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Searing

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Steelers252006
Steelers252006 Posts: 115
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
For a Medium Green Egg, what would be the very best recommended approach to get the best sear possible while cooking the steak in a quicker amount of time, thus negating the Trex method (though I will try it as it seems quite extraordinary.) I'm thinking more of those nights that I'm in a bit of a hurry and trying to get all my sides timed for dinner after a hard day's work. I know you cannot buy a spider (SUCKS) for a Medium Egg, so what would some other approaches be to try to get that great steakhouse sear on your meat? Thanks all!!
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  • mad max beyond eggdome
    mad max beyond eggdome Posts: 8,134
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    well, if you are really gutsy . ..throw the steaks right on the hot coals for about 60 seconds per side ...then lift them out for a moment while you put the grid on the egg, and put them on the grid to finish....
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  • TheDirtyBurger
    TheDirtyBurger Posts: 846
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    I know on my large with a BGE grid, not the CI grid, I sear anywhere between 500-800* and with 60 seconds on each side (30 one way, then turn it a bit, then flip, then turn, then wrap in foil) I take it off and it is usually between 110-120. I imagine if you did it 90sec each side it would be around 120-130.

    I have not hot tubbed yet, but you might as well hot tub it well you let your bge come up to searing temp if time really is an issue.

    mmmm steak
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,749
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    trex gives you those extra twenty min during the rest period for preparing sides and enjoying a beverage B) none of the other methods are as relaxing and satisfying imho. the water bath method takes longer and im not as happy with the taste of the sear, same with a reverse trex for me. sear and dwell gives me lousy results, caveman sear that max suggested i like better on lamb not beef. if you buy really thick steaks, say 2 to 3 inches you could just roast it and it would be good but not trex great. you have to try all the methods and choose one that suits you, for me its trex all the way, you take the time to sear to your liking, then take the time to get it done just right
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Steelers252006
    Steelers252006 Posts: 115
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    Very nice. Have you ever tried the Spider for searing? I wonder what it's like. It temps me to get the Large Egg and see.
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    Load the lump to the top or close to the top of the fire box. Remove the fire ring and place the grate on the fire box. You will be searing between 600° and 900° depending on how well the burn is established in the lump. Red glow 600° - 700°, orange/yellow lava looking glow 800° - 1100°.

    At this point it would be nice to have a second grid but you can work around this depending on how many grids you have.

    When done with the sear place the fire ring back in the egg, remove the steaks add the second grid and finish the cook.

    Your dome temp need only be about 400° through the whole cook.

    Now for the caveman style. Max is correct searing on directly on the lump work great. You will not get ash on the meat. You may get a chunk of lump sticking but that can be knocked off easily.

    The sear won't be pretty patterned, rather large areas of the meat but it will taste just as good.

    You need to have the lump with some red glow or hotter.

    In the picture below, top left, the steaks were lump seared. The color of the meat is off due to the meat being in direct (orangish) sunlight and I didn't make the correction. These had a great sear.

    One of my first egg cooks and I didn't have many accessories.

    Fajita.jpg

    GG
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,749
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    you dont need a spider for searing, you just need to get the hot lump closer to the grill, use more lump, its the same as dropping down with the spider. ;)
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    The spider is fantastic for searing and is the only way I sear now. One of my favorite accessories for the large.

    Searing a pot roast in a DO on the spider here.

    doroast1.jpg

    GG
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  • Memphistide
    Memphistide Posts: 207
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    i use a 1/2 black iron skillet....get it 600+, sear it on the skillet and then move it over to the grid for cooking.
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  • Steelers252006
    Steelers252006 Posts: 115
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    To get grill grid closer to the grill, you can take out the fire ring. Someone told me taking out the fire ring is a bad idea, could cause damage to the grill. You know anything about this?
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  • Steelers252006
    Steelers252006 Posts: 115
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    Now that is the type of sear I'm searching for!! My goodness!! You think a cast iron pad just on the grid or even a cast iron grid could accomplish the same thing or at least close to? Man, that's pretty!!
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,749
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    no need to take the ring out, just fill lump up into the ring. all you want is the lump closer to the grid, dropping the grid down or bringing the lump up accomplishes the same thing. now if you like your sear with more char leave the dome open and let the fire lick the meat or get a cast iron grid. i prefer less char, nice grid marks and find the castiron to be a little too much, experiment and find what you like, that is what counts
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    I saw the post earlier about grinding the grid and putting it directly on the lump. I think that was 2fategghead.

    Looked pretty good to me.

    As short as the sear period is wither a solid CI plate, skillet or something wouldn't be a problem and you would get an extremely hot sear.

    CI directly on the lump would is also a good idea.

    I know it sounds odd but don't be afraid to try searing right on the lump. Even get a cheap steak and give it a try. If the stake is 3.4 inches thick go about 60 seconds on each side and the steak will be done to about a medium rare, depending on your lump base maybe medium in the 2 minutes. But the sear is really good.

    It sure is fun to watch the reaction of the people you are cooking for when you toss that hunk of meat right on the coals.

    GG
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  • Steelers252006
    Steelers252006 Posts: 115
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    So top us actually puts more of a char sear, interesting. Then close her up to finish, close the vents, and try to get meat up to a higher level. Yes, I will try these methods next time. Appreciate it, man.
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    To get your sear you want high heat. Early on I burnt out 9 gaskets and since then my goal was to keep the dome temperature down below 500°, other than pizza, on my cooks.

    Hence the taking out the fire ring. The other advantage of using a spider, or caveman searing, or fire ring removal is that there is no wait time for the egg to cool down if more cooking is needed for the piece of meat. I have always thought searing the meat then leaving it out for 20 minutes or so was a waist.

    No you are not going to hurt the egg buy removing it. You may hurt the fire ring if you drop it though.

    Loading the lump high in the egg and lighting a little deeper in the lump bed works fantastic for searing at grid level. You will have to deal with a higher dome temperature with your cook.

    These are just all different ways of doing the same thing.

    GG
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,749
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    dome open, lots of sear and char if thats what your looking for
    b293c476.jpg

    d73fa1c6.jpg

    dome closed, fire under control, same grid, no charring, better grill marks. both these were on a castiron grid which i dont use much anymore, i get great grill marks just using a standard grid at a little higher temp than i would with the castiron

    2005002444.jpg

    heres a standard grid, dome open for char

    af4fe4a7.jpg
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Steelers252006
    Steelers252006 Posts: 115
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    That's a nice looking sear, man. I can't remember. Did you say you take the fire ring off or leave on when you do it? I've read a few different opinions on this so far, very interesting.
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,749
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    i leave it in the egg, either way works, you just want to sear close to the lump or in it, the lump has all the high heat, sear as close to it as possible
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    Can I come over for dinner. Those are great looking steaks - from this view done perfectly.

    GG
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    I have never left the dome open during a sear, I wonder if the flame gives any different flavor/texture during the sear.

    GG
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  • EggTurner
    EggTurner Posts: 108
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    I commented above to JB's post before I saw this one. I while ago someone posted a link to an article on "no sear" steaks. I was intrigued and gave it a try - I recommend trying it. I used to think that searing was to "lock in" the juices but I find that no sear steaks are very juicy and flavorful.
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  • Mike in Abita
    Mike in Abita Posts: 3,302
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    Sounds like you might have convinced me to do and experiment. I have a medium, and thinking I could put the CI grid in on top of the firering, and sear my a steak at 700+ degs. Then throw the platesette in (Legs up) with the regular grid on it to cook to temp.

    Kinda busy for the next few weeks, but when I do it I'll post my results.
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