at that type of temp.  Isn't the burning point around 400F?  If so, that may be why the outside tasted burnt.
    at 1200 on castiron, the oil was burned, the pepper was burned, the steak was burned and charred like black coal on the outside
    fukahwee maine

  • ShedFarmShedFarm Posts: 499
    I'm boring.  I've T-Rexed many times, but now I just put them on direct at 425-450F and cook until med rare.  I make sure meat is close to room temp before grilling and give a good rest period afterwards (1 beer).  It's great to try all the different methods, and you'll find one that works for you.  Good luck.
    I'm with you on this. I like to keep it simple, and I still get a steak that's better than I can get at any local restaurant, without having to worry so much about making adjustments during the cook.
    BJ (Powhatan, VA)
  • The Naked WhizThe Naked Whiz Posts: 7,780
    Taz, as you can see from the graph, it depends on how long you leave the cooker at any particular temperature.  The longer you leave it there, the hotter the ceramic gets and thus the longer it takes to cool the cooker down.  Again, if you take a cold large Egg to 700 degrees for 3-4 minutes then shut the vents, you should be able to cool it to 400 in 7-8 minutes.
    The Naked Whiz
  • The Cen-Tex SmokerThe Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 17,320
    on top of all the temp advice you are getting above, lose the evoo on cooks over 400. It will scorch and can give you that nasty taste. at 1200 it will definitely give you that nasty taste. Just pat the steak dry and season with whatever you are using then throw it on the grill
    1- LGBE
    1- KBQ C-60 (The Dishwasher)
    I- Blackstone 36" Griddle
    1- Sweet-A$$ Roccbox Pizza Oven
    1-Very Understanding and Forgiving Wife
  • tazcrashtazcrash Posts: 1,852
    Thanks for the confirmation TNW, i thought it might have had to do with the saturation of heat in the ceramic.


    Bx - > NJ ->TX!!! 
    All to get cheaper brisket! 
  • Duke_staDuke_sta Posts: 25
    Duke, did you read the Trex Method instructions?  Trex Method Instructions  You want the fire to be about 750 degrees.
    Whiz I followed them verbatim except that my egg went too high. He even stated in parentheses that 900 is better so that is where I made my mistake I'm thinking. I had just added a high-que grate and cleaned out my box and my egg was at a super high temp. 

    I'm honored to have the Whiz respond to my post...thanks!
  • Duke_staDuke_sta Posts: 25
    on top of all the temp advice you are getting above, lose the evoo on cooks over 400. It will scorch and can give you that nasty taste. at 1200 it will definitely give you that nasty taste. Just pat the steak dry and season with whatever you are using then throw it on the grill
    Okay that may be the main part of my problem. The EVOO just might have been the culprit. I will lose it next time because the taste I got from the crust didn't taste like food but the inside was perfect. This is great info and I owe all to you who responded. I will try again and make the adjustments to trex and repost my results...thanks!!
  • fishlessmanfishlessman Posts: 22,718
    it should be mentioned that some luck was on yourside opening a dome at 1200, first the flashback can be extreme, if you havent experienced one, you dont want your first to be at 1200 dome temp. second, and ive had this problem with 1200 deggree pizza cooks, the bands expand and the dome can fall out at those temps if your not extremely careful opening the lid

    fukahwee maine

  • Duke_staDuke_sta Posts: 25
    thanks for the heads up fish. I did burp the egg though multiple times and im already bald so....but still I get what your saying
  • BrownieBrownie Posts: 1,023
    The first two times I used Trex method I couldn't get it to cool in a reasonable time. I ended up rereading the method on TNW site and tried the sear with the dome open. It worked perfect, the sear was just rite and my temp came down within ten minutes. Used Trex without any problems the next couple dozen times and temp came down flawlessly............ I just got a cast iron grid to try and boy did it hold heat. I was really surprised at the extra time it took to cool. 
  • The Cen-Tex SmokerThe Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 17,320
    it should be mentioned that some luck was on yourside opening a dome at 1200, first the flashback can be extreme, if you havent experienced one, you dont want your first to be at 1200 dome temp. second, and ive had this problem with 1200 deggree pizza cooks, the bands expand and the dome can fall out at those temps if your not extremely careful opening the lid

    Good call on both fishless. I've had the pleasure of experiencing both :D
    1- LGBE
    1- KBQ C-60 (The Dishwasher)
    I- Blackstone 36" Griddle
    1- Sweet-A$$ Roccbox Pizza Oven
    1-Very Understanding and Forgiving Wife
  • DuganboyDuganboy Posts: 1,118


    I'm also a big fan of the reverse sear.  One of the reasons is that it is a lot easier to get the egg up to searing temps than it is to get them down to roasting temp. 
    The Trex method has you sear and then rest the meat for 20 minutes.  That is at least double the time you need to get the Egg back down to roasting temperatures.  The following chart shows what happens if you take the cooker to 700 degrees and immediately shut the vents (pink line) and if you take the cooker to 700 degrees long enough to sear a steak and the shut the vents (blue line).  Worst case, the Egg is back to 400 degrees in about 7.5 minutes. 

    image

    And it is even quicker if you sear with the dome open and don't let the ceramic heat up.  I sear with the dome open in order to sear both sides.  Otherwise, you sear the first side and roast the second while searing the first side.  But regardless, you should have no trouble getting the Egg back down to 400 degrees in time for the roasting period.
    Always seared with the lid closed, so thanks NW, will try it with the lid open.
  • fairchasefairchase Posts: 292
    I have always seasoned my steaks after the sear . The high heat used to sear will burn most seasoning.

    Don't know if this is the right way , but it works for me.
Sign In or Register to comment.
Click here for Forum Use Guidelines.