Reverse Sear Question

[tmaan235]

My reverse sear practice is usually using 2" thick ribeyes.
I take my brined, salted, seasoned or whatever you want to do to them steaks, cook them indirect on a Weber kettle to 115/120, let them rest for the 10 to 15 minutes while a full chimney of lump charcoal gets to temp, dump that into the kettle dead center and spread out.
Put the steaks on when it's around 500 degrees and sear for as long as it takes to get the perfect sear on both sides. Usually takes about 2 minutes per side and, wow, what a result!!
If using less thick steak, you might want to be right on with the temps, it's important!
The best results come from when it's cold outside, let's the resting steaks cool off a lot. This is an idea!, thinking fridge while the chimney fires up might be in order when it's warm outside.
Papa Bruces suggestion is interesting, going to try it next time methinks.
Many marriage proposals turned down
Yup, I sad dat!

[Papa Bruce]

In addition to all the other suggestions: 1) try spraying duck fat or avocado oil to help get a sear. 2) On a Traeger you can get some additional heat around the perimeter of the grate where the heat is not blocked by the drip tray. 3) Use a sous vide gun, very quick, does not continue to cook the interior of the steak, costs less than buying a grill just for steaks.

[Daba's BBQ]

NY Strips (purchased from Wild Fork), reverse seared on Traeger Pro Series 34

I used a simple rub of Himalayan salt, ground pepper, and garlic powder

[jfmorris]

Personally I would just plan to sear on something other than the pellet smoker. Anything you do to sear on the pellet cooker means taking the steaks off for a good while to get the heat to where you need it. If you use the kettle or something else instead, you can have it lit and getting ready before your steaks reach 120F or whatever temp you are ready to sear at.

You don't need a full chimney of lit charcoal to get a nice sear over on the kettle, and a cast iron skillet is a great option too. You can even use a cast iron skillet on your kettle. Heck - I've seen folks do stellar sears on JUST a charcoal chimney with a cooking grate on top.

This is one of those times a gas grill or griddle would be a good companion to your pellet grill, as it gives you the ability to do a quick sear without the fuss of messing with charcoal. Or an outdoor gas burner or cooktop with a skillet for that matter.

[IFindZeroBadCooks]

You could also heat up a CI skillet at 500 for 10-15 minutes and try searing on that. But otherwise, GrillGrates.

[Old Glory]

I will say my Blazin' Grid Iron with the sear kit can sear very nicely. There is a removable section of diffuser plate that you top with grill grates. Gets over 600 degrees on the surface of the Grill Grates. I use the flat side. This doesn't help the OP but there are Pellet Grills out there besides Weber that can sear.

[Daba's BBQ]

Thanks, everyone. I'll be making my ribeye steaks this week. Pics to follow in Show Us...forum

[glitchy]

In regards to my comment, I might be mixing up some recent threads, sorry if that’s the case. GrillGrates will help, but don’t expect the world. My Pro 34 took forever to get to 400 plus and then a long time to recover after the lid was open. I could make a decent steak with GrillGrates on it, but far better on gas or charcoal. The Traeger actually got me back into charcoal, for steaks alone.

[Troutman]

I agree with the general consensus, most pellet grills (maybe Weber’s SmokeFire is the exception) are not designed for high temp searing. Use your kettle and build a roaring hot fire instead.

[Troutman]

I was given one of these by Smoke Daddy for review. Works well but kind of a pain to setup, plus it uses lava rocks which I don’t like. It is a good solution but a hot charcoal fire is better.

[Daba's BBQ]

I have no objections with using Grill Grates

[bbqLuv]

I use grill grates in my Traeger if I want darker grill marks.
From the free side, We Define A Proper Sear And Bust The Grill Marks Myth (amazingribs.com)
In conclusion, If you can't be with the one you grill, grill the one your with.

[ofelles]

I will have to chime in with others in regards to searing on a pellet or lack there of.
I have a Yoder and GrillGrates. The Yoder has the ability to remove a plate on the diffuser to allow some direct flame and with the GrillGrates in place it will sear. But I was never satisfied with the results and now finish the meat on a charcoal grill or CIpan on the stove.

[wrgilb]

https://smokedaddyinc.com/product/th...aring-station/ Looks like they are currently out of stock on these, but this is what I use on my Traeger to get the temp. up to be able to sear. I also us grill grates, flat side up on top of this too get it even hotter. But like most have said, having another cooker that can get those temps up to 500 plus might be the way to go.

[Daba's BBQ]

Here is what I found online -

A) https://www.traeger.com/learn/reverse-searing
B) https://youtu.be/SY-ieRRl4ak