Reverse Sear vs Searing first

BYS1981 · June 2016

I have stood by the reverse sear, it was my favorite beef method, but I have changed my method for tri tip.

For those that aren't familiar with the reverse sear, you cook indirect until about 20 degrees of your target temp and then remove the platesetter and sear at like 550-650°F.

My wife really likes a good sear and I couldn't achieve that using the reverse sear method, without overshooting my target temp.

My new method has only been tried on tri tip, but has yielded great results and I plan on try it with other cuts. I get the egg to about 450°F and sear direct for about 2 minutes a side until I get the sear marks desired, approximately 12-14 minutes, then I roast indirectly until 130°F. The common complaint is it is hard to bring the egg down to a lower temp once it has ran so hot, I have not had any issue roasting at 350°F with the egg being hot and platesetter added. My family lives it this method, so I recommend trying several methods of cooking and refining as required. I am not exaggerating when I say it took me 7 yrs to find what was perfect, for my situation, EXPLORE all options!

Without further ado!

Lit · June 2016

I always sear first I just don't wait for it to get back down to 350. Seat and pull then add platesetter. I usually wait a minute or 2 then burp the egg and close it and wait another minute or 2 and throw the meat back in with some wood added and it's usually at an acceptable temp in the low 400s by then. Tri tip looks good by the way.

Theophan · June 2016

I'm afraid that my own experience has been the opposite. I don't know why, but I had a chip on my shoulder about I thought was the reverse sear fad. It just didn't make sense to me that you'd do the crucial last stage, where the final temp is potentially set, at a super high heat. But it really was a pain getting the Egg back down to a temp a lot lower than 300°, so I finally tried a reverse sear, and it was SO much easier and has worked great for me.

I usually get a decent sear with only a minute a side at 650° or so, and I really don't think that affects the internal temp much at all. I figure the cooling of the outside layer from several minutes outside the Egg more than offsets the effect of one minute at very high heat. Sometimes I'll go two minutes, but with a high enough heat, a minute a side usually works for me.

Dondgc · June 2016

My favorite tri-tip method is hot-tubbing for an hour until about 120 then throwing on to a super hot grill for just a couple of minutes for a great outside crust. So my tri-tip spends very little time on the egg.

fishlessman · June 2016

im a fan of sear first, the resting and roasting later helps mellow and mature the sear

the methods need to be practiced until you figure out which is best for you, if you miss a step like not patting the meat dry just before searing it messes things up either method, its the little details

shtgunal3 · June 2016

I like to sear first as well but a lot of the time I just get the egg to about 450-500 and flip every couple minutes until desired temp.

When I sear and then roast I use multiple eggs.

Nice looking hunk o beef you have there.

BYS1981 · June 2016

@lit I don't wait for it to get to 350 either, just ballpark what temp gets to once I add the PS.

Thanks all

Reverse Sear vs Searing first

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