Best searing techniques

GoooDawgs · May 2017

Hey Guys,

I wanted to get your opinion on the best searing techniques. I've been doing the reverse sear for over a year now and I can always get the internal temp, texture, color, etc., perfect (for how we like them), but when I go to sear it's hit or miss on how that turns out.

Here's how I do it. Use the platesetter and bring the temp up to our liking, then pull the platesetter and add a cast iron grate on one side, and the half-moon flat top griddle on the other side. Once the dome temp is holding about 600, I'll put the steaks on the grates for 20 seconds, rotate 90 degrees for another 20 seconds, and then let them sit on the flat griddle for 20 seconds - total of 1 minute per side. I leave the dome open the whole time as I don't want them to cook any more.

Sometimes this works, but last night the grate marks were overpowering and too charred for our liking, and the griddle seemed to burn more than sear.

How do you guys do your sear? I'm wondering if I should close the dome to keep the flames down? Love to hear your ideas and techniques!

Thanks,

Photo Egg · May 2017

If your internal temp and everything is to your liking, the sear at the end is ONLY for exterior texture and presentation. If your final sear is creating to much burning or overpowering grate marks just reduce your sear time.
I also like to close my bottom vent when I sear at the end and keep my dome open.
This keeps my fire from roaring out of control.

Photo Egg · May 2017

Any chance you are adding or using a rub that contains sugar?

tarheelmatt · May 2017

IMO, 600° is too high. You can back that down to 450°-500° and would be fine. It's good practice to gradually heat the CI pan up to that temp too. It would heat evenly and reduce chances for cracking, etc.

MattBTI · May 2017

I like to open the lid up and leave to bottom wide open after I finish the indirect cook. Let the fire spread then close down the bottom vent prior to putting on the steaks. Flip often until desired effect is achieved.

Eggcelsior · May 2017

Flip often, as stated. I flip no longer than every 30 seconds. In addition, on CI, I only sear at 500 or so. Hotter if on the grid.

GoooDawgs · May 2017

Photo Egg said:

Any chance you are adding or using a rub that contains sugar?

Nope - only S&P on the steaks. I like the idea of closing the bottom vent and keeping the temp a little lower.

Crazy you hear stories about restaurants searing at 1,200 degrees. I figured I was safe at 600!

Thanks guys,

fishlessman · May 2017

i just do the trex method on thick steaks now and its 750/800 for the sear. just salt for searing, i hate the taste of burnt pepper. pepper goes on right after the sear doing trex

Eggcelsior · May 2017

GoooDawgs said:

Photo Egg said:

Any chance you are adding or using a rub that contains sugar?

Nope - only S&P on the steaks. I like the idea of closing the bottom vent and keeping the temp a little lower.

Crazy you hear stories about restaurants searing at 1,200 degrees. I figured I was safe at 600!

Thanks guys,

Those 1200 degree infrared burners are heating by convection. Not quite as efficient as conduction, which is why you can use lower temps with a solid surface to achieve similar effects.

MattBTI · May 2017

last night I cooked thick rib eyes. Left the bottom vent open to see the difference. It was a fire ball. seared my arm hair as well as the steak. Closing the bottom vent is much more controllable.

MattBTI · May 2017

I don't check temp after the indirect process is finished. Just open it up and get it hot!!

Theophan · May 2017

GoooDawgs said:
Crazy you hear stories about restaurants searing at 1,200 degrees. I figured I was safe at 600!

FWIW, I sear at 600°, even 650°, but that's on the regular grid at its usual height (on the fire ring), no griddle or anything. I sear for just 1 minute a side, and it works well for me. Here's a photo or two.

jtcBoynton · May 2017

I like to sear using radiant heat. Dome temp is meaningless. Don't know exact temp down by the lump, but it is pretty hot. Once the lump is really going, I close the bottom vent to keep things somewhat under control and sear with the top open. Flip often until sear is to my liking.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/n1/upbgej9o8r9r.jpg

Canugghead · May 2017

How about smaller grid sitting directly on lump, sort of semi caveman?

Carolina Q · May 2017

I prefer as much sear flavor as I can get so I sear on a CI griddle, not the grid. Wall to wall sear.

Lately, I've been doing it like this and it has worked well...

I use two grids. My raised grid (for the roast) sits at gasket level on carriage bolt stilts that rest on the lower grid on the fire ring. I roast raised direct at about 250°, flipping occasionally, to an IT of 115-120°. This leaves very little color, almost sous vide-like.

Then I remove the steak, lift out the raised grid, place the griddle on the lower grid at the fire ring and open the vents. Once temp reaches 550-600° or so, I open the dome and put the steak on the griddle for about 30-45 seconds per side (or enough to get the sear right). So far so good, but I need to get a piece of 1/4" steel for this. No risk of cracking.

Which reminds me, I left my Griswold griddle outside last night after a steak cook. It's raining now. Oops. Sear residue should be softened up nicely.

GoooDawgs · December 2017

Resurrecting this thread as I'm planning on a beef wellington for a party this Friday night. Since this is wrapped in a pastry and then roasted, I have to sear at the beginning. I'm planning on using my go-to Hardcore Carnivore rub, so would it be better to do a naked sear and then add the rub? Or does the forward sear require a longer set time with the rub, so I should just put it on an hour in advance so it can set, and then sear? There is some sugar in the rub so I'm a little worried about scorching it if I have the rub on before.

What would you guys do?

GoldenQ · December 2017

I crank my gasser up high with lodge CI griddle on it and move steaks to it for a short time or leave indirect setup and remove steaks then add Lodge 17 inch skillet/pan and open things up to about 450 and add steaks to CI after it has heated. We do not like too much sear and do not care about sear marks.

fishlessman · December 2017

GoooDawgs said:

Resurrecting this thread as I'm planning on a beef wellington for a party this Friday night. Since this is wrapped in a pastry and then roasted, I have to sear at the beginning. I'm planning on using my go-to Hardcore Carnivore rub, so would it be better to do a naked sear and then add the rub? Or does the forward sear require a longer set time with the rub, so I should just put it on an hour in advance so it can set, and then sear? There is some sugar in the rub so I'm a little worried about scorching it if I have the rub on before.

What would you guys do?

salt, sear, add rub when its resting

Thatgrimguy · December 2017

I use my small egg with the lid open. Get it red hot, never close the lid and flip every 30 seconds. I also pat the meat down with a paper towel before the searing process. Dryer is better.

Woodchunk · December 2017

GoooDawgs said:

Resurrecting this thread as I'm planning on a beef wellington for a party this Friday night. Since this is wrapped in a pastry and then roasted, I have to sear at the beginning. I'm planning on using my go-to Hardcore Carnivore rub, so would it be better to do a naked sear and then add the rub? Or does the forward sear require a longer set time with the rub, so I should just put it on an hour in advance so it can set, and then sear? There is some sugar in the rub so I'm a little worried about scorching it if I have the rub on before.

What would you guys do?

Please take some pics and post your outcome as we have been wanting to try this. Does the meat take in much smoke flavor after the pastry wrap?

CarolinaQ · December 2017

I have done it using the broiler on my gas range that claims to be 1500 degrees. This has always been a great result. Although it does stink the house up a bit, and all steaks have to be the same thickness or it doesn't work so well. So I have moved to a cast iron pan on the gasser outside.

I let the pan get hot for about 20 mins with gas on high. Then I put a little grape seed oil in the pan and sear one side for about two minutes with the lid closed, flip and do the other side for around two minutes. Then I open the lid, add a pat of butter, flip the steak and baste the steak with a spoon scooping up all the liquid fat for another couple minutes, flipping regularly and continually basting until it's done. Finishes as a nice deep mahogany color with a little nutty flavor from the browned butter. Really like this method. You can also add some sprigs of rosemary in the pan and it adds a nice flavor.

Ragtop99 · December 2017

Thatgrimguy said:

I use my small egg with the lid open. Get it red hot, never close the lid and flip every 30 seconds. I also pat the meat down with a paper towel before the searing process. Dryer is better.

This process works for me too.

nolaegghead · December 2017

A good sear, one with the best flavor, incorporates the "maillard reaction". You can burn a steak but it's not the same.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillard_reaction

What to take away from this:

1. occurs between 230 and 380F
2. note above, that is above the boiling point of water so must be dry
3. occurs in an alkaline environment. Acidity inhibits the reaction. Baking soda, sugar, flour, etc will bring the pH into the correct range. Meat salt pepper is fine though. Acid marinade will not give you a maillard reaction and you will get a different flavor profile.
4. food has to have sugar and protein in it, which is pretty much all food

The taste: from wiki:

In the process, hundreds of different flavor compounds are created. These compounds, in turn, break down to form yet more new flavor compounds, and so on. Each type of food has a very distinctive set of flavor compounds that are formed during the Maillard reaction. It is these same compounds that flavor scientists have used over the years to make artificial flavors.

SmokeyPitt · December 2017

GoooDawgs said:

Resurrecting this thread as I'm planning on a beef wellington for a party this Friday night. Since this is wrapped in a pastry and then roasted, I have to sear at the beginning. I'm planning on using my go-to Hardcore Carnivore rub, so would it be better to do a naked sear and then add the rub? Or does the forward sear require a longer set time with the rub, so I should just put it on an hour in advance so it can set, and then sear? There is some sugar in the rub so I'm a little worried about scorching it if I have the rub on before.

What would you guys do?

Just my $.02 but for a beef wellington I would just go with salt for the sear, then add some pepper. There are a lot of flavors going on already, and I just don't think it needs the rub (with charcoal) in the mix. I would think if you put it on after the sear it might just bleed throughout the other ingredients and mess up the presentation.

Best searing techniques

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