Reverse sear... open or closed lid?

HurricaneEddie1 · February 2017

when finishing off your steak on reverse sear, do you close the lid or leave it open?

4Runner · February 2017

For me, once I have completed stage 1, the meat is at the desired internal temp so I let it rest. Then for the sear, after I have taken all of this care and feeding to make sure the It is good, I let it rest and then sear with the lid open. This works for me and makes sense to me so that is what I do. Hope this helps. The key to reverse sear is to make sure the meat has ample time to rest and the IT is stable and/or working its way down before searing. Good luck.

minniemoh · February 2017

I agree with @4Runner and I always go lid open. Depending on how my coals look, I may close the bottom vent to get more orange glow on the top of the coals too. You just need a lot of infrared heat on the top of the coal bed to get the best sear in my opinion.

lkapigian · February 2017

I thought we were all supposed to go out and by Blackstones to resolve that issue?

Theophan · February 2017

I very nearly never cook with the dome open. On quite rare occasions if burgers are just getting too smoky from dripping fat, I'll open the dome. But I think the BGE is designed to do its thing with the dome closed. I take the steaks off, let them rest on a plate while I'm cranking up the fire, usually to the final sear at 650° for just a minute a side, but the dome is closed.

Hans61 · February 2017

Depends when you pull for sear

bgebrent · February 2017

Open and ripping hot. It's a fast process with long tongs and gloves required. It should be a celebratory event!

etherdome · February 2017

There is no need to have lid closed for the sear In the reverse sear process . just low to coals and hot as hell. Closing the lid does nothing to help a quick/ hot sear on the outside of a steak. People may prefer to do so, but it's not necessary at all. IMO all it does is Increase your chances of losing your eyebrows.

and over cooking

Eggcelsior · February 2017

Depends on if it's raining. Otherwise, open.

GoooDawgs · February 2017

Like others have said, it depends on what your desired end temp is. We like 130 for a medium rare+ / medium, and I reverse sear it at 250 with a 20 minute rest while I get the coal roaring hot. I pull it off at 130 as well - I've found if you bring it up to temp slow enough, there will be minimum carry over, and if you only sear for a minute each side, with the dome open you won't change the final internal temp barely at all. Closing the dome will continue to cook the meat.

I see most pull around 110/115, but then you have to sear longer to get it past rare. Experiment with both and see what works for you.

Killit_and_Grillit · February 2017

It depends on the fire and the weather for me. If I am running a lower fire and want grill marks on something, I'll pyramid up my coals best I can with a poker and shut the lid to kind of force a volcano effect on my flames and make the center as hot as possible. Or if it's raining.

I usually did that when I just needed marks on veggies or some meat cooked another method. After doing a few reverse sears I realized my fire often wasn't getting hot enough without the lid from lack of lump. It's worth the extra five minutes to add a little and get it going hotter.

maso · February 2017

Killit_and_Grillit said:
After doing a few reverse sears I realized my fire often wasn't getting hot enough without the lid from lack of lump. It's worth the extra five minutes to add a little and get it going hotter.

What do you mean by without the lid? Do you mean open or closed? I've been struggling lately with a good sear after initial goodluck. I'm assuming you meant to close the lid but just want to clarify.

dgaddis1 · February 2017

I keep the lid closed when getting up to searing temp, because what you're *really* after is a HOT grate, not hot air or big fire, but a blazing hot grate, that's where the sear comes from, the meat's contact with the metal. Makes sense in my head that the grate will get hotter with the lid closed vs open. Then when doing the sear, like other said, depending on what IT you pulled it off at and what IT you're aiming for, either closed or open. Closed lid if you want to raise the IT temp some more, open if you want little increase in IT.

JRWhitee · February 2017

Open here too, use gloves....

Stormbringer · February 2017

I was going to ask the same question.

I close the lid, as I found that with the lid open the meat was sometimes luke-warm at best. But then again, I am doing this in cold weather. Or could be missing something important.

When resting the steak whilst the Egg heats up (normally about 8-10 minutes) I double wrap the steak in kitchen foil. Maybe I need more stringest heat enclosure methods?

Killit_and_Grillit · February 2017

@maso yeah i meant shut. Typed too fast. When I first start my Egg if I leave it open and go inside and forget I'll come out in 5 minutes and it will be 1k degrees. Morale of the story. Add more lump after indirect.

jtcBoynton · February 2017

dgaddis1 said:

I keep the lid closed when getting up to searing temp, because what you're *really* after is a HOT grate, not hot air or big fire, but a blazing hot grate, that's where the sear comes from, the meat's contact with the metal. Makes sense in my head that the grate will get hotter with the lid closed vs open. Then when doing the sear, like other said, depending on what IT you pulled it off at and what IT you're aiming for, either closed or open. Closed lid if you want to raise the IT temp some more, open if you want little increase in IT.

Actually it is best to have a hot fire with lots of radiant heat and get the steak close to it. Hot grates cause uneven crust development. Better with a thin wire more open grate or even no grate.

Terrebandit · February 2017

Try throwing a cast iron skillet on top of the grate, close lid, and let it heat up to a searing temp. Open lid, add a pat of butter, and sear your steaks on the hot iron. Don't add too much butter to the pan or you won't get a proper sear. After the sear, I may add a little butter as a finish coat. If you are hung up on having grill marks, sear them on the grate first, then finish as described above on the cast iron pan. This works well on thick pork chops too.

FearlessTheEggNoob · February 2017

Oops

bgebrent · February 2017

It works both ways depending on your protein and your desired outcome. Do you like your popcorn with butter or without?

VInyljunkee · October 2017

Curious how you reverse sear with the Big Green Egg. How do you remove the plate setter and where do you put this very hot object while you bring the Egg up to high temp to sear after indirect?

Eoin · October 2017

I use very good gloves to remove the platesetter and sear with the dome closed. The onĺy reason for closed dome is that it reduces the flames from dripping fat.

Reverse sear... open or closed lid?

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