Sear or reverse sear

[LegoMySearwood]

So I have a confession. I am horrible at the reverse sear. I can get the burgers and steaks up to the right temperature and steady temp control but to have to remove the burgers/streaks to reverse sear - my meat actually goes down in temp with the lid off as I try to place directly over the SnS. I just can’t get the coals to warp 10 to actually sear. I usually just get my Searwood to 600 degrees and sear over it. What are your thoughts/impressions. Should I just sear from the get go? Do you place hamburgers/streaks in something to keep them kinda still warm and how do I get up to temp faster?

[CRO]

I have a Weber with an SNS. I use the reverse sear method for my steaks and burgers all the time.
Cook them on the "cool" side until about 5-10 degrees under your desired serving temp. Take the food off and foil. Get the charcoal side very hot and sear your burgers or steak.
The meat can rest for an hour before searing.

[LegoMySearwood]

By adding coal, fanning the flames?

[CRO]

Yep, BBQ Dragon

[Oak Smoke]

I’m a sear and flip often guy. I get the grill very hot then put the steaks or burgers on. I do usually try to leave a cooler area on the grill I can move them to if I start getting uncontrollable grease fires. Other than that there’s a pair of tongs in one hand and an instant read thermometer in the other. Flip and check until I’m about 10 degrees from my desired temp, then off they come. I let carry over heat take it from there. If I’m looking for a smokey flavor I’ll smoke them at about 225 F until about 120 F then go to the hot flip method.

[RonB]

The problem with reverse sear, (for me), is that it's difficult to reliably predict what temp to switch to searing. As stated above, you can let the product sit for a while so the temp will fall. That makes it easier to sear without overshooting your preferred final temp. And when you sear at a high temp, it;s easier to overshoot your final temp because the internal temp rises faster at those higher temps.

I front sear because it's easier to get the exact sear you want. I then finish on the cool side and go to my pull temp and then I pull. It's easier to hit your final temp because the cool side cooks slower than when you sear at high temp. This works for me - YMMV.

[Purc]

I reverse sear all the time on my Weber Kettle and SnS with thick cuts of meat. Thinner steaks I flip, flip, flip( rotating the steak with each flip on the grate) over hot coals inside of the wide opening of the Vortex. Once I used a hairdryer to fan the flames and ash went everywhere-big mess. As always, YMMV.

[dpearce]

Have you tried the afterburner method? Super hot sear, then cook to temp on the cool side? I admit, reverse sear takes some skill I have not yet completely mastered, so I tend to sear on the front then get the internal to temp.

[LegoMySearwood]

I have not. I’ll try this.

[DavidNorcross]

I am moving away from the reverse sear.

[Duanessmokedmeats]

Good idea. That way you don't get burned.

[smokenoob]

🎤 drop….

[glitchy]

I’ve cooked steaks every way imaginable, I’m firmly in the front sear camp now. Even over SVQ. Even then, sometimes I miss target because I cannot remember what steaks and thicknesses carry over how much. However, far more consistent cook after cook with front sear and that’s most important to me.

[Lynn Dollar]

I'm reverse sear, all the way. And I smoke my ribeyes at very low temps, I shoot for 200 to 225. Can take an hour to get it to 115* . Plenty of time for a couple of beers.

After years of using a wired probe, I monitor the IT now with the RFX probes. Without the wires, its much easier to move over to sear. And the RFX can handle the high heat, while the wired can't.

I've also got the timing down for starting a chimney of coals for the sear, generally, when the IT of the steak hits 85* to 90*, I light a full chimney of coals.

I pull the ribeye at 125* and let carryover take it to medium rare.

[LegoMySearwood]

I think I will also try this.

[Lynn Dollar]

LegoMySearwood I've been doing burgers reverse sear for 2 or 3 years, after I saw how Leroy and Lewis did their burgers. I adapted what they did on a 500 gallon smoker to the Kettle. And I saw this posted yesterday by Evan. I use the SnS and about 8 briqs with a chunk of pecan. But its also how I smoke my ribeye.

https://youtu.be/Qo60ifFJTRk?si=v8uz7YKeLGOUxgz_

[Lynn Dollar]

And here's where I got my ideas on smoking burgers, from 3 years ago

https://youtu.be/I1Hwc2iaAGA?si=ck8rE55LKCpDleM6

[STEbbq]

I sous vide my steaks at 131 for 90 minutes then I only have to get the grill really hot for the quick sear.

[radshop]

I was on the reverse sear bandwagon for a while and decided it's not worth it for me. The problem is it works against the natural tendency of the fire, which starts off hot and cools down. So to get a great reverse sear you have to add an extra step to get the fire hot again or use a torch or afterburner or such. Is it a big deal? No. If I found it made a real improvement in the result, I'd do it. But to me it doesn't. So now I either do regular sear or sous vide + sear.

[TripleB]

For me:

Steaks/chops - front sear
Roasts - rear sear or SV and sear

[RolfTaylor]

I have had pretty good luck with reverse sear on the propane grill.X. The reason I like it is that I like wood smoke flavor and on a gas grill that's hard to do (propane grills are deliberately leaky(. By starting out with the low grilling temperature and lots of wood chips it picks up the flavor much better (the chips just burn too quickly if you turn it up). The predictive thermometer helps me decide when to take them off. Often I do the sear phase on the griddle pre heated on the Weber propane and then throw them back on. Works great for one or two steaks but more than that you need to do batches or the griddle just doesn't hold enough heat.

I have ocasinally do the firs tpart on propane and the sear on the charcoal grill,

All that said, frequently I over shoot the intended temperature slightly, especially on the thing steaks I can find on sale.

With front sear the predictive thermometer almost makes it too easy. That thing is my secret weapon

[bbq_esq]

It doesn't really sound like you are bad at reverse searing? Maybe I am not following. I always take the meat off for a bit before I move to searing. I like to wait until the temp basically stops carrying over and goes down. Also gives me time to get the fire ready to sear. If it's about getting the coals ripping hot, you need to give it some time or use a chimney.

If I'm reverse searing on either a kettle or the Primo, I'd get some fuel going on one side, but not totally lit. On the Primo, I've just been sticking two tumbleweeds into the lump and letting that go for about 15 minutes before giving it a stir, close down the lid, vents open and ease into the temp I want. Once it's steady, meat on until it hits whatever temp I'm aiming for (115 usually). Meat off, lid open, bottom vent open, maybe add some more coal if it was a longer time bringing the meat up to goal temp. I just wait normally but you could also use one of those heatgun things or a chimney to get some coal going in the meantime. Again, I don't mind letting the meat rest a bit between the sear - seems to help in my opinion. Then lit it rip.

[Redwng]

I put our steaks in my LSG pellet (at 220) until about 110 internal (with the help of my RFX). When they are getting close I will fire up the sear station (about 900 degrees) on my Tru-Flame. I like to let the steaks rest for about 10 minutes before searing for one minute on each side. Wife says they are perfect, don't change anything.....like that would ever happen.