How do you sear your steaks?

[Michelemarie]

According to the Weber cookbook that came with my gas grill - a steak 1-1/2" thick should be seared for 10 minutes (5 minutes per side) on high, then cooked for an additional 6-8 minutes on indirect (mom).

My steaks were black on one side after the first five minutes - I turned the burners down to medium-high and seared the second side - still a bit darker but better.

What are your opinions on searing steaks? Have you ever cooked anything on high on the weber grill? Please tell me what I am doing wrong - this is the second time this has happened. For what it is worth, the bottom grill pan had just been cleaned and the grates are cleaned before and after every use. I would love to hear your opinions. Thanks!

 

[Andy M.]

A steak that thick should cook on a Weber in no more than 10 minutes total. If you have a 3-burner grill rather than a 2-burner grill it will get hotter and cook faster.

I cut steaks a little thinner. Just over 1" thick (portion control). On my 2-burner grill, I cook my steak 3.5 - 4.0 minutes on each side always on high and with the lid closed. That gives me rare to med.-rare. SO's steak gets a minute or two more.

On a 3-burner grill it should take even less time, they get a lot hotter.

Three factors contribute:

Thickness of the steak
Heat from the grill and
Degree of doneness.

You're going to have to experiment to get it right. Write down what you do and the results until you get what you want.

 

[ironchef]

According to the Weber cookbook that came with my gas grill - a steak 1-1/2" thick should be seared for 10 minutes (5 minutes per side) on high, then cooked for an additional 6-8 minutes on indirect (mom).

My steaks were black on one side after the first five minutes - I turned the burners down to medium-high and seared the second side - still a bit darker but better.

What are your opinions on searing steaks? Have you ever cooked anything on high on the weber grill? Please tell me what I am doing wrong - this is the second time this has happened. For what it is worth, the bottom grill pan had just been cleaned and the grates are cleaned before and after every use. I would love to hear your opinions. Thanks!

Seared for 10 minutes? That's not seared, that's cooked.

You can't really "sear" on a home grill per se, because you don't have the same heat conductivity and contact that you would in a saute pan. Commerical type grills have much more BTUs than home grills so you can sort of sear, but it won't be like a good pan sear.

With that being said, I never throw something over a grill on high unless I'm just going to mark it and then finish it in the oven. Medium-high is the way to go on a gas grill. For medium-rare then you should need about 3-4 minutes per side with the steaks that you cut.

 

[corazon]

I think the Weber cookbook will tell you to cook to **** out of those steaks (and anything else). They don't want any lawsuits for food poisoning. We do our steaks like Andy M.

 

[Michelemarie]

Thanks you guys - you have helped. I thought that was too long, but I am experimenting with my grilling this summer. Andy M. - my grill is three burner - next time I will try for less time and completely blow off the 6-8 minutes on indirect - I will see where that takes me. I appreciate your input!

 

[GB]

What I do is put all three burners on high on my Webber. Once the grill is nice and hot I though the steaks on and then lower the heat to med high. Then I cook then pretty much like Andy. I go strictly by feel though. I do not time them or take their temps. I have forced myself to learn by feeling even though that means I have over cooked a few steaks in the process. I now have enough steaks under my belt than I can tell by touch when they are done, regardless of what they look like.

 

[Michelemarie]

Ooooooo, so glad you posted GB! I remember reading someone that cooked by touch but couldn't remember who or the thread! Okay, touch - can you explain - at what point would be medium - still a bit pink in the center?

 

[GB]

OK here is one way to do it (there are many). Take your hand and make the OK sign, lightly touching your index finger to your thumb. With your other hand touch the flesh in between the base of your thumb and index finger. It should feel kind of mushy. That is rare. Now touch your middle finger to your thumb and feel the flesh in the same spot. That is med rare. That is probably would you would want or maybe a little teesny bit firmer.

If you keep doing that with your fingers, the further away you get from your thumb, the more cooked it is.

Hope that makes sense.

What I did while teaching myself how to do this was I would touch the steak and then do that hand thing and figure out where it felt the same. Then I had a baseline to know what I was looking for. Now I do not need to do the hand thing anymore. I just need to touch the steak and I can tell.

 

[Michelemarie]

Let me make sure I am understanding this, I make the "o"k sign with one hand and touch the steak and then with my other finger touch the steak where the "ok" fingers are touching the meat? Please be patient with me GB, I'm a little slow.

 

[GB]

Nope sorry I think I confused you. Forget about the steak.

Just take your hand and make the OK sign (touch your index finger to your thumb with your other three fingers poining out loosely). Now touch the area of that hand down where your index finger and thumb attach to your hand. You are feeling for the firmness or softness of that area of your hand.

Another was to do it is to turn your hand over so you are looking at your palm. Again touch your index finger lightly to your thumb. This time with your other hand touch the pad of flesh under your thumb of the first hand. That is what rare feels like. Now touch your thumb and middle finger and feel the pad under that thumb. That is med rare and so on.

 

[GB]

Oh and by the way, you are not slow. I am just not explaining it very well.

 

[Alix]

Michelemarie, we only have a gas grill and it is ancient so it either works at scorch or not at all. So...I can still have perfect steaks every time. Here is my method.

Turn BBQ on and let heat for 5-10 minutes. Prep steaks with whatever rub you wish at this time.

Place steaks on grill for 2 minutes, flip for 2 minutes, flip again (do crosshatch grill marks this time if you like) for 2 minutes, and then one last time for 2 minutes.

This will yield medium rare steaks. If you want them better done add a minute to the last two flips. If you want sauce on your steaks put it on during the LAST few minutes only. Dripping sauce causes nasty flare ups. LOL, also it burns the sugar in the sauce and some folks really object to that taste.

Does that make sense?

 

[Chef_Jimmy]

This is why i never go by cooking times, there are way too many factors that come into play. It is like me giving you directions and say "drive for exactly 15 minutes and turn left" there is trafic, maybe a wreck and maybe you hit all of the red lights. Cooking times are a rough estimate at best.

 

[Michelemarie]

OK here is one way to do it (there are many). Take your hand and make the OK sign, lightly touching your index finger to your thumb. With your other hand touch the flesh in between the base of your thumb and index finger. It should feel kind of mushy. That is rare. Now touch your middle finger to your thumb and feel the flesh in the same spot. That is med rare. That is probably would you would want or maybe a little teesny bit firmer.

If you keep doing that with your fingers, the further away you get from your thumb, the more cooked it is.

Hope that makes sense.

What I did while teaching myself how to do this was I would touch the steak and then do that hand thing and figure out where it felt the same. Then I had a baseline to know what I was looking for. Now I do not need to do the hand thing anymore. I just need to touch the steak and I can tell.

Got it! Boy, do I feel stupid! Thanks for the explanation.

 

[Michelemarie]

Michelemarie, we only have a gas grill and it is ancient so it either works at scorch or not at all. So...I can still have perfect steaks every time. Here is my method.

Turn BBQ on and let heat for 5-10 minutes. Prep steaks with whatever rub you wish at this time.

Place steaks on grill for 2 minutes, flip for 2 minutes, flip again (do crosshatch grill marks this time if you like) for 2 minutes, and then one last time for 2 minutes.

This will yield medium rare steaks. If you want them better done add a minute to the last two flips. If you want sauce on your steaks put it on during the LAST few minutes only. Dripping sauce causes nasty flare ups. LOL, also it burns the sugar in the sauce and some folks really object to that taste.

Does that make sense?

Alix, I am assuming this is direct heat - high?

 

[GB]

Do NOT feel stupid! It is not easy to picture without seeing it.

 

[Alix]

Alix, I am assuming this is direct heat - high?

Yep Michelemarie it is. Thats all my BBQ will do!!

 

[RPCookin]

I have a 3 burner Weber (Genesis Silver) and my book also said to cook 5 minutes on high direct on each side, then medium indirect (center burner turned off - outside burners at medium) for 4 more minutes - all with the lid down... that's for a 1-1/4" steak.

However, I adjust the searing to no more than 4 minutes per side, then I usually watch the last segment on indirect pretty close... I'll check it with my Thermapen thermometer after the second 4 minutes and adjust the final cooking time accordingly. I couldn't grill without my Thermapen... it was costly but it has never failed me yet!!! IMO, a good instant read thermometer is essential. I was taught the feel method too, but I've never had a lot of luck with it (I think I don't use it often enough)... certanly not as much as with a thermometer.

Grilling is something that can't really be done exactly "by the book". Like all cooking styles, there is an art to it, and it takes practice and adjustment. But a good Weber grill is a great start though.

 

[kiteruss]

Setting aside the Weber for a moment, I get the best results with steaks cut about two inches thick. I sear each side at about 800 degrees for no more than 45 seconds, then move the steaks to indirect heat. Over indirect heat, I cook for another 15 to 20 minutes at about 400 degrees, turning the steaks over every 5 minutes. Hickory smoke is used throughout the indirect cooking period.

I think the best steak combines direct and indirect techniques, and I would encourage any griller to experiment with this.

Now, back to the Weber... I used a 3-burner Weber Genesis Silver for almost 8 years. During that time I would run the grill on high for 10-15 minutes to preheat. I was always pushing for 550 to 600 degrees. At that temperature, I would grill a 1-1/2" steak for 4 minutes per side for medium. This was over direct heat. It is possible to combine the indirect and direct techniques for steak (and other foods) on the Weber, but I found it a bit challenging with the three-burner configuration.

Finally, I found that my Weber cookbook advised overly long cooking times for every recipe I tried. I learned not to blame the cook!

Good luck,

Russ

 

[kiteruss]

You may also want to try planking a steak. It can help produce a moist and flavorful cut. Here are some instructions for cedar-planked filet, but alder-planked NY strip is also a hit at our house:

http://www.kalamazoogourmet.com/perfect_cedar_filet.php

Cheers,

Russ