Outdoor Cooking (smoking, grilling, barbecuing, open spit, etc.)

[rob_s]

Interesting. I have a Broil King that I can get a good seer on. The model I have has only been out for a little over a year. Unfortunately, I find pellet smokers that can get that hot to be a disaster. You can't got from a long smoke to a sear without stopping and cleaning the whole thing out. It's a virtual guarantee for an exciting fire. I keep a decent Weber propane grill off the side of my smoker and use that for searing. My world is much safer that way.

Added on edit** I went and read the article. It definitely does a better job searing than my BK. However, I stand by my mistrust of using a smoke to do both things.

I think that part of the theory of the design here is that they have attempted to allow for all that detritus to fall away/through and into the drawer. Theory. Of course it is Weber so I tend to trust them.

[RoyGBiv]

Interesting. I have a Broil King that I can get a good seer on. The model I have has only been out for a little over a year. Unfortunately, I find pellet smokers that can get that hot to be a disaster. You can't got from a long smoke to a sear without stopping and cleaning the whole thing out. It's a virtual guarantee for an exciting fire. I keep a decent Weber propane grill off the side of my smoker and use that for searing. My world is much safer that way.

Added on edit** I went and read the article. It definitely does a better job searing than my BK. However, I stand by my mistrust of using a smoke to do both things.

Agreed!

My propane grill is close enough to the smoker that I don't need a tray to move food from smoke to sear.. And the small area capable of properly searing on a smoker is only big enough for maybe 1 steak. I don't think it's possible to fix this if for no other reason that the time it takes to get the smoker temp up.

FWIW, I didn't watch the whole webber video. Maybe I missed a surprising solution.

[rob_s]

Agreed!

My propane grill is close enough to the smoker that I don't need a tray to move food from smoke to sear.. And the small area capable of properly searing on a smoker is only big enough for maybe 1 steak. I don't think it's possible to fix this if for no other reason that the time it takes to get the smoker temp up.

FWIW, I didn't watch the whole webber video. Maybe I missed a surprising solution.

The new Weber is not relying on a separate sear station. They are able to get the whole smoker up to 600 degrees in the main chamber.

My idea here is that if I move to a more sub-urban area I'd prefer to have just one device, as well as the idea that however I go I still need the ability for the wife to grill me up a steak before I get home , so the whole thing needs to be propane-simple or it'll never fly.

[RoyGBiv]

The new Weber is not relying on a separate sear station. They are able to get the whole smoker up to 600 degrees in the main chamber.

My idea here is that if I move to a more sub-urban area I'd prefer to have just one device, as well as the idea that however I go I still need the ability for the wife to grill me up a steak before I get home , so the whole thing needs to be propane-simple or it'll never fly.

There are 2 ways to sear.
1. Close/Direct contact with a flame.
2. Direct contact with a very hot surface (flat top)

Even if the smoker box is heated to 600F quickly enough (doubt it.. you'll likely have to remove the food, heat the smoker to searing temp, then put the food back on to avoid overcooking it), there is insufficient area over the flame to cook more than 1 steak and no real surface contact other than the grates. You'll get some grill marks on your steak, but you won't sear it.

My broil king has a sliding panel that I can move to uncover the fire box. Similar size to the photo from the Weber video below. I've tried searing over it twice. Fail. Not only is it a PITA to remove food, remove grates and slide the thing open, but the area where searing actually happens is way smaller than the food I'm preparing.

If anyone has a process for making this work, I'm willing to give it a try, but, IMO searing a meal for more than one person on a pellet smoker is fantasy.

[rob_s]

There are 2 ways to sear.
1. Close/Direct contact with a flame.
2. Direct contact with a very hot surface (flat top)

Even if the smoker box is heated to 600F quickly enough (doubt it.. you'll likely have to remove the food, heat the smoker to searing temp, then put the food back on to avoid overcooking it), there is insufficient area over the flame to cook more than 1 steak and no real surface contact other than the grates. You'll get some grill marks on your steak, but you won't sear it.

My broil king has a sliding panel that I can move to uncover the fire box. Similar size to the photo from the Weber video below. I've tried searing over it twice. Fail. Not only is it a PITA to remove food, remove grates and slide the thing open, but the area where searing actually happens is way smaller than the food I'm preparing.

If anyone has a process for making this work, I'm willing to give it a try, but, IMO searing a meal for more than one person on a pellet smoker is fantasy.

I’m aware of all of that. Which is why, if Weber had pulled it off, it’s a big deal. Couple of things.

• Watch the videos that are out there. They are cooking multiple steaks all at once.
• I tend to trust the guys at amazingribs. And in fact they talk a lot about the issues you post above, which is why if they say it’s searing, I believe them.
• I tend to trust Weber. People don’t realize just how small some of these bbq smoker companies really are, and how much backyard engineering goes into them. The engineering and r&d and just general knowledge base available at Weber tells me that if anyone was going to do it, it’s them.

[AKDoug]

I’m aware of all of that. Which is why, if Weber had pulled it off, it’s a big deal. Couple of things.

• Watch the videos that are out there. They are cooking multiple steaks all at once.
• I tend to trust the guys at amazingribs. And in fact they talk a lot about the issues you post above, which is why if they say it’s searing, I believe them.
• I tend to trust Weber. People don’t realize just how small some of these bbq smoker companies really are, and how much backyard engineering goes into them. The engineering and r&d and just general knowledge base available at Weber tells me that if anyone was going to do it, it’s them.

I agree on all counts. Amazing ribs and Weber are reliable. I have now watched the videos. We'll see what people think when they hit the market.

I'm still a soues vide then sear on cast iron guy for steaks. I'm weird, as I don't like smokey flavored steaks. I like lots of other stuff smoked, but steaks are one of those items.

[JM Campbell]

About to throw done tomorrow, 16lbs of chuck roast being smoked and turned into burnt ends for the work Thanksgiving pot luck.




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[AKDoug]

Getting ready to do an overnight brisket. Outdoor temps are still high enough 30F to get it done. Making rub right now and will be throwing it on at midnight. I suck at trimming them up, but I am getting better at it.


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[AKDoug]

Rubbed and waiting..


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[JclInAtx]

Getting ready to do an overnight brisket. Outdoor temps are still high enough 30F to get it done. Making rub right now and will be throwing it on at midnight. I suck at trimming them up, but I am getting better at it.
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I now trim leaving at least a quarter inch of fat. Then I cut through the fat cap in a criss cross pattern like a ham. The slits allow the rub and smoke to get to the meat underneath. I got this from the Jeff Philips book Smoking Meat.
This has worked really well on the pbc - I dont wrap briskets anymore and i think the extra fat helps keep them moist while cooking in the higher heat of the pbc.