I remember reading in one of Meatheads articles about sear marks and how if that part is so good, then you should sear on a hot flat surface to acheive a nice all over char(flavor). I do almost all my searing on a screaming hot cast iron pan or griddle. But in almost every pic and video I see where people are using Grill Grates, they always have them grate side up instead of the flat surface to prove a nice all over sear. Am I missing something?
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GrillGrates are engineered for superior grill marks, so the instructions read for using them grate side up. I keep mine flipped to the flat side, unless I'm doing that Close Proximity Smoking, where the flat side won't work. -
I am with Potkettleblack I only use my GG's on the griddle side. Unless, as he said, I am doing close proximity smoking. The Griddle side is fantastic for everything, especially fish. Grilled Salmon with a base a Avocado oil on the griddle is pretty lights out. Come to think of it. I have a Sockeye fillet in the Freezer.............Comment
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Not everyone sears on a flat surface to get a good crust on their steaks.
Even though I use my GG's flat side up and a Cast Iron skillet for searing I also use open flame searing too. Your charcoal chimney works really good as a sear station.👍
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I just grilled a flank steak on Sunday and used my grill grates flat side up an put them on the flavor bars of my Weber gasser and got a great sear while not over cooking the steak.Comment
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I have only used the flat side of my GrillGrates.Comment
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I use Grillgrates on my Santa Maria grill. One of the first things I did was experiment with the grill side and the flat side. One nice thing is that you can actually use both techniques on the same cook. This was started on the flat side a ways from the fire with a pan over the top to capture some of the smoke. Once I hit the temp I wanted, I lowered the grill and took the grill down to sear on the grate side. There was no real science to it - I just like nice grill marks sometimes. I used to cook burgers on the grill side, but now only on the flat side.Comment
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JCBBQ - Here is the old website for them - they are apparently building a new one http://sixblade.com/BBQ/index.htm
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Northside Brian , You eat with your eyes first. Some people equate cross hatch grill marks as a sign of a properly cooked steak. I consider this an opportunity to teach and discuss the magic behind the means, but sometimes, people just don't care. it's all part of the experience and this is what they are used to and they really don't care about the science. Like teaching a pig to sing, it wastes your efforts and annoys the pig. Know your audience. cook them good food and enjoy the companionship. Give them the marks they look forward to and when they don't see any on your steak... now is your moment to shine!Comment
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tbob4 yeah, thats easier that Black Sabbith War Pigs!
Now in darkness world stops turning,
Ashes where the bodies burning
No more War Pigs have the power,
Hand of God has struck the hour
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Cross-hatched grill marks are like a smoke ring - some people just expect to see them and if they don't they assume the chef doesn't know what he's doing.
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I use the grill side from time to time if for no other reason than it makes a steak look so dang pretty. These are some prime NY strips, wish I took a before picture because the marbling was quite pretty too.Attached FilesComment
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I have seen somewhere, that grill marks were so appealing that there was a time that the chef had someone paint them on in the old days.
Personally, now, I understand the science of what they are, and what some think is mo better or not. Personally, I like the smell of grill marks. Smells like supper to me!
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ok may be I am going to get my head handed to me on this one but I use my Grillgrates the right side up so to say so I get marks, I have found that I get great crust all around, slightly darker were the grill marks are but still good where there are not grill marks . I think this is because the proximity of the aluminum in the valleys allows for proper radiant heat to get the job done. I also like the slight contrast in texture on my meat. please don't beat me up too much I am new here.Comment
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Amajeff99 - I'm certainly not going to beat you up for that comment. Look at the comments and photos above. Everyone has preferences.
My personal preference: If I am cooking a steak directly over fire, from start to finish, I like the contrasting textures of the grate side up method. I appreciate the beef aromas that seem to vaporize back up from the grate cavity as the steak is cooking. On an older grill set up (pre GG), I could smell that beef odor all through the back yard but the coals were down a ways from the steak. The aroma that goes from the juices of the steak into the cavities of the Grillgrates, vaporizing back onto the steak is phenomenal.
I have noticed that if I SV a steak first, I have to pat it dry and reapply salt and pepper to get flavor back into the steak. The steak seems to lose some of the beefy aroma. I have come to prefer the flat side of the Grillgrates in that scenario. If I am cooking SV for other people I still go with the grill marks because that is what they equate with a good steak.
I would bet that some of the folks like Spinaker and Northside Brian who cook with cast iron may get a much better result with SV and aromas. I would also bet that they get a much better result than an average person with the flat side of the Grillgrates regardless of how they start their steaks due to their experience with cast iron/flat surface cooking.
I will say that what is lost in aroma for me with SV is sometimes made up for in consistency of doneness throughout the steak. The uniformity in texture is as important to many people as anything else. Having a steak that has two textures - one even surface texture contrasted by the texture of the meat below - is more palatable to some. Others favor the three textures that the grate side up gives.
Conversely, If I have fire cooked/smoked beef first and reheat SV, the aroma from the original cook seems to be preserved much better than with other reheating methods. I regularly slice second day tri-tip and/or chicken. I reheat SV and then apply the meat directly to the flat side of the Grillgrates for a very fast sear.
Pork chops - I love the flat side of the GG's. Chicken breasts - I prefer the grate side. Thighs and drumstick - depends on the sauce I am using and how hot I am going.
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