Reverse Sear on SnS - add lit charcoal

[Skinsfan1311]

Do you always add lit charcoal, when you reverse sear steak?

I usually cook for two, sometimes 4, when the kids stop by.

I start with ~ 3/4 of a chimney starter, maybe a little more. I don't bother with a grate thermometer, as I adjust the vents, based on past cooks, for the low n slow portion of the cook.

After the steaks hit 115, I remove the lid, wait for a few minutes, and do the sear. The charcoal that's in the SnS seems plenty hot enough to get a great sear.

Maybe not warp 10, but darned hot.

The first few times, I did the "adding lit briquets" thing, but it didn't seem to make a significant enough difference to justify the time, and use of charcoal, for a couple of steaks.

Have any of you had the same experience?

[David Parrish]

I always use fully lit charcoal for steak cooks because, when it comes to steak, I want to minimize smoke flavor.

Now the amount of fully lit coals varies. If you want to maintain 225 F for 50 minutes to RS a steak on the indirect side you'll only need 15 to 20 coals. That's not really enough charcoal to sear with, so you'll need to add lit charcoal when you're ready to sear.

If you can accept higher temps on the indirect side then you may be able to get away with searing with the coals you slow cooked with.

[Thunder77]

@ Pit Boss, I find I am able to dial in 225-250 with a larger starting amount of charcoal. (about 3/4 chimney)

[Thunder77]

Skinsfan1311, I only add more lit charcoal if I didn't start out with enough to begin with. Like you, I find that normally the sear zone is plenty hot without adding more charcoal. I start out with about the same amount of coals as you do. Perhaps a longer low and slow time might require more coals, but for steaks, I agree with you. And those who have eaten my steaks have not complained!

[Skinsfan1311]

I always use fully lit charcoal for steak cooks because, when it comes to steak, I want to minimize smoke flavor.

Now the amount of fully lit coals varies. If you want to maintain 225 F for 50 minutes to RS a steak on the indirect side you'll only need 15 to 20 coals. That's not really enough charcoal to sear with, so you'll need to add lit charcoal when you're ready to sear.

If you can accept higher temps on the indirect side then you may be able to get away with searing with the coals you slow cooked with.

Yeah, I can live with that.

15-20 briquets is definitely not enough to sear, but I use more charcoal, than is called for on ABC the site, and adjust the vents accordingly, to keep the temp lower for the slow-cook portion.

Thank you!

[David Parrish]

That's fine! We teach 15-20 because it's dead simple to maintain 225 F with that amount of charcoal. As folks get more experienced they'll naturally find out what works best for them.

[Breadhead]

I only light about 20 briquettes for the reverse sear but I fill the SnS full of briquettes on my Weber & SnS for the first part of the RS. Then when I want to sear I use my BBQ Dragon to get my temp to Warp 10.