Basic Question - Steak

seal

OK so I've had my large BGE for several years now and have mastered most all of the slow cook meats on it.  I am still very hit and miss with steaks, however.  When I first bought the BGE, the sales guy said the way he does them is 1.5 - 2 minutes on each side (depending on thickness) at 550, and then shuts down the vents and lets the steaks sit on the closed grill until done.  The question I have is how do you determine doneness?  I really hate to stick my instant read into the steak since I don't want to pierce the skin of a still cooking steak.  I usually resort to the "bend" method by picking them up and seeing how much they flop to gauge.  Of course if I wait a little too long to do this, or just don't get a good read, there is a lot of potential for over cooking.  How do you guys/girls do them?

fishlessman

thermapen, im kind of particular with steak. 123 degrees for strip, 127 for ribeye. i prefer the trex method which is a hot sear, rest for 20 to 30 minutes while the egg backs down under 400f, then a final roast. salt prior to sear with pepper or rub put on during the resting stage. others prefer the reverse sear method . most have gone away from your dealers method which leaves the steaks sit in an overly smokey closed egg.

seal

fishmessman - so you actually do stick a thermapen in it while it's still cooking?

fishlessman

yes and i dont think it makes much of a difference. i dont like to cook ribeyes under 127 or strips over 123

StillH2OEgger

Don't worry about piercing the steak. That wives tale has not aged well. There are lots of methods than can produce good results. I'm a reverse sear fan on steaks that are thick enough, otherwise a quick sear with flipping as needed for thinner steaks until it hits desired temp. I don't trust snuffing out the fire with food still on the BGE, and as you said, you can't check for temp with the BGE closed up.

seal

OK thanks.  I have a couple of filets that I am doing in a bit and really don't want to mess them up.

nolaegghead

But if you stick a hole in it, it might bleed out like that Al Pacino character.

SonVolt

Always use a digital instant read thermometer. Doesn't matter if you poke it. 

Flip often until you get the color you're looking for. I typically don't let any side sit static for more than 60 seconds. 

 

seal

nolaegghead - that's exactly what I've been afraid of.

nolaegghead

I wouldn't worry too much.  People dry age to reduce moisture to concentrate meaty flavor.  The moisture in brisket is fat.  This is a good read on that.

https://amazingribs.com/myth-stabbing-meat-thermometer-or-fork-will-drain-it-vital-juices-cutting-it-good-way-tell-if-it

cdnewman

While you are on amazingribs.com, consider reading about the reverse sear (or Kenji Lopez-Alt on seriouseats.com). The science behind slow to start and hot at the end is pretty compelling, as are my own experiences. It is really hard to make a hot grill warm, but pretty easy to make a warm grill hot. Similar to sous vide, the slow application of heat indirectly on a grill results in a more even temperature across the meat. 
I set up 2 zones using a kick ash divider, put the grid low and an extender with a diffuser higher up. Add some wood chunks and put my monitoring probe on the higher grid. I put the steak on the upper grid at 225 with a few wood chunks on the coals and a temperature probe in it. I smoke until it gets to 115 internal, then turn the target temp up to 450. When the meat gets to 120, I pull it and remove the probe. When the lower grid gets hot, I sear the steak on it, usually about an inch above the flames, flipping every 30-60 seconds until I like the sear color. Then I hit it with the thermapen: we like 131, but choose what you like. This has been pretty foolproof for me with a variety of cuts, conditions, etc.

seal

Thanks all.  I finally moved past my fear of probing the still cooking steak with my instant read and the filets turned out great.  And I will definitely be trying the reverse sear at some point in the future.