The second i did a reverse sear on a Kamado i knew that the difference was so notable that it would become my new standard. Not only on the look, but also on the crust, as you mentioned. It feels more presents and keeps its crispness while the sear then cook seems to soften the crust, removing that little crunch (that I personally can't go without now).
The first time I did a reverse sear I single handedly beat most restaurant steaks I've had. I also had an epiphany and a conniption simultaneously. Now I have a reason to make steak. It's called desire!
I was raised on the "traditional" sear, but converted to the reverse sear when I took over the grill. To this day my brain still says the traditional sear should give a better crust, but am in your camp on the results! Keep pumping out winners SDBBQ 👍
The result can actually be explained fairly easily. To get a good crust the surface of the meat needs to be dry, otherwise the moisture/blood/juices will cause the effective temperature to drop to 100⁰C/212⁰F and instead of the maillard effect the meat will turn grey first. When you reverse sear the meat will be much dryer on the outside and even deeper than you can accomplish with e.g. paper towels and the maillard effect will be instant. As a bonus reverse sear will get you more smoke penetration.
Why am I watching this video at 7AM? Great video. This is a very contested argument and I believe it is all about what your taste buds tell you. Keep rocking the videos.
Reverse sear I think will always be better as you already have a juices coming out the meat to get that caramelized crust. apposed to the raw meat been seared.
Reverse sear shall win! I would assume that if you are trying to impart smoke it would take better to raw meat vs one that was seared first and then brought to temp
Another great test cook and super helpful! I've often wondered about the crust (raw vs slow cooked), but the edge-to-edge consistency of reverse-sear has me hooked. I don't think I'd switch even if the crust was slightly better on the traditional method. I also like to put just a little mesquite smoke on my steaks, and I think the raw start with low and slow gets the smoke into the meat better.
Thanks for the good A/B comparison. Goes to show there is more than 1 way to do it. My experience is that searing first really doesn't seem to make a difference at keeping the juices in, so I think keeping the cooking temp down for as long as possible is likely the best method. I also tend to thing that the bark will likely be different between the 2 methods as the cooking after the sear could soften the bark compared to doing the sear last. I'm with you and will continue with the reverse sear method. Thanks.
It makes sense that if you sear first you have already " finish cooked" the exterior of the steak and first few millimeters going in. Then you have to move the heat through the already cooked exterior to bring the center to desired finish temperature thus overcooking the exterior.. Reverse searing you move heat more evenly through the exterior at a low temperature to reach approximate internal temperature. I usually shoot for 110 to 112 far. internal to achieve 128 to 130 finish internal after reverse sear. When you do this the exterior sears without graying the meat under the crust. It isn't a huge difference but it does matter.
late to this video sorry! Your conclusion about this test rings true with how other sources seem to say "higher temp carries on cooking longer". This seems to explain the cooked grey area (just under the crust) on the 'front sear' steak perfectly. Higher initial temp cooks through longer (front sear), vs lower initial temp cools quicker and stops cooking sooner (reverse sear).
Great video as always! Not sure if you've touched on it other videos, but is there a noticeable difference in post-cooking weights/size between the two methods? It looks like the reverse sear steak is a lot larger than the sear first steak.
I agree. I’ve heard there is more moisture loss with forward searing. Each steak needs to be weighed before and after cooking and the percent loss compared
Always enjoy your vids, some of the most informative and well produced BBQ videos I have seen. I suppose I am in the minority but I prefer the traditional sear then cook method. I just seem to be able to control the desired doneness better. I will say, if I've been invited to someone's house and they're supplying and cooking the steak...reverse sear will be fine by me!! Thanks James.
Both steaks looks great. I have a Green Egg and have been doing reverse sear for 12 years because of starting with a cool grill of 250 degrees. I let the smoke go blue and put my grill grate over my half moon defector plate. I also install my GrillGrates over the direct fire so I can move from the defector side to the sear side quickly. I cook to 110 degrees over the defector plate and finishing at 130 over the grill grates. Cheers!
Thanks James. I love your videos. One question on reverse sear method. How do you know what temp to target on the cook before you sear? Do you adjust based on how thick the steaks are or if someone wants medium, say?
its an estimate based on thickness. a thin steak will start to cool down very quickly, where as a large steak has more momentum and will gain upwards of 10f during the rest. if you want 125f then i remove at 115..... 135 remove at 125. let it gain its 5-10f and then once starting to cool down sear, which will make up the backwards progress and push the steak the last few degrees
every Michelin star restaurant in the world dry brines their steak over night. salt and pepper is not destroying your meat but you don’t what you like with your steak if you enjoy less flavour and juiciness no judgment
Awesome video, I'm a big fan of reverse searing steaks. I've found that while letting the steak rest when getting the grill hot to pat dry the steak with a paper towel. It allows a much better crust and able to get the maillard reaction easier.
@@SmokingDadBBQ ever since I heard of doing this my steaks have had a much better sear on them. From what I've heard it takes away trying to dissolve the moisture or water on top and allows for a quicker and better sear.
Great video again James. Could you close up the salts you're using? In the netherlands we dont have the brands you are using . I like to identify the grain Thx
I struggle with knowing when to pull the steaks using the meater prior to searing. I’ve seen you use 118 previously, am I correct in that you pull your steaks at 118, let them rest while you get your grill up to searing temps?
thick steaks gain more temp... a 2-3" steak can gain as much as 10f at room temp. a 1.5" steak 5F so based on what you are cooking you plan your desired temp minus the carry over cooking
So conclusion? >> Very close but in the end a personal preference? I like the reverse sear for convenience on the kamado, because it's easier to heat the kamado up then to cool it down.
Hi, is it only me? It feels a little off, that you bring a knife Video last time, which was as it seems won by Dallstrom and here Dallstrom is your sponsor. I feel there a bad taste.
i have been using Dalstrong knives for nearly 2 years and did my own video on it based on people asking for this when I mentioned Dalstrong in my gift guide video. they saw those videos and asked to sponsor this video and a few more heading into holidays.... this allows me to turn off ads before and during the video which is a good experience, and there is nothing i have to say for them so its essentially a minute version of my review video. I opened that video saying I have made $31.70 from Dalstrong in 2021 and based on using and liking their knives joined their ambassador program and I don't think that 30 bucks has anything to do with my opinion of the knives. These two steaks cost me $120, the bag of charcoal I bought from dicksons was $40 let alone the time to make and share content for people to enjoy. The $30 doesn't cover the cost of this one meal let alone anything else and has nothing to do with what i have said or will continue to say about knives. in either case, i share these openly so you can make your own decisions about what products to consider... in the meantime i thought removing ads would be a good thing with an ad you can skip from a brand i like where i dont have to say anything for the company
Why the reverse sear wins. It wins because the meat gets dried out during the cook. This allows for a better deeper sear. Both the regular sear and sous vide obtain inferior sears due to moisture on the surface of the meat. Why some people call a sear a reverse sear when they are clearly searing first? No idea, I just hope they do better with reverse gear!
Been watching your videos and bought a Classic III. After the first burning, made Ground Prime Rib burgers, great. Tonight was bone-in Ribeyes (just about an inch thick) but followed seasoning and cooking from this video and I did the sear after. Thank you for all the tips and I will be going back through older video. Next item up is the Spatchcock Chick later this week. thank you for what you do my neighbor to the North.....
I’ve always done the reverse sear method. Don’t know why I haven’t tried the sear first. I’m curious now. Thanks for another great video James. Love seeing your reactions to these experiments.
I only recently switched to reverse sear once I discovered BBQ and Sousvide cooking. I MUCH prefer reverse sear because I find it to be extremely easy and fool proof. I also find it easier when the steaks are thick. Typical grocery store steaks sold in the foam trays are almost always too thin. Before all this, I was using the cast iron pan to sear with an oven finish. It was messy, a huge hassle, and didn't taste NEARLY as good. Of course BBQ reverse sear is one of the best, but I still recommend sousvide for inexperienced cooks because it takes the fear away from wrecking an expensive piece of meat.
Always enjoy your videos. I have a Primo400xl, but everything you do on your KJ’s, also works pretty much the same on my Primo. You did a video awhile back comparing lump charcoal. I thought you mentioned then that you had reached an agreement with Jealous Devil to use their lump. However, in this video you had the Fogo Premium lump (which I love), so what became of your JD endorsement? Just wondering?
i still use three brands, JD, KJ and Fogo. I have never noticed an off putting smell with JD, but family and friends are saying they are getting some thing they dont love from it... i notice it when eating left overs. i assume my pallet gets over saturated with smoke when i am out cooking and i dont notice it, but they do. this has been the driving factor behinds fogo showing up more and more even though i could have got JD for free and I am buying out of pocket my bags of fogo (just picked up 4 more).
I do like to do comparisons for the extra tasting! LOL I have done them both ways as well and always do a thick steak reverse seared. Excellent video James!
Solid video. I reverse sear tomahawks on my Primo Oval XL. I really liked your commercial for Dalstrong. You kept my interest and these look to be some very nice knives. I think a birthday gift is in my future. (way better than those stupid VPN commercials; "security" my butt, "access" yes, I work in the IT security industry) The Meater is annoying as it can't handle high grill temperatures, but could work well for the first part of a reverse sear. It can replace my Maverick remote thermometer where I call the two pieces "Pete" and "Repeat". The issue is that you need to make sure your Meater is charged in advance. If a kamado gets too hot, close it, completely. (with no food on it) It doesn't work like your basic Weber where you can choke down the air in order to decrease the temperature.
G'day, from down under.. love your work. The excitement in your voice from eating a good steak is hilarious but I love it.. It is funny how different countries have different names. I see your using FOGO charcoal, here in Country Victoria FOGO is our recycling bins name, obviously its an abbreviation but it made me laugh. I am intrigued that you guys have to rub everything and then test. I know i'm being picky but the look of the steak is one thing but the caramelisation is, at a guess 50% of the rubs. I love a steak for being just that, a steak. No rub, No sauces. that beautiful colour the smell of the fat slightly rendering and grilling and then the taste of the meat itself.....We pay big bucks here for great steak, whether it's dry aged, grain fed or grass only, so I like to taste the meat... each to their own... a great test all the same and the time factor is something that I thought would be slightly more different. thanks again.
Really appreciate your videos. I keep forgetting to do the kosher/lawrys! But oh well..just another excuse to do another steak! Would you say the lawrys combo is better than Montreal steak seasoning?
When I started watching your videos, I started looking into the kamado joe grills. I have the small one but hopefully I can get the bigger one for Christmas. Enjoy your videos. Hope you have a good holiday and many blessings.
You confirmed what I already believed. I'm staying on the reverse sear team. BTW, my Dalstrong knives arrived. Thanks for the review in time for the Black Friday sale. Already have my list started for what I want to get on the next sale. These knives are amazing and I'm in love!
Great experimennt James. I had switched to reverse sear a while back because of the more of an even cook throughout, kind of like sous vide, but you have reaffirmed that, but in addition, you have demonstrated that even the crust is better. This was very helpful. Thank you.
Although I appreciate the steak enthusiasm, I am not a big steak guy myself. I don't know what it is about it, just not a huge fan. I am more of a poultry guy, would be fun to see you cook a duck or goose!
I used to be the guy that just threw my steaks on and cooked until they were done on the inside, while having almost burnt on the outside. Got a pellet grill and started doing the reverse sear to bring them up to temp. Then, I thrown them on a very hot cast iron skillet with some butter. 30-45 sec each side, and OMG, the best steaks ever. Perfectly seared out the outside, no grey in the middle all pink at a beautiful med-rare.
Another great job James. I have absolutely become a believer in the reverse sear. No scientific proof but I believe that reverse searing it actually allows the meat to break down before you put that wonderful crust on. bravo.!!
I use the direct sear method,because I only have 1 Kamado and I do meat tastings. So I get steaks from different area's and compare the flavours. If I use that infernal mode, I would not be able to cook the next steak the same way.
Thanks for posting this! Before getting my KJ, I like most weber grillers would do a sear first when my coals were the hottest, then cool things down and finish the cook. Things changed once I got my Joe, and I only do reverse sear, mostly for the reasons you noted. I clearly prefer the reverse sear, i assumed it was just the Joe working its magic. But I never did a controlled comparison like this. Its good to know I can still trust my taste buds and I'll continue to reverse sear without remorse or wondering if im missing the "old ways".
Do you set your meater to 115 and then pull it at 115 or do you pull it when the meater tells you to to account for carry over? Are you "finishing" at 115, or pulling it off at 115?
I'm am amazed how easy it seems for you to manipulate temperatures on the Joes. I have found that quite difficult. Thanks for the confirmation on the reverse sear. Thanks again!
thanks Don. i don't know why it happened, but eventually a switch clicked and now they obey everything so well its nuts. consistency has really helped. I used to always grab whatever charcoal was on sale and threw a bunch more variables at it so every cook was not building off the last which caused unexpected things to happen all the time. I will say reducing variables has really accelerated the ease of gaining complete control
I agree reverse sear is preferable. You may as well change your channel name to Tomahawk BBQ, as I've never had a tomahawk and you eat them all the time lol.
Nice video James. When I started with the KJ I always reverse seared having learnt from your method. However, in the main I now sear first with this cut, just seems to render that fat down better and I get more consistent results. Reverse sear is a much easier method to get right on the KJ though because it's very difficult to drop the heat quickly enough after you sear first whereas heating it up quick is a doddle!
No doubt, reverse sear is my favorite method for steak. As you note, you’ll get wall-to-wall steak cooked to your desired temp with reverse sear, where only the outside of the steak is seared. For me, searing first has always resulted in a deeper layer of meat cooked past the desired temp, so it was interesting to see you end up with the same results. The sear also has a tendency to “soften” if followed by low and slow cooking. Thanks for the comparison!
I grilled steaks using reverse sear on my old Weber gas grill for the first time last week, having used the traditional sear for decades. These were the best steaks I have ever grilled in my life! Never going back! Looking forward to the day I can get a Kamado Joe. Love the channel!
I’ve done it both ways and I prefer the reverse as well. Great video James, It was funny as hell when you started giggling after going for the 2nd bite. 🤣
My theory is that reverse is better because it doesn’t allow as much time for the crust to get soggy from the juices. A front sear crust will become less crisp as juices come to the surface during the cooking process.
I think the direct grill will be best. It’s what works out the best for me on my Kamado. I sear both sides and then shut close off the Kamado and let it cook like an oven to finish to temp…..turning once in the middle once the Kamado is closed down.
Bbq and Bottles does an experiment where he cooks the steak to around 95F , then sears, and then continues to cook until you reach desired doneness. With this method there is suppose to be less chance of over shooting your target temp.
sounds great, i didn't find any issue with overshooting temp though as both were finished within 1 degree of each other with the two different approaches
Great experiment! I've always wondered the same. Sear first was passed down to me by two generations. I'll need to give this a try. Thanks for the great content like always. Never disappoints.
You refer to a target temp for a reverse sear and I see some other's idea of their target temp in the comments. I am a med/med-well kind of guy. What is the your idea of a target temp for this kind of cook?
Love it! I couldn’t agree more. Most of us don’t have the luxury to be spending money or time to see the difference so I really appreciate these videos!
Best tomahawks I did were caveman style first, straight onto the coals for a minute or 2. Then cook on the grills to your desired amount, medium rare tasted good. Thanks for the videos.
I feel that the reverse sear produces a different texture to the meat than the traditional sear. I don't know if anyone feels this way also. Both methods produce pretty similar results to me. I guess though that if I want to make sure I don't overcook a steak, the reverse sear is easier to control doneness.
doing them side by side helps isolate the differences, the main difference i could notice was the firmness of the crust (better reverse) and the edge to edge doneness
My unscientific guess is that because you're searing an already warmish steak, it makes sense that the reverse sear sears it better, but I'm no rocket surgeon.
I predict the reverse sear will be the better of the two. This gives the meat a chance to cook more evenly overall vs high heat right away resulting in less wall to wall pink.
I usually do a half direct, half indirect reverse sear but use the soapstone as my heat deflector. By the time my steaks are ready for searing, the soapstone is good and heat soaked for a sear.
The second i did a reverse sear on a Kamado i knew that the difference was so notable that it would become my new standard. Not only on the look, but also on the crust, as you mentioned. It feels more presents and keeps its crispness while the sear then cook seems to soften the crust, removing that little crunch (that I personally can't go without now).
its too good
The first time I did a reverse sear I single handedly beat most restaurant steaks I've had. I also had an epiphany and a conniption simultaneously.
Now I have a reason to make steak. It's called desire!
Glad to see reverse sear reigns as King!
100%
I’ll be a judge in that contest any time. 😃
we need the help eating all this lol
Another steak video before breakfast….
haha the best
I was raised on the "traditional" sear, but converted to the reverse sear when I took over the grill. To this day my brain still says the traditional sear should give a better crust, but am in your camp on the results! Keep pumping out winners SDBBQ 👍
thanks
The result can actually be explained fairly easily. To get a good crust the surface of the meat needs to be dry, otherwise the moisture/blood/juices will cause the effective temperature to drop to 100⁰C/212⁰F and instead of the maillard effect the meat will turn grey first. When you reverse sear the meat will be much dryer on the outside and even deeper than you can accomplish with e.g. paper towels and the maillard effect will be instant. As a bonus reverse sear will get you more smoke penetration.
Great stuff James. I am also a big fan of the reverse sear method.🥩🔥
same here!
Why am I watching this video at 7AM? Great video. This is a very contested argument and I believe it is all about what your taste buds tell you. Keep rocking the videos.
Thanks for watching!
Reverse sear I think will always be better as you already have a juices coming out the meat to get that caramelized crust. apposed to the raw meat been seared.
100% this
Reverse sear shall win! I would assume that if you are trying to impart smoke it would take better to raw meat vs one that was seared first and then brought to temp
this i could see for sure which is why we dont sear brisket or pork butt etc
Another great test cook and super helpful! I've often wondered about the crust (raw vs slow cooked), but the edge-to-edge consistency of reverse-sear has me hooked. I don't think I'd switch even if the crust was slightly better on the traditional method. I also like to put just a little mesquite smoke on my steaks, and I think the raw start with low and slow gets the smoke into the meat better.
Glad it was helpful!
This is the way
Dalstrong knives are massively over priced rebranded Ali Express knives...
Thanks for the good A/B comparison. Goes to show there is more than 1 way to do it. My experience is that searing first really doesn't seem to make a difference at keeping the juices in, so I think keeping the cooking temp down for as long as possible is likely the best method. I also tend to thing that the bark will likely be different between the 2 methods as the cooking after the sear could soften the bark compared to doing the sear last. I'm with you and will continue with the reverse sear method. Thanks.
cheers
Once I tried reverse sear, I have not gone back.
same here
It makes sense that if you sear first you have already " finish cooked" the exterior of the steak and first few millimeters going in. Then you have to move the heat through the already cooked exterior to bring the center to desired finish temperature thus overcooking the exterior..
Reverse searing you move heat more evenly through the exterior at a low temperature to reach approximate internal temperature. I usually shoot for 110 to 112 far. internal to achieve 128 to 130 finish internal after reverse sear. When you do this the exterior sears without graying the meat under the crust. It isn't a huge difference but it does matter.
i prefer the edge to edge medium rare too
late to this video sorry!
Your conclusion about this test rings true with how other sources seem to say "higher temp carries on cooking longer". This seems to explain the cooked grey area (just under the crust) on the 'front sear' steak perfectly.
Higher initial temp cooks through longer (front sear), vs lower initial temp cools quicker and stops cooking sooner (reverse sear).
Great video as always! Not sure if you've touched on it other videos, but is there a noticeable difference in post-cooking weights/size between the two methods? It looks like the reverse sear steak is a lot larger than the sear first steak.
i will have to try measuring this after. i think its likely my butcher cutting as close as possible but two slight differences
I agree. I’ve heard there is more moisture loss with forward searing. Each steak needs to be weighed before and after cooking and the percent loss compared
Love the comparison cooks! Always been a sear first guy but will definitely give the reverse sear a try. Thanks for sharing James!!
Hope you enjoy
The reverse sear changed my life. Like how the automatic transmission changed cars.
FOREVER!
Always enjoy your vids, some of the most informative and well produced BBQ videos I have seen. I suppose I am in the minority but I prefer the traditional sear then cook method. I just seem to be able to control the desired doneness better. I will say, if I've been invited to someone's house and they're supplying and cooking the steak...reverse sear will be fine by me!! Thanks James.
without the meater this would be more challenging but its so dialled in i get this result every time
Both steaks looks great. I have a Green Egg and have been doing reverse sear for 12 years because of starting with a cool grill of 250 degrees. I let the smoke go blue and put my grill grate over my half moon defector plate. I also install my GrillGrates over the direct fire so I can move from the defector side to the sear side quickly. I cook to 110 degrees over the defector plate and finishing at 130 over the grill grates. Cheers!
Right on! love this method too
Thanks James. I love your videos. One question on reverse sear method. How do you know what temp to target on the cook before you sear? Do you adjust based on how thick the steaks are or if someone wants medium, say?
its an estimate based on thickness. a thin steak will start to cool down very quickly, where as a large steak has more momentum and will gain upwards of 10f during the rest.
if you want 125f then i remove at 115..... 135 remove at 125. let it gain its 5-10f and then once starting to cool down sear, which will make up the backwards progress and push the steak the last few degrees
I’ve always done sear first. I will try the reverse sear! Thanks for providing the great vids!
Thanks for watching!
Scratch that last comment, just watched your video on knives. Guess I should watch your stuff in order HAHA!
hahaha cheers Paul
why buy expensive meats if you are going to DESTROY their flavor with rubs?
every Michelin star restaurant in the world dry brines their steak over night. salt and pepper is not destroying your meat but you don’t what you like with your steak if you enjoy less flavour and juiciness no judgment
Awesome video, I'm a big fan of reverse searing steaks. I've found that while letting the steak rest when getting the grill hot to pat dry the steak with a paper towel. It allows a much better crust and able to get the maillard reaction easier.
interesting idea
@@SmokingDadBBQ ever since I heard of doing this my steaks have had a much better sear on them. From what I've heard it takes away trying to dissolve the moisture or water on top and allows for a quicker and better sear.
@@andrewpope204 makes sense
Dry before sear, #Sous Vide Everything #GUGA
Great video again James. Could you close up the salts you're using? In the netherlands we dont have the brands you are using . I like to identify the grain
Thx
will do, this was Maldons smoked sea salt (larger flakes)
@@SmokingDadBBQ great! maldon is in my stock 😀 thx james
I struggle with knowing when to pull the steaks using the meater prior to searing. I’ve seen you use 118 previously, am I correct in that you pull your steaks at 118, let them rest while you get your grill up to searing temps?
thick steaks gain more temp... a 2-3" steak can gain as much as 10f at room temp. a 1.5" steak 5F so based on what you are cooking you plan your desired temp minus the carry over cooking
You looked like a regular excited Carnivore in front of those steaks YUUUUMMMM
Thanks so much, cheers
So conclusion? >> Very close but in the end a personal preference?
I like the reverse sear for convenience on the kamado, because it's easier to heat the kamado up then to cool it down.
i will stick with reverse even though we could get it closer to time doing it the other way
Hi, is it only me? It feels a little off, that you bring a knife Video last time, which was as it seems won by Dallstrom and here Dallstrom is your sponsor. I feel there a bad taste.
i have been using Dalstrong knives for nearly 2 years and did my own video on it based on people asking for this when I mentioned Dalstrong in my gift guide video. they saw those videos and asked to sponsor this video and a few more heading into holidays.... this allows me to turn off ads before and during the video which is a good experience, and there is nothing i have to say for them so its essentially a minute version of my review video.
I opened that video saying I have made $31.70 from Dalstrong in 2021 and based on using and liking their knives joined their ambassador program and I don't think that 30 bucks has anything to do with my opinion of the knives.
These two steaks cost me $120, the bag of charcoal I bought from dicksons was $40 let alone the time to make and share content for people to enjoy. The $30 doesn't cover the cost of this one meal let alone anything else and has nothing to do with what i have said or will continue to say about knives. in either case, i share these openly so you can make your own decisions about what products to consider... in the meantime i thought removing ads would be a good thing with an ad you can skip from a brand i like where i dont have to say anything for the company
Why the reverse sear wins. It wins because the meat gets dried out during the cook. This allows for a better deeper sear. Both the regular sear and sous vide obtain inferior sears due to moisture on the surface of the meat.
Why some people call a sear a reverse sear when they are clearly searing first? No idea, I just hope they do better with reverse gear!
i dont get that either and agree on the dry benefits
I was a sear first guy until I got my smoker and changed to reverse sear method and I will never go back.
its the GOAT
Been watching your videos and bought a Classic III. After the first burning, made Ground Prime Rib burgers, great. Tonight was bone-in Ribeyes (just about an inch thick) but followed seasoning and cooking from this video and I did the sear after. Thank you for all the tips and I will be going back through older video. Next item up is the Spatchcock Chick later this week. thank you for what you do my neighbor to the North.....
Interesting. Did you notice you used your hand to make sure you didn't drip on... the cutting board? 😂
haha no i didn't catch that
I do reverse sear steaks about twice a week lately. Unfortunately not on a Joe yet. But soon.
hope you don't have to wait too much longer
The reverse sear kicks my ass. I pull the steaks to rest while i get the fire up to temp i always rush it because i worry the steaks are getting cold
leave the probe in and you will see where its at, never drops down in 10min
Since I learned about reverse sear that's the only way I do it. Seems to be more consistent for me.
i find that too
I know there were good steaks there, BUT was that a rum and coke behind you? :) Great video, I tend to flip back and forth on this topic.
hahaha good eye Jake.... that it was
@@SmokingDadBBQ For me it's kind of like when you buy a new car and then see one all over the place. ;)
Great video. But you didn’t say the catch phrase don’t be afraid to fire it up.
i knew i forgot something lol
Excellent! I'm pretty new to my Kamado Joe and haven't done the reverse sear steak yet, but I'm anxious to try a reverse sear
Great test, James. I also swear by the reverse sear - no going back for me!
You and me both!
Great video, I prefer the reverse sear myself as well and the dry brining tip is a life saver for me.. never had better beef since I started.
Right on
Salute!
I’ve always done the reverse sear method. Don’t know why I haven’t tried the sear first. I’m curious now. Thanks for another great video James. Love seeing your reactions to these experiments.
thanks so much
would like to see a video on how you sharpen your knives
😊
I only recently switched to reverse sear once I discovered BBQ and Sousvide cooking. I MUCH prefer reverse sear because I find it to be extremely easy and fool proof. I also find it easier when the steaks are thick. Typical grocery store steaks sold in the foam trays are almost always too thin.
Before all this, I was using the cast iron pan to sear with an oven finish. It was messy, a huge hassle, and didn't taste NEARLY as good.
Of course BBQ reverse sear is one of the best, but I still recommend sousvide for inexperienced cooks because it takes the fear away from wrecking an expensive piece of meat.
Thanks, cheers
I referse sear works good for me. Tri tip or steak. Take care
Right on
Sear first on cast iron/soapstone is best in my opinion
Thanks so much, cheers
Traditional sear and cook all the way!
cheers Harold
Definition of a low carb diet! :-)
Right?!
Nice steaks 🥩. Gotta get those knives
thanks
Always enjoy your videos. I have a Primo400xl, but everything you do on your KJ’s, also works pretty much the same on my Primo. You did a video awhile back comparing lump charcoal. I thought you mentioned then that you had reached an agreement with Jealous Devil to use their lump. However, in this video you had the Fogo Premium lump (which I love), so what became of your JD endorsement? Just wondering?
i still use three brands, JD, KJ and Fogo. I have never noticed an off putting smell with JD, but family and friends are saying they are getting some thing they dont love from it... i notice it when eating left overs. i assume my pallet gets over saturated with smoke when i am out cooking and i dont notice it, but they do. this has been the driving factor behinds fogo showing up more and more even though i could have got JD for free and I am buying out of pocket my bags of fogo (just picked up 4 more).
I do like to do comparisons for the extra tasting! LOL I have done them both ways as well and always do a thick steak reverse seared. Excellent video James!
hahaha me too, especially when they are this good
Solid video. I reverse sear tomahawks on my Primo Oval XL. I really liked your commercial for Dalstrong. You kept my interest and these look to be some very nice knives. I think a birthday gift is in my future. (way better than those stupid VPN commercials; "security" my butt, "access" yes, I work in the IT security industry) The Meater is annoying as it can't handle high grill temperatures, but could work well for the first part of a reverse sear. It can replace my Maverick remote thermometer where I call the two pieces "Pete" and "Repeat". The issue is that you need to make sure your Meater is charged in advance. If a kamado gets too hot, close it, completely. (with no food on it) It doesn't work like your basic Weber where you can choke down the air in order to decrease the temperature.
lol i hate vpn lol
G'day, from down under.. love your work. The excitement in your voice from eating a good steak is hilarious but I love it.. It is funny how different countries have different names. I see your using FOGO charcoal, here in Country Victoria FOGO is our recycling bins name, obviously its an abbreviation but it made me laugh.
I am intrigued that you guys have to rub everything and then test. I know i'm being picky but the look of the steak is one thing but the caramelisation is, at a guess 50% of the rubs. I love a steak for being just that, a steak. No rub, No sauces. that beautiful colour the smell of the fat slightly rendering and grilling and then the taste of the meat itself.....We pay big bucks here for great steak, whether it's dry aged, grain fed or grass only, so I like to taste the meat... each to their own...
a great test all the same and the time factor is something that I thought would be slightly more different.
thanks again.
hahahaha thanks, cheers
Really appreciate your videos. I keep forgetting to do the kosher/lawrys! But oh well..just another excuse to do another steak! Would you say the lawrys combo is better than Montreal steak seasoning?
I appreciate that!
I just absolutely LOVE how steak comes off the Kamado. Loved this comparison - Thanks!
Thank-you! Cheers
When I started watching your videos, I started looking into the kamado joe grills. I have the small one but hopefully I can get the bigger one for Christmas. Enjoy your videos. Hope you have a good holiday and many blessings.
Thank-you! Cheers
Hi SDBBQ, do you ever use the cast iron grill? I know you’re all about the soapstone but I was curious… thanks again for another great video!
thanks... this is the taste test that i did that has me lean towards the soapstone - ruclips.net/video/yX_c5iP4kKo/видео.html
Another great video James.
Reverse sear wins hands down.
You have the best job in the world with your flavorfull experiments.
Thank you very much!
You confirmed what I already believed. I'm staying on the reverse sear team. BTW, my Dalstrong knives arrived. Thanks for the review in time for the Black Friday sale. Already have my list started for what I want to get on the next sale. These knives are amazing and I'm in love!
congrats
Yo, great vid, but have to ask, and I’m sure someone has asked this before, but what happened around your window, earthquake repair???
it used to be a door
I think the reverse sear is the best way also by sous vide cooking 😎☀️👍🔥Bdw I loved the testing movies witch you made all the time
Awesome! Thank you!
My favourite crust is also soapstone crust. Thank you for doing video on both methods. I also like using both methods.
Thanks for watching!
Great experimennt James. I had switched to reverse sear a while back because of the more of an even cook throughout, kind of like sous vide,
but you have reaffirmed that, but in addition, you have demonstrated that even the crust is better. This was very helpful. Thank you.
thanks
I’m a reverse sear guy myself… enjoy the video and I’m looking at Dalstrongs knives 😀😀
cheers
I love you DAD, thanks for the awesome video again! I had always been asking myself this question and now it's answered!
Thank-you! Cheers
I usually sear first at high heat, then finish cooking which usually takes but a few more minutes. Another Great Video.
Thank-you! Cheers
Although I appreciate the steak enthusiasm, I am not a big steak guy myself. I don't know what it is about it, just not a huge fan. I am more of a poultry guy, would be fun to see you cook a duck or goose!
i was thinking it was time to do that
I used to be the guy that just threw my steaks on and cooked until they were done on the inside, while having almost burnt on the outside. Got a pellet grill and started doing the reverse sear to bring them up to temp. Then, I thrown them on a very hot cast iron skillet with some butter. 30-45 sec each side, and OMG, the best steaks ever. Perfectly seared out the outside, no grey in the middle all pink at a beautiful med-rare.
lovely
Another great job James. I have absolutely become a believer in the reverse sear. No scientific proof but I believe that reverse searing it actually allows the meat to break down before you put that wonderful crust on. bravo.!!
Right on
I use the direct sear method,because I only have 1 Kamado and I do meat tastings. So I get steaks from different area's and compare the flavours. If I use that infernal mode, I would not be able to cook the next steak the same way.
Sounds great!
awesome job James, I love Ribeye so this is a must try for me! I just bought a baby Kamado so I will have to try that!!
Cheers James.
Brad.
Thanks so much, cheers Brad
I. Can’t. Stop. Drooling. Reverse sear all the way, all of the time! Far simpler to manage on our Kamado’s too.
100%
Thanks for posting this! Before getting my KJ, I like most weber grillers would do a sear first when my coals were the hottest, then cool things down and finish the cook. Things changed once I got my Joe, and I only do reverse sear, mostly for the reasons you noted. I clearly prefer the reverse sear, i assumed it was just the Joe working its magic. But I never did a controlled comparison like this. Its good to know I can still trust my taste buds and I'll continue to reverse sear without remorse or wondering if im missing the "old ways".
thanks, cheers
Great video, love the revearse sear! I'm going with the comment of paper towel drying my next sear finishing.
Thanks so much, cheers
Do you set your meater to 115 and then pull it at 115 or do you pull it when the meater tells you to to account for carry over? Are you "finishing" at 115, or pulling it off at 115?
i set it a little early so that i can have time to record things without going over, i am ok with it getting to 120 on the grill before removing
Your giddiness when tasting your own product cracks me up: I sometimes do a little dance when it's on point, so you're in good company, lol!
these ones would make a vegan dance
I'm am amazed how easy it seems for you to manipulate temperatures on the Joes. I have found that quite difficult. Thanks for the confirmation on the reverse sear. Thanks again!
thanks Don. i don't know why it happened, but eventually a switch clicked and now they obey everything so well its nuts.
consistency has really helped. I used to always grab whatever charcoal was on sale and threw a bunch more variables at it so every cook was not building off the last which caused unexpected things to happen all the time. I will say reducing variables has really accelerated the ease of gaining complete control
I agree reverse sear is preferable. You may as well change your channel name to Tomahawk BBQ, as I've never had a tomahawk and you eat them all the time lol.
hahaha they have been on a run lately
Nice video James. When I started with the KJ I always reverse seared having learnt from your method. However, in the main I now sear first with this cut, just seems to render that fat down better and I get more consistent results. Reverse sear is a much easier method to get right on the KJ though because it's very difficult to drop the heat quickly enough after you sear first whereas heating it up quick is a doddle!
100%. Cheers Allen
Great Test, Results speak for themselves, Cooking is all about learning new techniques and the reverse sear is a better way.
Absolutely
No doubt, reverse sear is my favorite method for steak. As you note, you’ll get wall-to-wall steak cooked to your desired temp with reverse sear, where only the outside of the steak is seared. For me, searing first has always resulted in a deeper layer of meat cooked past the desired temp, so it was interesting to see you end up with the same results. The sear also has a tendency to “soften” if followed by low and slow cooking. Thanks for the comparison!
thanks Todd
I grilled steaks using reverse sear on my old Weber gas grill for the first time last week, having used the traditional sear for decades. These were the best steaks I have ever grilled in my life! Never going back! Looking forward to the day I can get a Kamado Joe. Love the channel!
Good stuff! Thanks
I’ve done it both ways and I prefer the reverse as well. Great video James, It was funny as hell when you started giggling after going for the 2nd bite. 🤣
😊
The Amazon link for the soapstone has DOUBLED in price since the last time I checked!
that sucks, i would shop elsewhere if Amazon is being stupid
I used to reverse sear. Then I just seared it, threw it on the indirect side and let it go until 120. Haven’t looked back
Thank-you! Cheers
My theory is that reverse is better because it doesn’t allow as much time for the crust to get soggy from the juices. A front sear crust will become less crisp as juices come to the surface during the cooking process.
makes sense
I think the direct grill will be best. It’s what works out the best for me on my Kamado. I sear both sides and then shut close off the Kamado and let it cook like an oven to finish to temp…..turning once in the middle once the Kamado is closed down.
thanks Steve
Bbq and Bottles does an experiment where he cooks the steak to around 95F , then sears, and then continues to cook until you reach desired doneness.
With this method there is suppose to be less chance of over shooting your target temp.
sounds great, i didn't find any issue with overshooting temp though as both were finished within 1 degree of each other with the two different approaches
Fun comparison James
thanks
Great experiment!
I've always wondered the same. Sear first was passed down to me by two generations. I'll need to give this a try.
Thanks for the great content like always. Never disappoints.
Thank-you! Cheers
You refer to a target temp for a reverse sear and I see some other's idea of their target temp in the comments. I am a med/med-well kind of guy. What is the your idea of a target temp for this kind of cook?
always go to 10 below your target temp... you want 135? pull 125 etc
Love it! I couldn’t agree more. Most of us don’t have the luxury to be spending money or time to see the difference so I really appreciate these videos!
Thank-you! Cheers
Best tomahawks I did were caveman style first, straight onto the coals for a minute or 2. Then cook on the grills to your desired amount, medium rare tasted good. Thanks for the videos.
after the soapstone, thats my second favourite finish
this was helpful. I am more crank it up high and 3 minutes aside. I have yet to do a reverse sear but you are certainly tempting me to give it a try.
You can do it!
They look great. When you did the dry brine overnight, there isn't anymore need to season it the next day correct? I want to try this rub.
yes its done with seasoning, just warm up to room temp and on the grill
I feel that the reverse sear produces a different texture to the meat than the traditional sear. I don't know if anyone feels this way also. Both methods produce pretty similar results to me. I guess though that if I want to make sure I don't overcook a steak, the reverse sear is easier to control doneness.
doing them side by side helps isolate the differences, the main difference i could notice was the firmness of the crust (better reverse) and the edge to edge doneness
My unscientific guess is that because you're searing an already warmish steak, it makes sense that the reverse sear sears it better, but I'm no rocket surgeon.
sounds legit to me, and it works
I predict the reverse sear will be the better of the two. This gives the meat a chance to cook more evenly overall vs high heat right away resulting in less wall to wall pink.
100%
Great video as usual. I'm anxious to replicate your experiment myself. Nothing like the final taste test to draw ones own conclusions.
Go for it!
I usually do a half direct, half indirect reverse sear but use the soapstone as my heat deflector. By the time my steaks are ready for searing, the soapstone is good and heat soaked for a sear.
Good stuff!