Thick steaks 650 shutdown or 500?

Powak

Is there a difference between indirect roasting at 250 and 350? Does it just get the steak to you're target temp more quickly? I know with briskets the meat tends to be tougher if brought to temperature more quickly.

Mattman3969

I will sear on the mini at 600° or so then move to the small that is 250-275 indirect till my happy IT is achieved.   Prolly silly to use to eggs for a couple of steaks but I like the finished product better than reverse sear.  

Theophan

Powak said:

I've never tried searing and then roasting. Is there much difference in the outcome?

Mattman3969 said:

In my opinion it is easier to catch the final perfect temp because you have already done the high temp part of the cook and the final stage is a slow cook with not a lot of carryover temp 

I agreed with @Mattman3969 for a long time -- it just didn't make sense to me to do that crucial, final part of the cook where you're trying to get the internal temperature right at the end.  It made sense to do that sear first, then the low and slow roast.

I hated to admit it, though, when I finally tried a "reverse sear," it was just SO very much easier to fire up the Egg to 600° for the final sear than to cool down the egg to low-and-slow temps for a final slow cook to temp.  A WORLD of difference.  I don't think I'll ever do a T-rex (initial sear followed by low-and-slow) again.

Someone also claimed that the exterior of the meat is drier after the low and slow, and therefore sears much more quickly at the end than at the beginning, and that makes some sense to me, too.  And of course the less time you spend searing, the less "gray" meat there is under the seared crust.

Darby_Crenshaw

^^ what he said

typical French method (in a kitchen, not on the grill, but the rationale still applies) is to sear (in a pan, stovetop), then place in same pan in the oven to roast to finish

on the egg, it's the same approach

you can do it in any order, but i always liked to sear then roast to finish, because you can, as @Mattman3969 says, catch the finish temp within a degree or a few

Powak

Darby_Crenshaw said:

^^ what he said

typical French method (in a kitchen, not on the grill, but the rationale still applies) is to sear (in a pan, stovetop), then place in same pan in the oven to roast to finish

on the egg, it's the same approach

you can do it in any order, but i always liked to sear then roast to finish, because you can, as @Mattman3969 says, catch the finish temp within a degree or a few

When using the sear first method, what's the easiest way to get the egg down to roasting temp after searing? And is it okay to let the seared steaks sit out and rest while the eggs dropping down to roast temps?

Darby_Crenshaw

Yes. That also helps the steak temp from climbing to much too. 

Don't tent it in foil. Just set aside on a plate.  

NPHuskerFL

T-rex or caveman are my preferred methods regardless of size. I'm in the rare-med rare camp. My wife prefers ruined...well done. So on hers, if it's a thicker cowboy cut, I go reverse sear or a modified T-rex. Don't overthink the cook. 

Focker

Good for darb to point out sear then dwell works in French cuisine, not for this on the charcoal grill application.  I used to do both methods with a Lodge CI hibachi, Weber gasser combo.  Steaks came out great.

Contemplating doing a sear then sv trial on my next steak, deer loin or backstrap.  CT and Wolfpack recommemded this on chicken breasts and it rocks.  Much better sear, flavor, and appearance.

Both methods have their place in my book.

Darby_Crenshaw

just to clarify, i'm trying to illustrate that it isn't about some method on a grill, but that if you zoom way out and look at the logic of doing it these different yet similar) ways, that it is about achieving a result.  and more important, knowing WHY there are these different steps involved.

when someone asks "can i do this with thick steaks?" it's clear they might just think it is some arbitrary cool way to cook a steak, as opposed to having a basis in actual methodology. a reason for doing it

many ways to skin this cat.  all work

Focker

A methodology for the method.....it's mindblowing.

Powak

Darby_Crenshaw said:

just to clarify, i'm trying to illustrate that it isn't about some method on a grill, but that if you zoom way out and look at the logic of doing it these different yet similar) ways, that it is about achieving a result.  and more important, knowing WHY there are these different steps involved.

when someone asks "can i do this with thick steaks?" it's clear they might just think it is some arbitrary cool way to cook a steak, as opposed to having a basis in actual methodology. a reason for doing it

many ways to skin this cat.  all work

For me it's more about learning ways to make good steaks regardless of the cooking devices I'm using. I've always overcooked my steaks whether I was using a kettle, gasser or stove top. The egg has just opened my mind up about other ways to cook stuff.

J-dubya

Great thread - all the information about searing and roasting is so central to what we are trying to do when cooking meat, especially steaks where the sear is so important. 

Powak

Can cooling down the egg from 600/650 down to 250ish be done relatively quick?

fishindoc

Darby_Crenshaw said:

just to clarify, i'm trying to illustrate that it isn't about some method on a grill, but that if you zoom way out and look at the logic of doing it these different yet similar) ways, that it is about achieving a result.  and more important, knowing WHY there are these different steps involved.

when someone asks "can i do this with thick steaks?" it's clear they might just think it is some arbitrary cool way to cook a steak, as opposed to having a basis in actual methodology. a reason for doing it

many ways to skin this cat.  all work

Huh?

Mattman3969

Powak said:

Can cooling down the egg from 600/650 down to 250ish be done relatively quick?

when I did forward sear before I had 2 eggs I would let the fire get nice and hot without ever closing the dome. This will help keep the ceramics a lot cooler.  After the sear put the PS in place and close the dome, adjust vents and wait for 20 or so minutes before putting the protein back on.  

If you try this make sure you burp the egg before you open the dome completely. I've just told you how to create a massive fireball by shutting the oxygen off from a hot fire

Darby_Crenshaw

fishindoc said:

Darby_Crenshaw said:

just to clarify, i'm trying to illustrate that it isn't about some method on a grill, but that if you zoom way out and look at the logic of doing it these different yet similar) ways, that it is about achieving a result.  and more important, knowing WHY there are these different steps involved.

when someone asks "can i do this with thick steaks?" it's clear they might just think it is some arbitrary cool way to cook a steak, as opposed to having a basis in actual methodology. a reason for doing it

many ways to skin this cat.  all work

Huh?

There's a minimum vocabulary and comprehension level req'd

(sarcastic emoticon placement here: )

J-dubya

Powak said:

Can cooling down the egg from 600/650 down to 250ish be done relatively quick?

Not as fast as you can raise from 250 to 650. 

Powak

J-dubya said:

Powak said:

Can cooling down the egg from 600/650 down to 250ish be done relatively quick?

Not as fast as you can raise from 250 to 650. 

Sounds like it's worth trying. I was really impressed with reverse sear too.

Mattman3969

@Powak - just another reason you should get egg #2.   It's all about the science of the steak!!!

Powak

Mattman3969 said:

@Powak - just another reason you should get egg #2.   It's all about the science of the steak!!!

No kiddin! I'm very tempted to get a MM. The only issue being I don't have a table to prop it up on.