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Bass Ackwards on Steak Cook?

Kyle
Kyle Posts: 156
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I am considering trying a little different approach to cooking steaks on the BGE and -- - [p]I have a gasser that was given to me last year and I use it rarely. It is easy to achieve fairly predictable low temperatures with it though.[p]I am considering firing up the BGE to temperatures of 600 to 700 degree dome and leaving the gasser to settle at 250 to 300 degrees.[p]Then - starting some KC Strips on the gasser and allowing them to get to a 110 or 120 internal temperature and then flopping them on the BGE to achieve a crust and grill marks.I think the BGE will take about 1 minute per side to get that effect.[p]Any predictions on the results to expect will be appreciated.[p]Kyle[p]

Comments

  • MasterMason
    MasterMason Posts: 243
    Kyle,[p]
    I think you would be losing flavor for 2 resons, the charcoal imparts flavor, also, the searing is done to hold the juices inside the steak.... Just my thought, but as usual I could be wrong

  • Car Wash Mike
    Car Wash Mike Posts: 11,244
    Kyle,
    I think also that they be tough. That dwell time is important.[p]Mike

  • Jopa
    Jopa Posts: 155
    Kyle,
    Just follow the Trex method. I always add some oak, with peach or citrus chips for the finish. My wife went to use our gasser last week before I got home from work and she abandoned the idea after discovering it's become a storage center for the platesetter and other BGE stuff.

  • aka mr. Earl
    aka mr. Earl Posts: 151
    Kyle,[p]What a neat experiment. Let us know what happens. [p]From what I've read and tried I would expect no difference from the high temp first, low temp second method. The maillard reaction (searing) doesn't seal in juices, it just makes for a nice taste and appearance. So unless a high temp at the end does something wierd to your target internal cooking temp, you shoud be good to go.[p][p]
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    Kyle,
    even if you wanted to cook at 250 to 300, then sear, there's no reason to use the gasser.[p]if you had the BGE at 250 and cooked the steak to 120 or so, then pulled it off and spiked the BGE to 600 or 700, you'd be doing the same thing.[p]with the BGE at 300, you'll have no issues getting her up to 700 in 5 minutes more.[p]sounds like you are doing the alton brown roast method applied to steaks.
    could be interesting....[p]but the gasser could easily be supplanted by the egg either way.

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • tach18k
    tach18k Posts: 1,607
    Kyle,
    I do my tri-tips that same way but only its all done on the EGG. low and slow then sear

  • Sundown
    Sundown Posts: 2,980
    aka mr. Earl,
    Alton Brown is one of favorite TV personalities with out a doubt I have learned more from him than I realized.

  • HolySmokes
    HolySmokes Posts: 446
    MasterMason,
    Everything I've read for the last year debunks the 'searing to hold in juices' theory. Not that
    there's anything wrong with searing, it just doesn't do anything to retain moisture.
    Smoke ON! HS[p]

    [ul][li]All About Searing[/ul]
  • MasterMason
    MasterMason Posts: 243
    HolySmokes,[p]
    See, I knew I added the "I could be wrong" rider for a reason :)

  • Cornfed
    Cornfed Posts: 1,324
    aka mr. Earl,[p]I agree with aka Mr. Earl. I've also read about it not really mattering if you do the sear at the beginning or end. I also read that searing doesn't really seal in juices. In fact, I think I remember reading it actually causes a marginal amount of extra juice to be lost. However, as noted, the sear definitely creates that really nicely flavored exterior to the meat, and this is why it's recommended, regardless of whether it seals in juices, and even if it does cause a marginal amount of extra juice loss.[p]All of that said, I'd still vote to make it an all-charcoal cook just because I think the coals can impart a bit more flavor, maybe even from some little bits of left over wood or whatever you might have in there.[p]I vote for giving it a shot and reporting back here with the results. Perhaps there's not too great of a noticeable difference in flavor and, even if there is some difference, perhaps the convenience of the gasser so easily keeping those temps might be a big enough reason to use this method.[p]Just my $0.02. I'm cooking some cheapo steaks now for a quick stir-fry. They've been DizzyPig Cow Licked, and I'm about to mix them in some peppers I'm about to cook in a cast iron pan tossed in butter and Dizzy Pig Red Eye Express (I'm loving my new Dizzy Pig sampler I picked up at Eggfest...).[p]Later,
    Cornfed

  • katman
    katman Posts: 331
    Kyle,
    Sounds like a lot of work. Last night I gave my small egg a good load of lump and got a steady 400 fire going. Coated a tritip with olive oil, seasoned, misted again with olive oil. Put it on the egg and cooked about 8 minutes, flipped, cooked about 8 minutes, flipped and cooked till temp on the thermopen was about 105. I guess we call this a Baltimore--pretty dark and crusty on the outside, nice and pink on the inside, The tri-tip was pretty thick but I do thick NY strips and other steaks this way frequently.

  • HolySmokes
    HolySmokes Posts: 446
    MasterMason,
    dang, you're good!
    ;) HS

  • LasVegasMac
    LasVegasMac Posts: 183
    MasterMason, don't feel alone. I used to swear by searing - until I watched Alton Brown's show, then bought his book "I'm just here for the Food". A very concise, easy to understand explanation of the "searing" myth. [p]Among other topics in the book, more than you wanted to know about salt - different types, what it does, etc. Great book.[p]I still sear, from time to time. Old dog / new tricks, etc. :)[p]LVM

  • Toy Man
    Toy Man Posts: 416
    this is close to how I cook mine.[p]I start at 300 until they reach the temp I am looking for and then sear them (usually in a skillet).[p]Just got a small to go with my large so I expect I will be searing them on the small at the end.[p]Toy Man
  • That is exactly what I use my old gasser for, as well. I may have to go shopping for a larger gasser just to hold a bigger collection of egg toys!
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,665
    HolySmokes,
    maybe its just personal preference, but ive been doing the sear both ways and find the taste better when the juices marinate or baste the seared edges when searing first. i find the sear last gives a more uniform pink in the meat as a whole, but i like the taste better with the sear first.

    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it