Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[rwalters]

I much prefer the reverse sear method. Easier to nail desired IT. IMO, produces a more tender steak. IMO, produces a more flavorful steak. And it allows me a bit more time to just hang out by the grill and enjoy the smoke-aroma therapy

[Bentley]

I do not like the texture that the reverse sear imparts to meat, that is why I do not do it.

But thank you for an Inspirational thread...Ideas for Pellet Fan University Testing at the American Royal.

[InThePitBBQ]

I've done a whole bunch of direct and reverse sear the last couple months mostly with porterhouse cuts, learned much along the way and have drawn some conclusions as to what looks and tastes the best. 

Until I really mastered the charbroiler on the PG 500 I was liking the reverse sear the best for flavor, was even using the warming drawer for extended smoking and raising the internal temps before a fast final finish over the charbroiler grates.

What I have found is that the charbroiler using a direct method constantly turning the steaks makes a better meal and I don't think most grills are even capable of getting hot enough to do it properly.

When I started out direct searing it was using the one sided technique, rotating 90* halfway through and then turning to finish. The maillard reaction never looked or tasted the way I wanted it to and using a 2" cut it was done in 5-6 minutes this way.

Cranking the PG 500 up to a preheat setting of 500* and direct searing for a minute a side then turning and repeating has produced the best appearance and taste for me. It also extends the cooking time to get internal temps to medium range by 50% more than just the one and done technique.

I've given a bunch of porterhouses away to happy taste testers this season and they seem to like the direct method turning regularly to finish the best and I've settled on it as my go to method now.

This is only even remotely possible by the way using a MK4 Thermapen, no way your using anything else over that much heat to get numbers to pull them.

[pmillen]

You preheat the PG500 to 500°F and cook a thick steak one minute per side and it's done?

Is it warm in the middle?

Door open?

What controller settings (LHt/HHt)?

[scdaf]

I suspect the PG500 is close to 1000 degrees at grate level directly over the fire when the temp is set to 500.

[InThePitBBQ]

You preheat the PG500 to 500°F and cook a thick steak one minute per side and it's done?

Is it warm in the middle?

Door open?

What controller settings (LHt/HHt)?

NO lol! I keep turning it, no more than a minute a side for example a 2" porterhouse is going to take 8+ minutes that way.

I should have done a better job clarifying that. Also, I like to keep the sear marks running just one direction now as well it seems to have a better finished appearance that way.

[pmillen]

NO lol! I keep turning it, no more than a minute a side for example a 2" porterhouse is going to take 8+ minutes that way.

I should have done a better job clarifying that.

No, you did a fine job of explaining it.  You wrote , "[D]irect searing for a minute a side then turning and repeating..."  I simply missed the point.

[Rsisson]

I only do reverse sear now... it is almost foolproof...
BUT air REQUIRES a thermometer with a probe.

I set my thermometer for 117 and set by smoker to Low and slow, about 225 on my PG500.

Let it run till I hear the beep.

Take out the steaks, crank my PG500 to BROIL (600deg) and let it get HOT HOT HOT.
It never gets to the set temp, but the grates get hot hot and the pit starts to glow. It’s H O T.

1 min per side is about all I need to get a nice char. 45seconds if I want to cross hatch, flip and turn 90deg, it cools slightly so the extra 15 seconds is ok.  Either case, I get black and purple every time.

PS... Don’t just turn off your grill if it is really really hot, do a cool down of some kind. Even if it means just running it at 170deg with it open for 15 min, make sure the auger is not too hot when you shut down, I have had hopper smolders because the end of the auger was so hot...the pellets were coming out pre-lit... little fire balls...

Don’t try it without a probe, you will waste good meat.

[Fire708]

I reverse sear but use the sear station on the gasser to finish. In smoker till about 115 then move over to the gasser to sear on very high temp. The sear station is advertised as being able to hit 1000. Not sure I believe that but it does get plenty hot.

After reading some of your methods I’m gonna give searing only with multiple flips a chance.

[okie smokie]

With reverse sear, you get wall to wall doneness (i.e. Medium/Rare) with a charred surface.  I don't do it because I don't like it that way.  I (we) like the medium rare in the middle with thicker doneness at the walls.  I think it is because of the firmer texture.  It still is juicy (esp with prime meat).  Perhaps a little harder to duplicate each time.  Will I be punished?

[Ross77]

I reverse sear thicker cuts like ribeye.  I usually smoke for about an hour at 200, pull to rest at about 115.  During the rest I bring the smoker temp up to 500 with Grill Grates.  Then I sear them to medium rare.  I get a really nice smoke flavor doing it this way. [ Invalid Attachment ]

[Michael_NW]

Will I be punished?

How dare you not conform!!

I'm sending a herd of stampeding pigs over your way right now . . . you should see them any minute!      

[okie smokie]

Will I be punished?

How dare you not conform!!

I'm sending a herd of stampeding pigs over your way right now . . . you should see them any minute!      

If I see any pigs around here, they will be sacrificed, dressed and pitted in short order.  I send back the hooves.   

[GREG-B]

Will I be punished?

How dare you not conform!!

I'm sending a herd of stampeding pigs over your way right now . . . you should see them any minute!      

I'm a lot closer than Oklahoma to you, send those baby backs my way. [ Invalid Attachment ]

[lamrith]

With reverse sear, you get wall to wall doneness (i.e. Medium/Rare) with a charred surface.  I don't do it because I don't like it that way.  I (we) like the medium rare in the middle with thicker doneness at the walls.  I think it is because of the firmer texture.  It still is juicy (esp with prime meat).  Perhaps a little harder to duplicate each time.  Will I be punished?

With reverse sear, you get wall to wall doneness (i.e. Medium/Rare) with a charred surface.  I don't do it because I don't like it that way.  I (we) like the medium rare in the middle with thicker doneness at the walls.  I think it is because of the firmer texture.  It still is juicy (esp with prime meat).  Perhaps a little harder to duplicate each time.  Will I be punished?

We like it a bit more like you as well.  When I reverse sear I always get thicker steaks 1-1.5", it helps by making for a wider margin of error in cook time in my experience.

I only smoke till approx 100*.  Pull, foil and crank up the 680 on full with grill grates and let it stabilize.
Then I am watching temp to hit our preferred internal while doing the searing.  Pulling at lower IT, means more time searing which will produce more of that firm/done edge that you like.  Might be worth a try.