Reverse Sear Filet Fail...

KiterTodd

Not a tragic cook, but as most of the posts are successes, I figured I'd post this one.  I have had success with reverse sear before, but I'm far from predictable with my results.
I'm assuming the main error here was taking them off too late, or leaving them on too long for the sear.

Bought some nice filets for dinner this weekend.  Was going to make my first risotto from scratch (came out fine), salad, and serve with the beef.

We like Medium Rare steaks (warm pink center) which apparently has a finish temp of 135 degrees as I found out today.  But when I was looking at tables this weekend I was seeing guides up to 145 degrees for medium rare, others show 130-140.  I'm pretty sure the book I had at home also shows up to 145, although that cook book is a guide for roasts. So maybe there is different guidance than for a lean small cut.

So, I cooked indirect with the dome temp at 300 degrees.  As noted by others, this took about 30 minutes until my beef hit 10 degrees less than my finish temp.  I wanted the finish temp to be 145 or lower, so I when I checked the temp of all three steaks and got between 125 and 137 between them, I figured I was okay.   I pulled them to sit while I yanked the stone and opened up the vents...

Resting steaks, pre-sear;   ( I probably should have eaten them right here!)


Once the grill was up to 600-700 degrees, I took the steaks back out for a sear.   Here they are after the flip (crappy cell phone flash pic);

and w/o flash...

.
They were on the first side for a minute, and probably the second side for 90 seconds.  As I knew at least one of the steaks was under 130 when I pulled it, I figured I was in good shape.

Anyway, let them rest under a loose tent for 10 minutes with a pat of butter while I called the family down and got everything else ready.

Don't have a cut picture because I was too dissappointed that my nice steaks came out medium well.  They'd show pink when you cut them, but when you ate it the taste was a dry well done steak.  Bummer.   One of them was a solid medium, but all in all, SWMBO'd was unimpressed. 

GATraveller

Live and learn.  I will be the first to admit I've overshot the desired finishing temp a time or two.  Thanks for sharing as I definitely learn more from my (or others) failures.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

I would throw this out there too- you are too high up for a good sear. at that height, you are going to over cook the meat to get any kind of good sear on it in a reverse sear situation. I go spider on a SBGE cast iron right at the lump level. Sear lower and leave the dome open when you sear so it does not cook the interior any more.

I'm a med rare guy and I pull at 125 and then sear. between the few degrees of temp rise after I pull it and a few more with the sear it's usually right around 130-132 when they are done.

YukonRon

The plated meal you have posted looks awesome.

I am not the expert, so maybe this will help, or not. I, too, cook mine, after allowing steaks to get to room temp, at around 300F indirect (Shortens the cooking time). I pull mine between 125-130F, remove the PS from the egg, open to 550F, 2-3 mins each side, which is good for medium. 600F - 700F would be much too hard for me to "time control" for Filets.
If I want Medium Rare I go 1.5 mins to 2 mins each side. I keep the thermapen close by to monitor. The Therm has saved my back side, more than once.
Filets are a just a bit different, they seem to take longer to get to temp, prior to reverse sear, but at reverse sear, they do not seem to take as long like a thick cut Strip or Ribeye, so I always use the short side of the time parameters when I cook and RS the Filets
Just my experience on the XL and the MM using Rockwood, and a couple of lumps of dry wood to smoke with.

Foghorn

I always aim to pull the steaks off the low temp part of the cook 20 - 25 degrees below my ultimate target temperature.  I figure 1) they can rise as much as 10 degrees after they are pulled off, 2) they can rise as much as 10 degrees during the sear, and 3) I might get distracted with adult beverages or conversation during any portion of this process. 

With this plan I have minimized (not totally eliminated) the number of steaks I have overcooked. 

Mosca

I pull my medium rare tenderloins at 110*. It is a heck of a lot easier to hit 135 starting there than it is to hit 135 starting at 130.

Darby_Crenshaw

Don't tent anything. Anything

foil reflects hwat back onto the steak (or roast) precisely at the time you want it to cool. 

The foil keeps the heat in, reflects it back, meat temp keeps rising

Toxarch

I pull the steaks by 115 at the latest. 

KiterTodd

Thanks for the tips so far, keep em coming!

okay, next time I'll
-pull earlier
-won't tent
-sear at fire ring level

so, what is the "real" MR target finish temp?

The Cen-Tex Smoker

-sear at fire ring level

or lower if you can

Toxarch

I never tent after a reverse sear. You get the rest in the middle before the sear. I'll put them straight on the plates. By the time people get their sides, that's plenty of rest.
On a thick steak, I go to 115. On a roast, I go to 108. Then sear close to the fire. I even sear on a hot skillet sometimes. Nice med rare.

WAHOO_EGGER_CVILLE

I agree with @Toxarch here. I reverse sear quite a bit and never tent after the sear. The carry over cook takes place while the meat rests and you are opening the egg up to 5-600 degrees. I prefer a medium rare to rare steak and pull when the internal temp hits 110-115 and then sear.  Give it another shot...you will get it next time!

ScottNC

I agree with the "Pull 'Em Early" crowd, tenderloins, for me seem to be way easier to overdue.

jonnymack

Don't give up! They can't all be great. If it's any consolation, I'd eat that damn steak.

I also agree with pulling early...in all phases of life.  

bhedges1987

I pull at 125, rest for 15, and sear each side in a CI on the hot egg for 45 seconds each side, pull, top with blue cheese and close the lid for 30 seconds... They always come out medium rare - medium

KiterTodd

bhedges1987 said:

I pull at 125, rest for 15, and sear each side in a CI on the hot egg for 45 seconds each side, pull, top with blue cheese and close the lid for 30 seconds... They always come out medium rare - medium

I have a nice little CI pan I wanted to use, actually, but didn't know if it'd get hot fast enough to use.  I guess a 600 degree first would warm it up pretty fast, though.  I may try that next time.   And the blue cheese...damn!  Will have to try that.

jtcBoynton

KiterTodd said:

...
so, what is the "real" MR target finish temp?

132º

Mosca

Pulled at 110: