Space shuttle searing

scooter

Moderator
You've all seen a space shuttle launch, right? A very impressive display of shear BTUs lifting a very heavy solid object into space. Conjures up quite a mental image doesn't it? OK, it may be an extreme example of what I've been thinking lately but I've been experimenting with ultra high heat, ultra quick searing of steaks, chops, roasts. I mean like 90 seconds worth of rocket searing over coals then into my MAK to slow roast and smoke until the desired temp. When done correctly, this process gives a beautiful dark crispy outer crust with a nice pink center from edge to edge like you'd expect to see from a high end steak house.
I've been experimenting with elevating a charcoal grate in my Weber kettle (the kettle seems to work particularly well because the lid can be used to stop/slow flare ups) up to where the top of the live briquettes are approx 1/2" below the cooking grate and using hardwood briquettes which supposedly get hotter than regular charcoal briquettes. Got this idea of the elevated charcoal grate from Craig "Meathead" Goldwin recently when he mentioned it almost in passing on the BBQ Central radio show as how he gets high heat searing done. Pretty much point blank charcoal searing done quickly. When the sear is done, into the pellet pit it goes to finish the job. This, in my opinion, improves on how high end steak houses cook their steaks and chops. They use very expensive salamanders/broilers that get between 1500* and 2500*F! (Very expensive) They then put the meat into a low temp oven to finish. A pellet pit is an improvement over an oven because we can add a kiss of smoke and heat instead of just heat.
I was reading somewhere recently, can't recall where but may have been on this site, that a guy tried using a propane torch to quick sear carne asada and other steaks with success.
What I've been wondering, is if a little propane torch would work, would one of those large propane weed eater/ice killer torches work for big steaks/chops and roasts? I've seen them used on the comp circuit to start up charcoal but have to wonder if they're usable for ultra quick, ultra high heat searing? Couldn't use them for searing in comps due to them being gas powered but certainly OK for backyard use. And charring from above would remove the flare up issue.

Any one tried a weed killer torch to sear with? I can only imagine what the neighbors would think when they see me using a large blow torch to cook with!! Am I just a crazed backyarder to want to try this???? (Probably truer than I want to imagine) :)

Some examples recently of high heat, quick searing done in less than 2 minutes per side then slow smoked in the MAK until desired temp. There are almost no grill marks as the whole surface of the meat turns into a grill mark. :)

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scooter

Moderator
Here's a snippet of Alton Brown's Good Eats episode "Porterhouse Rules" where he takes us through a warehouse loaded with those expensive restaurant broilers then shows how with primitive devices the effect can be duplicated

 

TentHunter

Moderator
Ha!!! What other online forum switches from general pellet smoking to Laptop battery issues to using a weed torch to sear a steak? You gotta love this site!

Now I have seen regular propane torches used to sear, brown or quick fire-roast many things from Peppers & steaks to crème brulée & meringue. But Scooter, using a weed torch is a very interesting proposal to say the least. If you try it you've got to post a video or at least pics!

Here's a youtube vid of Man V. Food where a guy in Denver Co. uses a expanded metal tumbler and a huge propane torch to fire roast some green chilies (fast forward to the 3:30 mark).

YouTube - Man.v.Food.S01e016 Denver, CO part 2



...There are almost no grill marks as the whole surface of the meat turns into a grill mark.

Personally I love the way your steaks and lamb chops look. Grill marks are nice, but that full-on caramelization you've got going on there translates to a lot of flavor in my book!
 

scooter

Moderator
Yep, he's got it going on those chiles for sure. Tried Home Depot today for the torch but they didn't have one. Will continue to look tomorrow.

Did a tritip and a nearly 2lb cowboy cut bonein rib steak today. Gotta say I'm very, very please with the results. Normally I would have smoked them in my MAK but I needed to practice with the tritip in the WSM for my company lunch I'll be cooking in the parking lot on Wednesday so used the WSM instead.

Used 2" metal pipe to raise the charcoal grate.
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Fire is hot and ready. Less than an inch from the cooking grate.
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First side sear for 2 minutes
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Now the second side for another 2 minutes
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Both are seared and onto the WSM with cherry wood
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Done, drizzled with some melted butter with garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper then rested.
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Pulled it at 143. Even pink from edge to edge.
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Tritip was pulled at 152
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It was so tender and juicy! Not as tender as the cowboy rib steak but very nice.
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Big Poppa

Administrator
Scooter Those are beautiful. I have Komodo Kamado that you cant get the steaks just as close. IT has very large diameter stanless grates. The only problem is that you have to reach your arms down and welders gloves only give you seconds of safety from burning. I use a Hasty Bake for this now (Craig has one now too...Big Poppa Smokers hehehe His two favorite grills are the MAK and the Hasty Bake Gourmet.) It comes down to the fact that there is no better sear than charcoal.

In the spirit of discovery and not meant to be competitive in any way I should do this with a tri tip this week and reverse the order of the cook.

If you go to the Naked Whiz (sounds bad I know0 It is the charcoal reference site. They have a cooking section with a few interesting articles...one of which is the T Rex method which is what you are doing...it is for Egg users.

I go back and forth between the two techniques but in that Perfect Prime rib article they weighed the meat before and after and found the reverse sear to have retained more weight.

I love the combo of charcoal and pellets. Thanks for the great topic!
 

scooter

Moderator
Jim, just need to pick off the chunks of charcoal that drop onto your steak but it sure works. Can only do one steak at a time though.

BP, gonna have to look into a Hasty Bake and Naked Whiz. I think a benefit to the sear first is that it speeds up the cooking. You start the low and slow part of the cook at around 100+/- instead of 40-60+/- with reverse sear. Last night the 1.83lb cowboy cut rib steak (143IT) was done in about 34 mins and the 2.20lb tritip (152IT)was done in 57 mins. Although reverse sear does give you more time in the smoke.
More testing needed! :)
 

TentHunter

Moderator
The Naked Whiz website is a great resource for reviews on various charcoal brands. Here's the link:
Naked Whiz Kamado Style Cookers and Lump Charcoal (I recently left a review of the Cowboy brand Lump... It wasn't a good review.)


Scooter I agree with BP; those steaks are absolutely beautiful! As I stated in my prev. post, that full on caramelization has my mouth watering!

BP I was thinking the same as you; trying this method with the raised grates for the extreme temps, but reversing the order of the cook for a reverse sear. I'll be anxious to see your pics of how they turn out :)!
 

Big Poppa

Administrator
OK I defrosted some Strube Bine In Strips...Yeah I get some of it frozen...Actually works out great. I was going to do the reverse but they weren't as thick as i cut..so the point here is that wth thinner steaks you should always sear first. I like an inch and 3/4 and they work better reverse.

Fired the Hasty Bake up and doused the steaks with olive oil and Big Poppa's Double Secret

PUt a handful of pellets on the coals....note to self mistake...wait until you use the indirect side for the pellets. With the hood open the pellets generate too much flame...with the hood closed they smoke like my great uncle

Seared for a minute and a half with the Hasty going nuke
Put on shelf and dropped the tray down to the bottom and indirect untii lt hit 135 internal

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scooter

Moderator
BP, what do you think the pit temp was on that upper shelf with the coals at the bottom setting? Odd shape for a strip steak. Looks fantastic.
 

Big Poppa

Administrator
Odd shape because my youngest son showed up at dinner so I split mine with him! I think and this is a guess that the top corner of the grill was around 350 But the ability to raise and lower the fire coupled with the shelf it reall y is a steak machine
 

scooter

Moderator
OK, purchased my booster rocket searing toy today at Harbor Freight on sale for $29.99 which I think is a great price. Was actually free due to the Harbor Freight gift card my team gave me for Christmas last year. It has a control valve, a 6.8' hose, a trigger to release an inferno power booster and an auto igniter.
Will test it out on a stack of steaks this weekend! Report, pics, and maybe even a video forthcoming.

Click the image. One of the reviewers uses it to kill gophers! :)
 
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