Reverse Sear Question

Zmokin

I'm planning on doing a reverse sear on a tri-tip.

I'll start with a simple rub and a low & slow smoke indirect.

Then switch to a direct heat sear.  I will be pulling the plate-setter, but my question is should I let the meat rest (foil & towel wrap) while the egg heats up, or should I just go quickly to direct heating as direct heat will be sufficient as it won't be a raised-direct?

Grillmagic

I typically do not use any wood for smoke on beef/steaks, just the lump. My method is a full load of lump settled in at 250 dome then cook my steaks until 110/115 then just let them rest uncovered long enough to get the egg up to 550/600 and finish until yummy/desired temp.

Chuck King

Dimondale, Michigan.

www.chuckkingcomedy.com

Zmokin

Grillmagic said:

I typically do not use any wood for smoke on beef/steaks, just the lump. My method is a full load of lump settled in at 250 dome then cook my steaks until 110/115 then just let them rest uncovered long enough to get the egg up to 550/600 and finish until yummy/desired temp.

Chuck King

Dimondale, Michigan.

www.chuckkingcomedy.com

OK, thanks for the advice.  I have one more question, how long does it take your egg to go from 250 to 500+?  I'm hoping the change from indirect to direct will radically change my temp profile, because I know with the Digi-Q and staying indirect, it can take awhile to go from 250 to 350.  Last night I smoked my short ribs at 230-235, then I pulled the ribs, took them inside to pressure cook for 1/2 an hour, but waiting for the pressure cooker to come up to pressure added another 10 minutes or so, when I was ready to sauce and go back on the BGE, it had only managed to make it 330.  In 20 more minutes it finally hit 350 right when I was pulling the ribs off to eat for dinner.

nolaegghead

What grillmagic said, except I'll put a little oak in there.

You want it to cool down while the egg is heating up.  Put it uncovered on a cooling rack.

If you want it to heat up faster, grab a hose and a leaf blower and force some air into the coals.  The hose is for putting out any small fires that result.

Big_Green_Craig

I remove it and rest it on a plate and cover with foil.

DMW

Covering with foil will accelerate carry over cooking. It will also gather condensation on the surface, more that you will need to blot off before the sear.

+1 on the recommendation from @nolaegghead its based on solid science.

NibbleMeThis

For best reverse sear results, I like to cook tri-tip up to 5 degrees less than my desired final internal temperature.  Then I'll let that rest, uncovered, on a raised rack so the tri tip isn't resting on a flat counter or plate (doing it on a flat surface kind of steams the surface of the meat touching the plate, causing more juices to flow out).

For me, the key is letting the meat rest until the internal temperature stops rising.  Then I'll put it back on to sear for just 1-2 minutes per side and the temp rise is negligible at that point.

BYS1981

@nolaegghead‌ is a nerd, but like a cool BBQ Bill Nye sorta way. Lol

Zmokin

OK, got it, pull tri-tip 5 to 10 degrees before desired doneness, set on rack in a pan, exposed to the air.  Remove plate-setter, remove digi-Q, remove hat from SS Smokeware cap and watch the Egg climb temp.  once egg reaches 550, toss tri-tip back on for a couple minutes per side.

After that, serve & enjoy with manners, or scarf like a caveman.