I think I hate the reverse sear technique

[IdahoJim]

I cooked a couple of tenderloin steaks last night. They were pretty much exactly 1 1/2 inches thick, the magic minimum thickness for a reverse sear according to most sources I've seen. We wanted them medium rare. I smoked them on our Memphis pellet grill at 225 to about 120 degrees internal, since most sources I've seen say to cook them to 10 - 15 degrees short of your target temperature since they will gain temperature during the sear. I then brought them inside and tented them.

Here is where things went a little wrong. I decided to use my Chimney of Insanity for the sear since it was just two small steaks. I loaded it about half full with some decent leftover charcoal, popped in a starter and put the BBQ Dragon fan in it. No matter what amount of fiddling I did with the fan I couldn't get the used charcoal going worth a darn. After about 10 minutes, I dumped the used charcoal out, filled it half full with new Kingsford blue bag charcoal, popped in a lighter, put the fan in it, and in about 10 minutes had a rip roaring little fire for my sear.

So, I brought the steaks out to sear them. I temped them first, and they were about 117 internal. Not bad for an almost 20 minute rest. After a quick sear, flipping a few times, probably about 2 minutes a side total, they looked great. I temped them and... they were about 117 internal . I had left the pellet grill running at 225, so I moved them to the pellet grill and finished them off. About 20 minutes later they were finally temping at 130.

The end result was great, even seemed a tad on the rare side, but what a huge pain in my backside. It seems like any time I do a reverse sear, I am chasing the final temperature. I either overshoot during the sear or it doesn't come up to the target temp during the sear.

What are you all's thoughts on the reverse sear? Seems to me, if I sear up front instead, then I can slow smoke them until they slowly nail the exact temperature I want.

If I try a reverse sear again, I may learn from this experience and try this: Smoke them up to the target temperature, or maybe 5 degrees short, rest them for 20 minutes or more, then do a quick roaring hot sear.

[hoovarmin]

I like the reverse sear but it does present some challenges at first. How high to take the temp in the first part depends on the size of what you are cooking. For a big Tri tip I will often sous vide at 134. For the average strip steak I'll not go above 120. I like the wall to wall pink so much that it's worth it to me.

[TripleB]

Amen brother!! I never, ever RS steaks or chops. I don't RS Tri-Tips either. I will RS a rib roast.

Just as you mentioned, with RS you are chasing the final temp and there is a good chance you overshoot it or you get it, but the steak/chop does not have the sear you want. When I do steaks (1"-1.5"), I sear to color and caramelization that I want. Then slide it over to the indirect side. When I slide the steaks over their internal temp is usually around 80-90 degrees. In roughly 10 minutes, I have a beautiful internal temp of around 132 degrees.

To me, the char, bark, caramelization of the steak surface is the most important factor. And this I can influence. Nothing I can really do with the inside of the steak (tenderness, taste, etc.) apart from internal temp.

Cheers to the Front Sear

[smokenoob]

I RS on the IR side burner. No fuss starting it and getting it hot. If I was gonna use charcoal I would probably front sear or just do the whole cook on charcoal.

[jfmorris]

I've about stopped with the reverse sear here as well, as I always seem to overshoot the temp with my steaks. I've had better luck with a front sear, then indirect until done, or just flip the steak every 30 seconds over direct heat until done. Then again, most of the steaks I've had this past year were less than 1.5" thick. I've not had any steaks that thick since I cut them my selves from a sub-primal a year or two back.

[Oak Smoke]

+1 Jim, I’m a flipper. I put them over a very hot bed of coals and flip about every 30 seconds until I’m about 5 to 7 degrees from my target. It works well on the thinner steaks. On a thicker steak I will let them come closer to room temp and then start flipping before the fire is roaring hot to get some heat going before I get char. Either way it just involves building a good fire and flipping, very simple.

[shify]

I'm a reverse sear fan and find it idiot proof so am always surprised when I hear people having difficulty with it.

I find the cook to be better and more even and the crust to be better and takes less time to form as the outside of the steak dried off during the cook. Obviously this is dependent on your grill/cast iron skillet etc being ready when the steak is. Not all that different if you front sear and move indirect, the indirect side will still be much hotter than perhaps you hopes.

Depending how thick the steak is and the temp during the reverse part of the cook changes when I pull to sear. A hanger steak, i'll probably pull at 115 for a 130 final. A thicker tri-tip, I'll probably go to closer to 125. I also open up all the vents as I approach the final temp so the coals are pretty ready to go for the sear once the alarm goes off

[captainlee]

I just flip my steaks every 60 seconds on a very hot grill and it works great for me. I shoot for Rare plus to MR. Whatever happens in that zone I'm a happy camper. Some things I just like to keep simple.

[RonB]

I think it takes more practice, (IE - more improperly cooked meat ), to have a good reverse sear.

When you sear, the temp is probably 400° +. That's hot. You are putting more energy into the meat that has to go somewhere, and you have to be careful because all that energy can easily overcook the meat. Or, if ya catch it in time, you might not get the sear you want because you have to pull it too soon.

If you sear first and then place the meat on the indirect side, you are finishing with a much lower temp. This gives more time to pull the meat at the correct temp because the internal temp is not rising as fast, and won't rise quite as much as it does after a reverse sear. That is what works best for me - a front sear.

At least this is my story and I'm stickin' to it.

[Willy]

I'm a big fan of SV to 130F-ish, then a quick sear on the flat side of Grill Grates--or a hot CI pan. Easy, fool-proof, and tasty. Dry brine prior, of course. Post SV, any rub you prefer or none at all.

[mgaretz]

Get yourself some dextrose and fine shaker, I use one with a screen (https://amzn.to/4b6nPh6). Pat the meat dry then dust with the dextrose on both sides. That will significantly speed up the browning process and prevent overcooking. Dextrose is also known as corn sugar and all homebrew supplies carry it.

[Bad Hat BBQ]

I have used RS for a very long time ....just recently added a Sous Vide to my cooking gear and have had good luck so far

Pics were also posted in SUWYC

[Richard Chrz]

SV makes it fool proof! Love a SV and then wood fire Sear Steak!

[Richard Chrz]

I love a wood fire reverse sear.

2 ribeyes on those oak splits

[Andrrr]

Can I come too?

[Livermoron]

This looks awesome. I'm going to have to give it a shot...

[Richard Chrz]

Livermoron you should. I find a trick to this, is to have two splits picked out to set your steaks on, once your fire is built, and everything is burning good, I try to have places picked out within my fire where I can set those splits, and right as they start to smoke, I put my steaks on, the fire then comes over the sides and the top, and you have a split where the steak has kind of stolen the energy from the top of the log, so you have a clean split to flip it over on as well.

[klflowers]

If I don't sv then sear, I usually use the kettle sns since it makes reverse searing easy. On the cool side, up to ~120, stoke the fire, on the hot side and flip. Or do the cold grate technique https://snsgrills.com/pages/the-perf...rate-technique

[Huskee]

I'm not a fan myself, at least not with charcoal. If I'm cooking with charcoal I prefer front sear- sear first, then slowly and indirectly bring up to your target. This of course does not eliminate the hassle of preparing charcoal, I just think it slows down the final approach of the process allowing for more accuracy. If I cook them on the pellet cooker I still use reverse sear, but then for the sear I use hot cast iron or the griddle, not charcoal.

[FireMan]

Yessir, I’m with Huskee , front sear after monkeyin around with steaks and gittin to 130 or +. Also with jfmorris and captainlee and others, cuz I flip those buggers 60 seconds aimin fer 30. I have also acquired a taste to a tad rarer than med rare. The rear sear led me to one to many an over cooked steak. No more fightin em.