Reverse searing ?

[inkjunkie]

Just sorta wondering...let's say you were to smoke a piece of meat, say a Tri Tip, in an electric smoker to whatever your desired IT is. Will searing it on a gas grill alter the flavor over searing it on a BGE? Ever since moving up here we have not used the gas grill for much of anything. Going to be doing a roast tomorrow. Have decided to not sear the first one we do, give us sort of a baseline flavor.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

You won't get the charcoal flavor using the gas grill, but other than that there will be no difference.

 

[mdboatbum]

Like case said you'll have less of a "charcoal" flavor. On the other hand, you'll have a truer representation of the flavors of the meat, smoke and crust. Don't get me wrong, I love charcoal, but depending on the type and brand, it can alter flavors you've worked hard to create. With a combo of electric and gas, you're getting pure smoke and heat, so your choice of seasonings and smoke wood are the flavors you get.
Let us know what you decide to do and how it turns out!

 

[gary s]

Hey Ink   where 's the pictures ?

Gary

 

[inkjunkie]

You won't get the charcoal flavor using the gas grill, but other than that there will be no difference.

Like case said you'll have less of a "charcoal" flavor. On the other hand, you'll have a truer representation of the flavors of the meat, smoke and crust. Don't get me wrong, I love charcoal, but depending on the type and brand, it can alter flavors you've worked hard to create. With a combo of electric and gas, you're getting pure smoke and heat, so your choice of seasonings and smoke wood are the flavors you get.
Let us know what you decide to do and how it turns out!

Thanks for the info....

 
Hey Ink   where 's the pictures ?

Gary

Patience my friend, patience. Camera is sitting near the front door, ready to go. Will be cooking it today.....

Now, about the altering of flavors. Right now the BGE is loaded with a mix of Mesquite and Royal Oak chunks. More Mesquite than Royal Oak. Thing is neither the wife nor I has been able to taste a difference in smokes yet, can't tell Pecan from Maple on the few things we have smoked. Have gotten some Bacon from a friend several times, one batch had a very noticeable Maple flavor, next batch could not even taste the Apple wood he used. Anyhow, lets just say that we used Pecan to flavor the TT today. And we decided to use the Mesquite loaded BGE as a searer. How much flavor from the BGE would the roast pick up in the time, say 10 minutes, it took to sear it? This is the first time I will be smoking a piece of meat in the MSE, assuming there will be a bit of a crust on it, correct? Would think, which is usually dangerous for me, that the Mesquite flavor would have a bit of a hard time penetrating? Please don't take this as I am disagreeing with you folks, just trying to get an understanding.

Today we have decided to not reverse sear. Want to see what it tastes like right out of the MSE. Really need to haul the Gas grill up front. It is a couple hundred of feet from the rest of our outdoor cooking equipment. Have another question about searing....

Have been looking at getting a pellet grill. Looked at a Green Mountain Daniel Boone. If i understood everything right it cooks using indirect heat. Tops out in the 550* area. How does one sear with just heat? I thought that searing required being right on top of the heat source? Or will just the gates in the Green Mountain be hot enough to sear? In this case is any flavor really being added? Or is the pattern of the grates just being added?

Thanks again for the info. I really do enjoy being a member of this "family".....

 

[gary s]

I'll be watching

Gary

 

[k2guy]

Just some info....I use red oak to smoke tri tip and it imparts a great mild flavor.  This is the traditional wood used in Santa Maria for their famous smoked tri tips.

 

[inkjunkie]

20150117_093723.jpg

• inkjunkie
• Jan 17, 2015

2.14 pounds...we were using the vacuumost sealer the day we trimmed it so we vacuum sealed it after Ernie did the rub on it.

20150117_093629.jpg

• inkjunkie
• Jan 17, 2015

20150117_093617.jpg

• inkjunkie
• Jan 17, 2015

Unsure of how much fat to remove, hopefully we left enough. The Boss does not like "chewing the fat", if she had her way she would have removed every last piece of it. Have tried to explain to her several times that some of it is necessary when smoking but ever since all of the health troubles started she is both forgetful and has a hard time understanding things at times.

 

[k2guy]

More info....I remove all the fat cap on tri tips.  This allows for more surface for the rub and smoke to penetrate the meat for flavor.  The meat isn't in the smoker that long for the fat to render into the meat since these cuts cook faster than say a roast.