Reverse sear ribeye and water

[TonyRockyTiger]

I posted this on the public SNS page. Re-posting here for fellow Pit members to chime-in.

Water with Reverse Sear?

Gents,

I just placed an order for the SNS after using the Smokenator for 2+ years. I have a question on how to best reverse-sear ribeyes. For some background: on the Smokenator, I use a small bread-pan (same as what comes with the Smokenator, but smaller) filled with water during the low 'n' slow (LnS) portion of the cook. When it comes time to sear, I remove both the water-pan and Smokenator, put on some GrillGrates, and go Warp 10.

First thought and question: I've read that the slower the cook, the more tender the flesh. This is why I use the water-pan, to keep the LnS at around 225 for the entire duration of getting to 115 degrees, with the idea that this may contribute to more tender meat relative to what I'd get if I went without the water pan, which gets me around 300 degrees and of course a shorter/faster LnS cook time. So is this thinking correct? I would love it if you guys could do more thorough tests on this hypothesis: how much more tender is a ribeye cooked up to 115 degrees internal temp at 225 degrees vs 300 degrees[1].

If longer/slower cook times do indeed result in more tender flesh, then I would continue to use water for a reverse-sear ribeye cook using the SNS to extend out the LnS cook time. I guess I'll find some sort of syphon pump to suck out the water before starting the sear.

[1] perhaps you guys can do a Kickstarter for these types of research projects?

[Jerod Broussard]

Hey Tony, I gave you some information on the main site.

Welcome to the Pit and thanks for the support!!

David will be around to provide more information since he has been able to test the SnS a TON. I can't afford to cook that many steaks. hahahahaha

[FLBuckeye]

TonyRockyTiger I have done ribeyes on the SnS with great results. When I was using the Smokenator, I would go low and slow at 225 with the loaf pan full of water for the time it took to get to 122-125, which was my target temp. I used another Weber (I have six ) with the coal grate raised to within two inches of the food grate using fire bricks. Turned out great. With the SnS, no need for the other Weber to reverse sear. I would use a quarter of a chimney to get to 225 and then add 3/4 chimney to get to Warp 10. I have an infra red thermometer and it maxed out over 1022 degrees F. Turned the ribeyes every 30 seconds and pulled at 133. Best steak I have ever eaten.

[Huskee]

Skip the water when using the SnS for steaks. Why? If we stop and think about why exactly we use water during a low & slow cook, we'll arrive at our answer....

Water during a slow smoke does two main things: a) it adds humidity to the smoking environment- which as we know helps with smoke adhering to the meat and deeper smoke ring (which is only aesthetics anyway), and b) it helps regulate the temps inside the cooker, whether used directly for separating the cooking chamber into two zones (such as in a vertical water smoker) or by buffering the overall ambient temp, since water will not get above 212 it in effect helps cool the cooking chamber air temp allowing greater control. This is not the precise scientific extent of water's function but a good summary for us average backyarders anyway.

a) With steak we're not doing low & slow in the traditional sense. We're slowly bringing the meat up to temp via reverse sear, yes, but we're not slow smoking our steaks for hours as we would brisket or ribs. Therefore we don't need any help with smoke adhesion, bark development, or smoke ring with a steak. And we don't need hours of precise control....

b) The SnS is already set up to create two zones in the kettle. The water reservoir, even when empty, provides a thermal buffer creating 2 zones. When our SnS lighting procedures are followed and your vents are regulated as instructed, you will have the control you need to cook a mean steak. Water then acting as a thermal buffer for temperature regulation is simply not needed.

You CAN use water, but it's completely unnecessary with steak.

[David Parrish]

I knew if I waited long enough Huskee would say everything and I could be lazy. Thanks Huskee!

[kurtkrum]

I just got my slow and sear. I did a boston butt this past weekend and it was fab. Now I want to try the reverse sear.

Question: How much charcoal do you put in the SNS? Just wondering what technique used when we create a low temp environment for taking steaks up to about 110-115, and then wondering what technique when we turn on the "jet engine" to finish them.

[David Parrish]

I just got my slow and sear. I did a boston butt this past weekend and it was fab. Now I want to try the reverse sear.

Question: How much charcoal do you put in the SNS? Just wondering what technique used when we create a low temp environment for taking steaks up to about 110-115, and then wondering what technique when we turn on the "jet engine" to finish them.

I'd go with about 20 fully lit coals during the low and slow session. Then when the steaks get to about 80 F I'd get a mostly or fully full Weber chimney of briquets going. By the time the steaks hit 115 F your chimney coals should be hot. Throw them into the Slow 'N Sear and let the kettle get to Warp 10 while you take the steaks inside to pat dry and coat with oil/beef love, or whatever you're going to coat them with. Then you can take the steaks back out to sear. Be sure to flip often, like every minute. They'll probably be nicely seared after 4 minutes. For more details check out our steak page.