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Basic Question - Steak

seal
seal Posts: 13
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?

Comments

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 33,372
    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.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • seal
    seal Posts: 13
    fishmessman - so you actually do stick a thermapen in it while it's still cooking?
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 33,372
    yes and i dont think it makes much of a difference. i dont like to cook ribeyes under 127 or strips over 123
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • StillH2OEgger
    StillH2OEgger Posts: 3,829
    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.
    Stillwater, MN
  • seal
    seal Posts: 13
    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
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,109
    But if you stick a hole in it, it might bleed out like that Al Pacino character.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,316
    edited May 2020
    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. 

     
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
  • seal
    seal Posts: 13
    nolaegghead - that's exactly what I've been afraid of.
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,109
    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.


    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • cdnewman
    cdnewman Posts: 88
    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.