Can't perfect the steak either Direct Sear OR Reverse Sear...

Chuckie_T

For whatever reason, I can't seem to just totally NAIL a great steak without waiting for so long due to me only having one BGE....so, hypothetically, if I had 2 BGEs (I currently own a LG), would you guys suggest having 1 Egg cranked up to 600 degrees and another set at 250 degrees and then quickly either Direct Sear or Reverse Sear your steaks?  

Lately, when I try to do steaks "right" --while also cooking for people who like stuff Medium Well or Well Done-- I can't seem to get the timing down while cooking on just one Egg.  I don't own a gas grill of any sort...

What do ya'll suggest....I bought my BGE several years ago specifically for steaks and I have used it with great results for family burgers, fish, pork tenderloin...but I am pissed that I can't seem to perfect a great steak.

Should I get another Egg or Gas Grill to assist in the cooking AND searing simultaneously so I don't have wait for ever to let the Egg either go down from 600 degrees to 300 degrees....or go up from 300 degrees to 600 degrees?

Signed,

Lost and Pissed (at myself) in Hsv AL

bgebrent

What steak are you wanting to perfect?

Chuckie_T

Filet mignon or Ribeye or whatever...its the timing that gets me!

bgebrent

Two different steaks with 2 different cooks.  Filet, reverse sear as a roast.  250 to 115 then sear super hot, rest and serve.  If individual filets, just grill them to 125.  Ribeyes you hot cook to medium-rare-medium.  You don’t need any more cookers.  Check out technique.

Chuckie_T

I tried to Reverse Sear filet tonight, but after I slow cooked to 115 internal my fire went out and I had to re-start to get to 500 or so and it took awhile.  When I finished parts of the filet were very rare....

bgebrent

I think there are smarter people on the KJ forum. You should look there. 

Fred19Flintstone

Wilma buys 1.5 inch steak when we do them and we reverse sear.  250 deg indirect until 115.  Then pull them.  We caveman it from there.  Open it up and pull everything out of the egg.  It takes no time at all to get a hot fire going.  Then 90 seconds a side on the coals, rest and serve.  It works for us.

johnnyp

I think most of us would like to lend some assistance, but it's unclear (to me, at least) what you want, information-wise.  If bringing your steak to 115F is too rare for you, cook it longer.  If your fires are going out, you have airflow issues.  These problems have pretty straight forward solutions.  

If you'd like more specific help, please ask a more direct question.  "I can't nail a steak" doesn't give a lot of guidance for the helper.  Whereas "I'm burning the outside before the inside is done" or "I can't keep my fires lit" would help us, help you.  

jtcBoynton

I would suggest reading:
https://amazingribs.com/more-technique-and-science/more-cooking-science/cooking-temps-when-cook-hot-fast-when-cook-low-slow

When you need a two heat cook, do reverse sear.  As you experienced, trying to cool off a hot egg is not a quick process.  Getting a small fire up to a large fire for searing only takes a few minutes and it doesn't hurt to rest the steaks off grill while the egg is heating up.  The 600º is not really important.  You do not need, or want, the ceramics to heat up.  You want a hot fire that is putting off lots of radiant heat. Get the steaks down close to (or on) the coals and don't pay attention to the dome temp. Flip often until crust forms to your liking.

NCSmoky

I know it’s cheating, but for thick cuts I’ll sous vide. This was  2 inch strip I cooked last night. Sous vide for 2 hours then a minute or two each side on the Egg @ 600

hoosier_egger

Sounds like you need to pull the guts out of your egg and clean it if you can't hold 250* without the fire dying.

I reverse sear all the time and can go from 250-275* to 600* in a matter of minutes.

Buy a good instant read thermometer to help you nail your target temps

Good Luck

Slippy

This is the only reason I keep my old Weber kettle around. Makes a great searing station, whether you sear first or after, I haven't really noticed a difference in flavor. I prefer to sear first because I can predict the final temperature easier. Might be an option to pick up on old Weber off of Craiglist for $50???

northGAcock

NCSmoky said:

I know it’s cheating, but for thick cuts I’ll sous vide. This was  2 inch strip I cooked last night. Sous vide for 2 hours then a minute or two each side on the Egg @ 600

You cheater you.

jak7028

First - if someone request medium done or well done, politely ask them to leave

Only thing I actually have to add that could be helpful is that I reverse sear indirect at 350F.  By the time I take the platesetter/meat out and put the grate back on, the fire is roaring.  I might wait a minute or so, then put the steaks back on for sear.  

Reverse sear is simple, just a matter of managing the amount of charcoal to dial in the lower temp.  Then having the right amount of charcoal left to open the vents and have a roaring fire without having to big of pile where you go nuclear.  

I also dry brine steak with Kosher salt for hopefully 2 hours before I cook them.  Rinse of salt then add a lower sodium seasoning.  I have found this makes even prime cut steaks better. 

YukonRon

northGAcock said:

NCSmoky said:

I know it’s cheating, but for thick cuts I’ll sous vide. This was  2 inch strip I cooked last night. Sous vide for 2 hours then a minute or two each side on the Egg @ 600

You cheater you.

Yeah, you gotta watch this guy......I might learn something.

CPARKTX

I've gotten to be able to have very consistent results with ribeyes, and have to cook several different levels of doneness to meet the demands of our crew.  I do reverse sear (indirect), then finish maybe 30 - 45 seconds a side on a super heated cast iron grate that I've had on the fire the entire time.  Great sear and crust.  Remember that you will have some carry over heat, so pull before it hits your target temperature.  (And I go entirely by temperature with my Thermapen).  

Fred19Flintstone

The Hank Hill Method:
https://youtu.be/amKyA2PrSu4

JohnEggGio

You could do the low-and-slow portion of reverse seer in your indoor oven.  Well - you could...

bikesAndBBQ

Or you could do the sear on the stove top in a cast iron skillet. 

unoriginalusername

Here is how I do it when using only my large egg. 

I use the kick ash divider to divide the basket in half and load it up with coal on one side. 

I place a cast iron half moon directly above the fire and a 15” cgs half moon heat diffuser on cold side. 

I place a second stone above on the primary level and then put the steak above that on the extender for indirect reverse sear. The dome will read 300 but the CI grid reads over 600 

DoubleEgger

Sear on the stove in a cast iron pan. 

Theophan

Holy Moly -- you guys got some really elegant and cool setups.

I guess I'm just lazy, but I get a great reverse sear with no accessories at all.  I don't even use a plate setter, too lazy to want to put it in and take it out again.  And I'm usually just cooking for me (my wife doesn't eat red meat these days).  If I were cooking a bunch of steaks I think I'd have to use the plate setter to have even heat for all of the steaks.

I just cook thick steaks direct but at about 250°, and with a wood chunk or two, flipping it once or twice, till it's the internal temp I want, then take it out, crank the Egg up to 650°-700° and put the steak back and sear it for about 1 minute a side.  Works fine for me.

Chuckie_T

Thanks for all your help, EggHeads!!  I will take your tips and try again soon!

fishlessman

have tried most methods and always go back to the trex method. its only a few minutes extra to roast between a perfect medium rare to ruined for those that prefer ruined. sear at 800 dome, rest 20 to 30 or so minutes (one or two beers, cooks choice) finish at 350 dome.

sabretooth04

Jack Daniels Chips.  Perfect.

dharley

NCSmoky said:

I know it’s cheating, but for thick cuts I’ll sous vide. This was  2 inch strip I cooked last night. Sous vide for 2 hours then a minute or two each side on the Egg @ 600

This is not cheating. This is how I cook any steak. I do the same with tri-tip, then caveman it. This is cooking done right. Perfect every time. My preferred steak is rib-eye. I think the sous-vide bath at around 125-130 renders the fat and flavors the meat far better than any other method I've tried.

Webass

I'm also in the sous vide camp.  Thick ribeyes or strips at 128 for 1.5 hours and then a ripping hot sear.  My son is bar manager at a high end restaurant in Winter Park, FL.  He said that's how they do their steaks.  They've got several sous vides at different temps to hold the steaks and sear them to order.  

WeberWho

Step by step process:

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/trexsteak.htm

unoriginalusername

Webass said:

I'm also in the sous vide camp.  Thick ribeyes or strips at 128 for 1.5 hours and then a ripping hot sear.  My son is bar manager at a high end restaurant in Winter Park, FL.  He said that's how they do their steaks.  They've got several sous vides at different temps to hold the steaks and sear them to order.  

I get in the events or restaurant business where consistency and quality are difficult to replicate in the 10's, hundreds, or thousands that Sous Vide makes a ton of sense as its (1) flexible for made to order (2) Accurate with doneness (3) safe & reliable for food safety (i.e. chicken etc.) which when hiring staff who are not top chef contenders are real challenges that need to be addressed

In the home, I don't see any value to Sous Vide where the idiot proof fail safes aren't as needed for someone who knows how to cook.  While the char from the sear imparts some flavour, I don't find SV near as robust as a reverse seared stake which IMO absorbs far more fire cooked flavour and yields the same thin butter crust with perfectly consistent doneness throughout 

The SCA allows steaks to be cooked with any heat source, to my knowledge no winning entry has been prepared SV style but this may just be my lack of awareness vs. fact ... in either case I encourage people to cook steak more regularly and learn how to achieve SV results every time but with more flavour 

horoegg

I too do the reverse sear with great results without any eggcessories.  I light a small fire (just 2 chunks or so) all the way at the back of the egg and let the grill slowly come up to 250.  I throw the steaks on in the front of the egg over the unlit coals and cook until 120.  Once at temp I pull the steaks and let them rest while opening up all vents fully (take the daisy wheel off completely). In 10 minutes or so all coals are lit and you are ready to sear for 60-90 sec a side. 

TEXASBGE2018

What is Perfecting a steak to you? For me its done under a broiler like in 95% of steak houses. Cooking directly on or with live fire can potentially provide different results each time. You can plan and use the same technique 500 times and each time might be slightly different with sometimes undesired results. I love cooking steaks over fire for the added smokey taste.

As johnnyp said, We need a bit more info on what is "perfect" to you. If you are asking how do you ensure you get a nice medium rare while your guests want beef jerky that's a timing issue that can easily be resolved by buying a quality instant read thermo and taking your steak off when its 10-15 degrees below your desired temp and resting it. If you are worried it will get cold place a sheet of aluminum foil over yours without "wrapping" it to ensure you don't prolong your cooking while maintaining the temp you desire for the extra 5-10min those folks steaks take to get done.