Steak Searing, what am I missing?

[Tecumseh]

I used to have a BGE and I would put a 12" stack on top of the dome to induct more airflow and I could get that sucker over 1000 degrees, I've had no such luck with the Kamado. What am I missing? I open the vent all the way, I've used my 12" duct on top, I open the bottom up, I've used all new lump.

[DaveD]

I assume you are talking about temps measured at the grate? How hot is it getting? How hot do you need it to be? Is a sear measurably better at 1000F than at, say, 800F? (And just because I'm a gadget geek, what are you even using to measure 1000F? Most temp probes I've seen go off scale well below that.)

[Panhead John]

He’s probably using an infrared temp gun. Some can go well over 1,000* in temp. measurements. I’ve used mine and registered almost 1,000* above my vortex.

[au4stree]

Honestly, I’m not a believer in the hotter the better the sear philosophy. Certainly, you have to have high heat to create the crust and initiate the Maillard reaction, but really I’ve had terrific results at 500-600°F. Getting the grate close to the coals and ensuring my steak or whatever protein surface is dry before searing. Lastly, it’s hard to beat a sear on cast iron or carbon steel…..

[Bruce Z]

I have long been a proponent of Sous Vide. It's easy as long as you plan way in advance. However I was all alone at our lake house, had a strip steak that had been thawed over night in the refrigerator ready to be consumed. So I decided to try the reverse sear method of cooking the steak. it was dry brined for a couple of hours prior to grilling. I coated both sides with both vegetable oil and Lawrey's seasoning salt.

The grill was around 235 and the steak around 55 degrees. I used a SNS-500 wireless thermometer. (I bought for $50.00 just for the lake) I waited until the meat was at 115 degrees and then placed it on my grates on top of the chimney starter and pulled it off at 135 degrees.

Wow just Wow! Easily the best steak I have had in years, bar none. The flavor I had been missing with Sous vide and then searing was right in my mouth. And yet I was all alone with no one to share this victory. Everyone is going to think its just a fish story. Oh well. I guess I will be forced to try it again.

Next time I will pull the steak closer to 110 degrees so I can get a better sear. Live and learn.

[klflowers]

Lately I have been sv'ing and searing for convience. But nothing beats reverse sear IMO

[Oak Smoke]

I’ve induced some serious cracking in 2 kamados that I took to near 1000 degrees. The instructions that came with the newest one say try to stay below 700 degrees.

[Mosca]

How is your air flow beneath the charcoal?

[randy.56]

Had great results 550 to 650 at grill grate. Not a believer hotter is better.

[Panhead John]

Bruce Z Yours is no fish story! I always reverse sear my steaks on the kettle, using my vortex or the SnS. I don’t do much of anything too well, but I’ll put my steaks up against anyone’s. I’ve never sous vide before so I can’t compare….but, I just can’t wrap my head around any flavor coming from a bag submersed in warm water. 🤷♂️ I’m not knocking it for steaks, but I’ve always thought the most flavor and taste is gonna come from a steak cooked entirely on the grill. The smoke flavor from the charcoal and/or wood chunks…..you can’t get that from a bag. I’d be willing to bet you won’t go back to SV for steaks anymore…..

[Panhead John]

Not knocking it, as I mentioned above, just saying I don’t think there’s any way it can beat a grilled steak. Absolute uniform doneness isn’t a requirement in my book, if that’s even possible. Probe your steak, or any meat, after it’s fully cooked in several different places, you’ll probably never get the same temp throughout……

[Bruce Z]

I have tried and gotten a great sear on my steaks after Sous Vide. But the flavor is not as good as what I just had using the reverse sear. SV is great for timing but I have not found a way to equal the taste of grilling

[RolfTaylor]

For even done-ness be sure to let the steaks get up to ~room temp before the reverse sear. It is far easier with thicker steaks, but can be done with thin.

Sous-vide works best IMHO on tougher cuts. I grew up eating chuck steaks (impossible to find these days) so I am OK with tough. But my audience is less so.

SV is also *awesome* if you like undercooked burgers. You can be safe and still have a pink burger.

[hoovarmin]

I used to have a BGE and I would put a 12" stack on top of the dome to induct more airflow and I could get that sucker over 1000 degrees, I've had no such luck with the Kamado. What am I missing? I open the vent all the way, I've used my 12" duct on top, I open the bottom up, I've used all new lump.

I'm not really sure what you are asking here. We need more information to answer. Like, what are you using to measure temp at the grate? A BGE is a Kamado - Do you mean a Kamado Joe? We really need to know what gear you are using. Are you using a charcoal basket? Please clarify so we can help cause we all want to.

[jfmorris]

He did post this under Kamado Joe. I think he is saying that using the same process, he can't get the KJ as hot as his old BGE.

[Spinaker]

My guess would be you need better airflow in the bottom. Getting rid of your charcoal grate and replacing it with a charcoal basket is key.

Using a good mix of large and small pieces of charcoal is also key.

I really do not think you need to get over 500 F to sear anything. Try placing a cast iron griddle on the grate and pressing the steak to the HOT surface. You will without a doubt, get a great sear on that steak.

[Tecumseh]

Haven't thought about the basket, they are really proud of that for $129! Thanks for the suggestion.

[Spinaker]

It is worth it though. 129 is a lot. I would agree. But worth it in my eyes. $89 for the basket. Tecumseh

[jfmorris]

I've had my kamado (a SNS Deluxe Kamado) up towards 1000F once, and won't do it again. Aside from pizza bursting into flames and scorching the bottom before the toppings were done, it also permanently discolored some of my once shiny stainless steel grates. I also suspect super high temps can degrade the kamado gaskets more rapidly.

I now limit myself to a more reasonable 650-700 max temp.

Anyway, back to how to get it there. Does your Kamado Joe lower vent have a screen of some sort on it? Mine does, and I have to open the screen and FULLY open the bottom vent to get enough air flow to reach surface of the sun level temperatures. Taking the top vent off entirely can help as well, as I am sure adding a pipe like you are talking about. I need to try the pipe trick sometime, but haven't done that one yet.

[Tecumseh]

I have a Kamdo Joe Classic II. I've only been able to reach 450 degrees as shown on the temp gauge on the grill. I have a FLIR TG165 that works up to 572 degrees but haven't needed to use it yet. Really I think 600-700 is more than sufficient. I don't have a screen on my lower vent. Here's a pic of the setup.

Smoking beef ribs today, maybe I'll try a steak again on Sunday. Based on the suggestions, I'll pull out that ash tray and use mostly big chunks of lump and I'll open the top vent and use the stack if needed.

Any other uses for that charcoal basket? Does it help with smoking as well?

[LA Pork Butt]

Have you checked your temp gauge for accuracy? If it is off you are being deceived.

[Tecumseh]

Yes, I have a tappecue, don't use it for steaks, but always for smoking, not sure if it's linear but it shows 200, when probe is at 230.

[RolfTaylor]

The most common issue with Kamados is when the lid fails to seal properly. Often that is due to the hinge getting damaged by carelessness or the seal itself getting damaged (by too much heat for example). But I do have to wonder if this is a trolling post as I just don't see 1000 degrees as being very useful. Just MHO.