I've mentioned in a couple of threads lately that I was planning to retrofit the heat deflector hanger in my ancient Kamado #9 so that I could drop in an SnS. I've always assumed that the configuration of this beast just doesn't adapt to a quick sear. I was challenged in that assumption recently in a thread here (sorry, I forget now who it was and what thread it was, but I owe you a Secret Santa gift or some such). The problem (I thought) is that this thing is so large, the fire grate sits a full 18 inches below the cooking surface. Here's an old pic of it opened up to show the scale of things. The disk at the right is a baking steel that I have subbed in for a ceramic heat deflector. I realize this means I'm now working with a radiator instead of an insulator under the grill, but I prefer the net effect of a very uniform heat distribution throughout the chamber. (In low and slow, I set things up so that the controller fan basically doesn't cycle at all for at least the first 5 or 6 hours.)
But before investing in the SnS, I decided to prove to myself that it's needed. I've been on my own this weekend, and I remembered I had one last one pound ribeye in the freezer, so it seemed perfect for playing around at lunchtime before settling in for football later. I dry brined for around four hours. I hit it with a very heavy layer of POG (2:2:1 peppernion powder:garlic powder) and put on in low and slow at 225 in heavy hickory smoke (sacrilege, I know) and took it off the grill at 115 internal. Since I now own a pair of PittMaker gloves, I was able to carefully remove the grill, the water pan and the baking steel. I then chucked in a bunch more lump and put the grill back in place. I opened the vents for full heat and closed the lid for a few minutes. I decided things were probably hot enough when the temp gauge in the lid (yeah, my next purchase will be an IR gun, why do you ask?) topped 650. I did a full minute with the lid closed on each side and then went open with flipping every 30 seconds or so. When my Thermapen said 130, I pulled it of.
This doesn't give the inferno full justice, but here's a pic in the latter stages:
And here we are when it came off. Boy, was I surprised!
The POG carmelized well, but if you look closely, there's even a fair amount of Maillard browning between the grill lines.
And the result:
This was just wonderful eating. Further refinements to play with will be to use more patience and get things even hotter. Also, I think I'll stop low and slow at 110 and only sear to 125 next time. I really prefer a steak a bit more rare than 130 with the Thermapen. I'm also contemplating dropping my Lodge skillet in there for a more uniform searing surface, or even getting a second baking steel that I keep clean to put on the grill surface (then I can move to pizza out there, too!).
All comments and suggestions are welcomed as I think through this a little further.
But before investing in the SnS, I decided to prove to myself that it's needed. I've been on my own this weekend, and I remembered I had one last one pound ribeye in the freezer, so it seemed perfect for playing around at lunchtime before settling in for football later. I dry brined for around four hours. I hit it with a very heavy layer of POG (2:2:1 peppernion powder:garlic powder) and put on in low and slow at 225 in heavy hickory smoke (sacrilege, I know) and took it off the grill at 115 internal. Since I now own a pair of PittMaker gloves, I was able to carefully remove the grill, the water pan and the baking steel. I then chucked in a bunch more lump and put the grill back in place. I opened the vents for full heat and closed the lid for a few minutes. I decided things were probably hot enough when the temp gauge in the lid (yeah, my next purchase will be an IR gun, why do you ask?) topped 650. I did a full minute with the lid closed on each side and then went open with flipping every 30 seconds or so. When my Thermapen said 130, I pulled it of.
This doesn't give the inferno full justice, but here's a pic in the latter stages:
And here we are when it came off. Boy, was I surprised!
The POG carmelized well, but if you look closely, there's even a fair amount of Maillard browning between the grill lines.
And the result:
This was just wonderful eating. Further refinements to play with will be to use more patience and get things even hotter. Also, I think I'll stop low and slow at 110 and only sear to 125 next time. I really prefer a steak a bit more rare than 130 with the Thermapen. I'm also contemplating dropping my Lodge skillet in there for a more uniform searing surface, or even getting a second baking steel that I keep clean to put on the grill surface (then I can move to pizza out there, too!).
All comments and suggestions are welcomed as I think through this a little further.
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