STEAK INFO

[98Z5V]

Check this out, everyone - I'm busy for a few weekends coming up, but if someone ( @shepp) gets to this first - please inform us all.   

 

[shepp]

On 8/8/2026 at 11:59 AM, 98Z5V said:

Check this out, everyone - I'm busy for a few weekends coming up, but if someone ( @shepp) gets to this first - please inform us all.   

 

I do similar, I’ll have to try the season night before, it makes sense that’s how I do my brisket and butts. When I reverse sear I go to 105-110 so I get more sear. He’s right about the rest many say you don’t need the rest because of the rest between the smoke and sear. It’s not a 3 hour process it’s about 1.5 hour and it’s well worth it 

 

I’ll try the over night in a few weeks I’m in your old stomping grounds right now, left kalaloch beach at 6 today caught the 930 ferry at port Townsend and took hwy 20 thru the cascades and currently In Winthrop 

[sketch]

23 hours ago, shepp said:

I do similar, I’ll have to try the season night before, it makes sense that’s how I do my brisket and butts. When I reverse sear I go to 105-110 so I get more sear. He’s right about the rest many say you don’t need the rest because of the rest between the smoke and sear. It’s not a 3 hour process it’s about 1.5 hour and it’s well worth it 

 

I’ll try the over night in a few weeks I’m in your old stomping grounds right now, left kalaloch beach at 6 today caught the 930 ferry at port Townsend and took hwy 20 thru the cascades and currently In Winthrop 

I just spent last weekend in twisp! Missed you by that much.. no fires allowed but we had a colman propane 2 burner and made some food for kings! I always season day before i cook. 

Edited August 14 by sketch

[shepp]

On 8/13/2026 at 10:36 PM, sketch said:

I just spent last weekend in twisp! Missed you by that much.. no fires allowed but we had a colman propane 2 burner and made some food for kings! I always season day before i cook. 

Fuck I was in Winthrop, you get back over there school house brewing is really good! 
 

everyone had those propane burners I’m going to have to look into them I like the idea still have a fire and no worrying about hot coals and the air already smelled like fire lol

[Madhouse]

A couple of things in there I haven't tried, so I sure will next time.  But this is, at its core, is reverse searing, which is how I've been doing steaks since I started using the Recteq. Another note, he mentioned using the pan for searing, but flat searing instead of grate searing is key.  I learned that doing the tomahawk I posted about a while back.  Sear lines are for restaurant media photos.

 

Sounds like I need a steak this week....

[BrianK]

I didn't watch the entire video once I knew where it was going. (or thought I knew)

At least one person in Maine knows how to actually BBQ. Many others think BBQ is done over a propane grill and would get offended when I would correct their misuse of the trem "BBQ". Ignoramusses. Whatever. Some actually checked me out and never came back to tell me I was wrong but I could see that they sooo wanted to.

In Maine the markets sell extremely thin steaks and put labels such as "For BBQ" or "For grilling" on the package. WRONG! you want a thicker cut. 1" thick or more is good. I won't  even look at the thin cuts. Yes a roast can be low and slowed, then seared, even with Sous Vide (see below).

I've been doing reverse sear for decades. Couple of ways to do it. One is low and slow over coals, yes, coals. There can be low controlled heat over coals and wood for smoke. I use an electronic draft control to tightly  control the heat. Then remove the meat and build the intense fire, then sear. I've been known to put the meat directly on the wood charcoal burning with a blue flame (not briquets).

Another way is with Sous Vide which uses a different source of heat for the low and slow. Then gets finished with a butane torch. Why butane? If you aren't sensitive to the rotten egges smell/taste added to propane use that. But to dodge that entirely use butane. Play the intense flame over the meat to sear it. To gild the lily make a solution of Dextrose and Sodium Bicarb' and either brush it on or for a steak I just put it in a tray and bathe the steaks in it for a second on each side. I make a saturated solution to ensure I have it as strong as possible. One bath per side is enough. The dextrose combines with the protein producing more of the grilled flavor we all love (Maillard reaction). And the Sodium Bicarb' helps the browning by lowing the Ph. The result is the very outer layer of seared meat with the "grilled" taste and the rest of the steak or roast perfectly Med' Rare or whatever internal temp desired as controlled by the Sous Vide bath. Could one sear in a frying pan? Sure. I don't see why not as long as the pan is screamin' hot. But I don't know how the solution would work. Maybe sprinkle the the meat with the dry Dextrose and Sodium Bicarb. Never did it with a pan.

Of those techniques I prefer over coals. But at -20* the indoor method is preferred by the cook (me). 

Either way, guests love it when they're invited over. Results? Yes, better then the steak house. We never go out for a steak dinner any more and haven't in decades.

Can it be done in an oven? No. The heat isn't controlled enough for reliable results. Ovens swing 50* one way or another. Up and down, up and down won't work. Never tried it and I won't try it.