Searing on BB32

[AAAsh]

Hey Folks - Still trying to get the hang of my BB32. One of my biggest struggles is getting it hot enough to sear steak. I have been doing some reading and I think I have been using the middle grate rather than flipping the top/pizza great upside down and resting it on the charcoal basket. Would really appreciate if someone could explain this.... 

 

 

[MacKenzie]

AAAsh, I'm sure someone with experience will pop-in with some tips. 

[jonj]

The top / upper grate, when turned upside down (tall handles up) is also referred to as the sear grate.

From the owner's manual: "The upper grate is used above/on top of the main grate but can also be flipped over and used down below above the charcoal basket with the long legs turned up just above the charcoal." Certainly the lower (middle) grate can be used for this purpose, but it is further from the coals and will take longer, allowing the interior temperature of the steak to rise as well. Try the searing grate to see if it meets your needs. 

[HokieBen]

Exactly, the upper grate turned upside down works perfect for searing. I love the reverse sear method where you bring the steak up to temp indirectly and then sear at the end. Steaks turn out perfectly every time! I made a video of this method and you can see the top grate upside down and right over the coals. You should have no problem at all getting a nice sear this way.

[jonj]

That's the ticket!

[cruzmisl]

I don't have a 32" but a 23" so the specifics regarding the use of the 32" I can't help with. I will however add that this isn't as simple as it sounds. There are a lot of variables that need to be taken into account such as the thickness of the steak, thin will easily overcook, seasonings on the steak, spices can burn, desired level of final "char" etc. I never found in my long term use of the K to go lower than the standard grill. I like a char but there's a limit. A fully lit, coal bed always provided plenty of heat to get a great sear without overloading the temp of the cooker. Meaning, it's not necessary to allow unlimited airflow and allow the dome temp to exceed 1000f. It's hard on the cooker and not necessary. More is not better. I never found going above 600f to produce better results. In fact, it was the opposite.

Fwiw, I usually get my steaks cut at two inches. I always like extra for breakfast the following day.

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[tony b]

2nd much of what @cruzmisl had to say. If I'm cooking a thinner steak (less that 1.5" thick), I use the lower grate. I will only use the sear grate if it's a thicker cut; otherwise you risk overcooking it or, at a minimum, ending up with that gray band of meat just below the crust. The other key - turn the steak often when searing on the sear grate, which will help minimize the overcooking. I typically turn every 30 secs, and rotate 90 degrees after the second flip to get a nice cross-hatch pattern. Choice of rubs was spot-on advice, too. Too much sugar in the blend will burn and get bitter. So will black pepper. If you want to amp up the flavor, put some compound butter (butter mixed with herbs and spices) on the steak while it's resting after searing or make a nice chimichurri sauce to serve on the side. 

Edited January 12, 2021 by tony b

[AAAsh]

I love this forum - thanks for all the responses.

I have been primarily using the lower cooking grate along with half the main grate on the left side. Have the basket splitter installed and only have coals under the right lower side (see pic). I really like this setup in terms of versatility, but just struggling with the heat. I can get it hot, but generally not hot enough to get a really nice sear like I would on my Weber Kettle. I have just ordered some more charcoal as I suspected that I was not loading the basket up sufficiently. 

I mainly want to be able to get a really nice char on a thick tomahawk that has already been either indirectly cooked or Sous Vide.

 

[cruzmisl]

Like this?

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[Basher]

Perfect.
And no bench is high enough in that house.
I’d be keeping a very close eye on that steak.


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[Tyrus]

Great looking steak and the background for it was outstanding. Hope he got a piece, just a corner.

[tony b]

Marmaduke on the loose!

[tony b]

14 hours ago, AAAsh said:

I love this forum - thanks for all the responses.

I have been primarily using the lower cooking grate along with half the main grate on the left side. Have the basket splitter installed and only have coals under the right lower side (see pic). I really like this setup in terms of versatility, but just struggling with the heat. I can get it hot, but generally not hot enough to get a really nice sear like I would on my Weber Kettle. I have just ordered some more charcoal as I suspected that I was not loading the basket up sufficiently. 

I mainly want to be able to get a really nice char on a thick tomahawk that has already been either indirectly cooked or Sous Vide.

 

Give the sear grate a go next time and see if you like the results better. Just be careful to turn the steak over frequently (every 30 seconds), so you don't over cook it, until you get the char that you're looking for. 

[AAAsh]

15 hours ago, tony b said:

Give the sear grate a go next time and see if you like the results better. Just be careful to turn the steak over frequently (every 30 seconds), so you don't over cook it, until you get the char that you're looking for. 

Will do. I also just had some more Binchotan arrive and it is smaller in size (like 2") blocks. Should be able to get more into the basket vs the larger logs I had before.

 

[cruzmisl]

Hope he got a piece, just a corner.

Sadly my little boy didn't get any. At 11 months old, his stomach is a little sensitive to rich foods.

AAAsh, if you're using bincho, you may not have used enough coal during your previous attempts. I'm only guessing based on the cost of bincho and what I would do in the same scenario, which is to use as little as possible.

As a general rule, larger coal is better suited to low and slow and smaller coals perform better for high heat and grilling.

The great part about the K? Even mediocre results are better than "perfect" results on an inferior cooker.





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[AAAsh]

I had the basket loaded pretty full, but they were large pieces so a fair few gaps in between.

I can get Binchotan for $2.22 per kg if brought in bulk. Kingsford is around $4.12 per kg.

The new Bincho I have is more like the Kingsford briquettes in size.

 

 

 

 

[tekobo]

 

On 1/13/2021 at 3:48 AM, AAAsh said:

I have just ordered some more charcoal as I suspected that I was not loading the basket up sufficiently. 

This feels like an important part of the story to me.  I pretty much always start with a full basket of charcoal.  Don't be afraid that you will waste it.  You preserve most of the charcoal when you choke off the fire by turning off your top vent and bottom vent at the end of your cook.  Having a full basket means you have more of a chance of getting to a good temperature during your cook.  When things have cooled down the next day I re-set by dragging any partly used coals to the centre of the fire basket and arranging new coals around the outside.  Helps you contain the heart of the fire and means you don't have a raging fire across the whole basket next time you light it.  I hope that all makes sense!

[tony b]

6 hours ago, tekobo said:

You preserve most of the charcoal when you choke off the fire by turning off your top vent and bottom vent at the end of your cook.  

For the new folks, there's a next step to this process that's important. Once you see the dome temperature drop 50 - 100F, you're pretty sure the fire is out at that point. Next, bump the top vent off its seat a bit. This will prevent it from seizing up on you as it cools down further. If this happens, it's a major PITA to get the top vent open again. You should also open the lid to the 1st position on the latch to take the compression off the gaskets. They will last much longer if you do this.