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My first Attempt at TREX

LizzieSamps
LizzieSamps Posts: 894
edited July 2012 in EggHead Forum
Got some ribeye today at Costco!  Been seaching and reading about TREX method. Wish me luck about to start her up!
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Comments

  • tazcrash
    tazcrash Posts: 1,852
    Go Lizzie Kick rump! Its really not hard. Just remember you will get some carry over cooking
    Bx - > NJ ->TX!!! 
    All to get cheaper brisket! 
  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    Good luck!!
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
  • LizzieSamps
    LizzieSamps Posts: 894
    Yes, we like med rare so will watch the temp closely.
  • Rich_ie
    Rich_ie Posts: 268
    Good luck post some pixs if you have time. 
  • LizzieSamps
    LizzieSamps Posts: 894
    Oh no!  I forgot I had to be somewhere tonight, no egg cooking again!!  PP sandwiches tonight!  Ribeye Friday night!
  • Eggdam
    Eggdam Posts: 223
    Here's something I found helpful when you do get around to it. When you preheat the egg leave the lid open. This will allow the grill to get super hot for searing with out heating the dome up. Then when you pull the steaks the egg will come down to temp much more quickly.
  • danv23
    danv23 Posts: 953
    Hell of a tip!  Thanks!

    The DudeThis is a very complicated case, Maude. You know, a lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have-you's. And, uh, lotta strands to keep in my head, man. Lotta strands in old Duder's head. Luckily I'm adhering to a pretty strict, uh, drug regimen to keep my mind, you know, limber.

    Walter SobchakNihilists! *uck me. I mean, say what you want about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos. 

    Cumming, GA

    Eggs - XL, L, Small

    Gasser - Weber Summit 6 Burner

  • Ellis
    Ellis Posts: 195
    Eggdam good tip, I did some B Backs Sunday, ( Car Wash Mike style ) it took over an hour to bring it down and even at that the lowest I could get was 250 it's XL. Trex is talking about bringing it down in 20 min. What The
  • troutgeek
    troutgeek Posts: 458
    I just get the egg to 400, put a smaller grid directly on top of the coals, and sear each side of the steak for 90 seconds.  That said, the egg will cool from 700 to 400 in about 20 minutes, but 400 to 200 will take much longer.  Whiz has a chart somewhere explaining this.
    XL BGE - Large BGE - Small BGE - Traeger Lil' Tex Elite - Weber Smokey Joe
  • twlangan
    twlangan Posts: 307
    That said, the egg will cool from 700 to 400 in about 20 minutes, 
    This has been my experience too. I close both vents to snuff the fire out as quickly as possible. Usually takes about 20 min and I open them up slightly again before opening the dome (also burp it) to prevent a massive flashback. 

    I like the idea of searing on a grate right on the coals. I might give that method a try sometime.
  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
    I do it backwards. Cook steak at 400 then take off and get egg hot as she'll go. Then sear
    Reverse sear.  I've been doing this for a couple of years and like it much better.
  • Rubmyrock
    Rubmyrock Posts: 266
    What are the advantages of reverse t rex
  • allitnils
    allitnils Posts: 109
    I generally sear it at the highest temp possible then use the oven to cook. Temperature in the oven is much easier to control.. And usually find the smoking taste of the egg being completely closed down off putting when infused onto meat.
  • newegg13
    newegg13 Posts: 231
    If you're doing the reverse sear method, about how long should the steaks roast at 400 if the goal is medium rare?  I'd hate to roast too long and not have enough temp time left to get a good sear.

    Thanks for the help!
    Amateur Egger; professional rodeo clown. Birmingham, AL
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    edited July 2012
    Trex, Xert, hot tubbing, and even leaving the steak out on the counter for a couple hours all have the same goal: uniform cross section of color.  ...no overcooked ring around a small core of desirable stuff.

    there are a few ways of attacking the problem, but T-rex was probably the first one to be popularized in the BGE community.  ion the end, all those methods separate the cook into two parts: searing the steak at high heat and raising the core of the steak to the desired temp gently.

    it comes from the now-obvious observation (i say now-obvious, because i didn't consider it back when starting out, and i know many didn't either) that if you try to cook a steak of any decent thickness solely by searing, you risk either an undercooked interior or an interior with a small amount of pink surrounded by a core of over-done.  and the flip side being that if you try to gently cook the steak by roasting, you won't get much of a sear.  hence the two part cook

    Xert can be tricky if you let it get too hot.  Xert reverses it, so you can roast then sear.  hot tubbing or leaving the thing on the counter basically raise the core temp before the steak goes on, so the steak can sear only as needed, and the interior temp will have a head start.  in the case of hot tubbing, or the similar sous vide method, the steak can go nearly 'done', and the sear just finishes it off.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • LizzieSamps
    LizzieSamps Posts: 894
    I am going to shoot for the TREX method over reverse sear.  I am afraid of over shooting the temp and ending up with medium instead of medium rare, which is preferred by both of us.  Very interesting to see how everyone does it and simply they all just work out and taste great!  Gotta love the egg! 
  • booksw
    booksw Posts: 470
    This is the trex I made about a week ago and I just love looking at this photo ;;) I did it straight as-directed.  The advantage of searing it first is that you have 20 minutes (or more- the timing of the rests is not critical- I think they are "minimum" times) to prep your sides, cook the steak and then during the 2nd rest you can cook your sides in the 400 degree egg.  I have now done it this way a couple of times and its a keeper.

    Have fun LizzieSamps!

    Charleston, SC

    L/MiniMax Eggs
  • If you're doing the reverse sear method, about how long should the steaks roast at 400 if the goal is medium rare?  I'd hate to roast too long and not have enough temp time left to get a good sear.

    Thanks for the help!
    Gotta use an internal temp thermo (Thermapen or your model of choice). Every steak is different so you are going to ruin some if you don't peek inside :)


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • JWBurns
    JWBurns Posts: 344
    Lizzie did you get a chance to make your steaks?

    5th cook tonight. I did two 10oz Prime filets tonight using that method, they came out alright.

    Does the Trex method call for pulling the top fire ring?

    I found it very difficult to get the temps down. 550 was the lowest it would go, so, not wanting the steaks to rest over the 20 minute mark, I tossed em on. They came out medium well. Blah. Still exceptional flavor and juicy taste, but still medium well.

    I think next time I'll do the reverse method. Also, less salt in the seasoning.

    Good luck on your steaks Lizzie!
  • Hillbilly-Hightech
    Hillbilly-Hightech Posts: 966
    edited July 2012
     found it very difficult to get the temps down. 550 was the lowest it would go, so, not wanting the steaks to rest over the 20 minute mark, I tossed em on. They came out medium well. Blah. Still exceptional flavor and juicy taste, but still medium well.

    I think next time I'll do the reverse method. Also, less salt in the seasoning.

    Good luck on your steaks Lizzie!
    I too, have difficulties getting my Egg temp back down in any reasonable amount of time. 

    So, FWIW, I (and a few others) have a smaller grate that we just throw on top of the coals & sear the steaks like that.  Then I remove the steaks & allow them to rest, while I remove the smaller grate & put in the default grate & work to get the Egg temp to what I want it to be (usually ~350-400 for roasting the steak).  It's also during this resting period that I put rub on the steak. 

    Then once the temp is stabilized, I put the steak back on, & roast till it gets to the desired temp.

    That way, I don't have to worry about getting the Egg up to really high temps, then trying to get it to come back down (I did that when I first got the Egg & first started searing steaks, but after the first time when it took me about 2 hrs to get the temp to come down from 750 to 350, I said the heck w/ that)!! 

    Anyway, just throwin another option out there...

    HTH,
    Rob
    Don't get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup... Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend. - Bruce Lee
  • newegg13
    newegg13 Posts: 231
    If you're doing the reverse sear method, about how long should the steaks roast at 400 if the goal is medium rare?  I'd hate to roast too long and not have enough temp time left to get a good sear.

    Thanks for the help!
    Gotta use an internal temp thermo (Thermapen or your model of choice). Every steak is different so you are going to ruin some if you don't peek inside :)




    I have a thermo, so i will know when pull in the end. But because I want to try the reverse sear, I'm wanting to know how long the initial roast should be. Any thoughts on that?
    Amateur Egger; professional rodeo clown. Birmingham, AL
  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
    If you're doing the reverse sear method, about how long should the steaks roast at 400 if the goal is medium rare?  I'd hate to roast too long and not have enough temp time left to get a good sear.

    Thanks for the help!
    Gotta use an internal temp thermo (Thermapen or your model of choice). Every steak is different so you are going to ruin some if you don't peek inside :)




    I have a thermo, so i will know when pull in the end. But because I want to try the reverse sear, I'm wanting to know how long the initial roast should be. Any thoughts on that?
    Most "eggsperts" who do this will tell you to go about 20 degrees below your desired temp.  So if you were going for med rare which is 135, you would want to pull from the roast at 110-115, temp will rise some during the sear, and then some more during the rest.  Like all other cooking, your experience will tell you and you've just got to do it to get the experience.

  • newegg13
    newegg13 Posts: 231
    If you're doing the reverse sear method, about how long should the steaks roast at 400 if the goal is medium rare?  I'd hate to roast too long and not have enough temp time left to get a good sear.

    Thanks for the help!
    Gotta use an internal temp thermo (Thermapen or your model of choice). Every steak is different so you are going to ruin some if you don't peek inside :)




    I have a thermo, so i will know when pull in the end. But because I want to try the reverse sear, I'm wanting to know how long the initial roast should be. Any thoughts on that?
    Most "eggsperts" who do this will tell you to go about 20 degrees below your desired temp.  So if you were going for med rare which is 135, you would want to pull from the roast at 110-115, temp will rise some during the sear, and then some more during the rest.  Like all other cooking, your experience will tell you and you've just got to do it to get the experience.




    Thanks!
    Amateur Egger; professional rodeo clown. Birmingham, AL
  • Aviator
    Aviator Posts: 1,757
    Just do it the trex way.
    After sear remove the daisy wheel and put on the ceramic cap, close the bottom vent completely.
    Temps will fall. Unless you have an enclosed egg.

    ______________________________________________ 

    Large and Small BGE, Blackstone 36 and a baby black Kub.

    Chattanooga, TN.

     

  • Yeah, you do the sear with the dome open so the egg does not heat up. I'm with HH- when I do Trex (which is rare) I throw a small grid on the lump with the dome OPEN, then shut it down after the sear. I don't really use this method anymore (I sous vide) but you don't want to heat up the ceramic when you do the Trex sear so leave the dome open.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • JWBurns
    JWBurns Posts: 344
    Yeah, you do the sear with the dome open so the egg does not heat up. I'm with HH- when I do Trex (which is rare) I throw a small grid on the lump with the dome OPEN, then shut it down after the sear. I don't really use this method anymore (I sous vide) but you don't want to heat up the ceramic when you do the Trex sear so leave the dome open.
    Heck why not just go primal, and skip the small grid altogether? I'd like to try that method sometime with a lessor cut of meat and see how it goes.
  • Yeah, you do the sear with the dome open so the egg does not heat up. I'm with HH- when I do Trex (which is rare) I throw a small grid on the lump with the dome OPEN, then shut it down after the sear. I don't really use this method anymore (I sous vide) but you don't want to heat up the ceramic when you do the Trex sear so leave the dome open.
    Heck why not just go primal, and skip the small grid altogether? I'd like to try that method sometime with a lessor cut of meat and see how it goes.
    It works. Done it plenty of times with fajitas. better to brush the coals real quick first  but you can knock off any ash after if you want. I just like the grid because it keeps things a little cleaner. That's the only purpose for it.


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • If you're doing the reverse sear method, about how long should the steaks roast at 400 if the goal is medium rare?  I'd hate to roast too long and not have enough temp time left to get a good sear.

    Thanks for the help!
    Gotta use an internal temp thermo (Thermapen or your model of choice). Every steak is different so you are going to ruin some if you don't peek inside :)




    I have a thermo, so i will know when pull in the end. But because I want to try the reverse sear, I'm wanting to know how long the initial roast should be. Any thoughts on that?



    Like Dugan said, it's not time, it's temp. Pull a little before your desired temp and then do the sear. Time is irrelevant in all your cooks once you have an internal thermo.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • LizzieSamps
    LizzieSamps Posts: 894
    Wow, post a questions and get a HUGE response. I just luv you guys, and gals! I am doing the steaks Friday. Haven't decided which method Trex or rev- Trex. But I know I am excited to be cooking again, it's been over a week since Egging and we are having withdrawal.
  • Just do it the trex way.
    After sear remove the daisy wheel and put on the ceramic cap, close the bottom vent completely.
    Temps will fall. Unless you have an enclosed egg.



    and to all of you who have not experienced the joy of flashback...........this is a real good way to see one. Until you are very comfortable with how this all works, make sure you vent the egg very well before throwing the dome open after choking down a hot fire (unless you hate your eyebrows):)
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX