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grilling steak on a gas grill


bucktown_boffo

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For you Weber propane grillers - immediately replace the steel grates with cast-iron. My cast-iron grates give great grill marks, and I have only a two burner OLD Genesis. . . I dry the steak thoroughly, S&P, cayenne, and a dusting of paprika. With the grates heated on high till the thermometer pegs, I lay the steak on the grill, and rotate at 2.5min. I then flip at 5, and repeat. All under a closed lid.

Now for my question. Am I better served to flip at 2.5, or rotate ? For purposes of juice distribution ? I am concerned about the integrity of my grill marks, if I try to mark semi-cooked meat, on the return flip.

Interesting my Weber Silver B came with bare cast iron grates not the porcelain ones that you commonly see. I recently replaced them with the stainless steel grates so I can burn off any food gunk and oil them down just before cooking. I saved the old ones just in case. With the old cast iron, Weber told me to leave any stuck on food gunk after cooking and when reheating the next time this would help to keep the grates seasoned. I often found on preheat I would lose some of the seasoning with high heat and the old grates were thinning out over 5 years. I find less food sticking with the SS grates compaired to the cast iron.

Oh and my technique for grilling a steak is to preheat to very hot over 600 deg make sure grates are clean and oiled, then add steak to the hot part of the grill. I leave one area cooler in case I need to move the steak to a cooler area due to flare up or to finish a thicker steak. I do the 1/4 turn a 1/4 into the cooking time on each side.

I'm going to have to try the 'reflective foil' technique. I will post results.

For maintenance of my cast-iron grates, I wire-brush them before grilling, and mist them with oil from a spray bottle. Then, after grilling, I wire-brush them again - while the grill is still very hot, maybe followed by another misting of oil. If you have a regular spray bottle ( like for watering plants ) the process is ridiculously simple. . . Regular usage actually serves to minimize maintenance of cast-iron grates.

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... my Weber Silver B came with bare cast iron grates not the porcelain ones that you commonly see.  I recently replaced them with the stainless steel grates so I can burn off any food gunk and oil them down just before cooking.  I saved the old ones just in case.  With the old cast iron, Weber told me to leave any stuck on food gunk after cooking and when reheating the next time this would help to keep the grates seasoned.  I often found on preheat I would lose some of the seasoning with high heat and the old grates were thinning out over 5 years.  I find less food sticking with the SS grates compaired to the cast iron.

My Weber came with cast iron grates and I had the same problem. I couldn't keep them seasoned due to the high heat and they corroded away within 2-3 yrs. But I loved the heat retention of the cast iron, so I replaced them with porcelain coated cast iron grates (only available at Home Depot, to my knowledge). Problem solved. Works like cast iron, but zero corrosion.

My typical steak is 1.5" thick rib-eye or NY Strip, olive oiled and seasoned with S&P. Thrown on gas grill set on high, flipped after 2 min, immediately reduce heat to medium, flip again after 7 min, remove after cumulative 13-14 minutes, and rest. Perfect med-rare every time - I don't bother checking anymore. I don't worry about cross-hatched grill marks if it's just my wife and me. Truth be told, I rarely do it for company either. I don't like to open the lid or flip the steak unnecessarily.

These days, my only variations are seasonings or marinade. Usually I do my own, but my favorite steak is a fatty rib-eye marinated in Allegro Hot & Spicy Creole marinade. Mmmmm.....

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I've done a lot of grilling the past couple of weeks with the new stainless steel grate and even though they don't hold as much heat they are very light weight and easy to lift to add wood to my smoker tray, they clean up very well and with a little oil prior to grilling even fish has slid right off.

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... my Weber Silver B came with bare cast iron grates not the porcelain ones that you commonly see.  I recently replaced them with the stainless steel grates so I can burn off any food gunk and oil them down just before cooking.  I saved the old ones just in case.  With the old cast iron, Weber told me to leave any stuck on food gunk after cooking and when reheating the next time this would help to keep the grates seasoned.  I often found on preheat I would lose some of the seasoning with high heat and the old grates were thinning out over 5 years.  I find less food sticking with the SS grates compaired to the cast iron.

My Weber came with cast iron grates and I had the same problem. I couldn't keep them seasoned due to the high heat and they corroded away within 2-3 yrs. But I loved the heat retention of the cast iron, so I replaced them with porcelain coated cast iron grates (only available at Home Depot, to my knowledge). Problem solved. Works like cast iron, but zero corrosion.

My typical steak is 1.5" thick rib-eye or NY Strip, olive oiled and seasoned with S&P. Thrown on gas grill set on high, flipped after 2 min, immediately reduce heat to medium, flip again after 7 min, remove after cumulative 13-14 minutes, and rest. Perfect med-rare every time - I don't bother checking anymore. I don't worry about cross-hatched grill marks if it's just my wife and me. Truth be told, I rarely do it for company either. I don't like to open the lid or flip the steak unnecessarily.

These days, my only variations are seasonings or marinade. Usually I do my own, but my favorite steak is a fatty rib-eye marinated in Allegro Hot & Spicy Creole marinade. Mmmmm.....

For your 'naked' cast-iron, were you seasoning regularly ? . . . In nearly three years on mine, in a coastal marine environment, I have pretty much zero deterioration. This is interesting to me because at my local "Patio and Fireside", upon hearing my request for cast-iron grates, the salesman told me that he would be reluctant to sell them ( if he had them ) because of the threat of corrosion due to the marine environment. . . . maybe I've been lucky. Or maybe it's the spray bottle of canola oil.
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I am so impressed by the variety of responses here! I have cast iron grates - my Weber is 6 years old - I blast them with high heat and wire brush and spray them with oil after each use and spray again before each use.

I always get my steaks to room temp for at least an hour and season with salt as far in advance as I can. Get the grill as hot as it will go and then sear for a couple minutes near the front of the grill (top down) then turn 45' for a bit more. By now there's flame and I flip them over, moving to the back of the grill - turn off the flame under the back, let the front rage, give it a couple minutes, turn another 45' and turn the whole thing off. Check by touch for doneness - or if it's thick - an instant read thermometer. The residual heat is enough to finish with.

But if I have time, I use my old charcoal grill as the flavor is so much better!

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For your 'naked' cast-iron, were you seasoning regularly ? . . . In nearly three years on mine, in a coastal marine environment, I have pretty much zero deterioration. This is interesting to me because at my local "Patio and Fireside", upon hearing my request for cast-iron grates, the salesman told me that he would be reluctant to sell them ( if he had them ) because of the threat of corrosion due to the marine environment. . . . maybe I've been lucky. Or maybe it's the spray bottle of canola oil.

Well, I sprayed with oil before each use. And I performed the initial seasoning per Weber's directions. The grates remained seasoned and corrosion-free around the edges, but corroded in the middle portion. I assumed that high heat was the problem. Maybe I should have oiled the grates after grilling instead of before. At any rate, I'm very happy with the porcelain coated cast iron grates I'm using now. Practically no maintenance required other than brushing.

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... And while it's resting, you can pour over some good extra virgin olive oil, if you want an Italian twist on steak. The juices mix with the oil to make a lovely sauce. Alternatively, you can pour over some melted butter.

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I have a Fiesta Optima grill and when I make steaks I take the cast iron grate off of its normal resting place, rotate 90 degrees and set it closer to the flames. For some reason the grate gets wedges in almost the perfect spot for a nice char. I leave the hood open, which slows the cooking process to allow for a better crust. If I close the hood, the inside tends to cook much faster and inhibits the formation of the crust.

Why some company hasn't come up with a fully adjustable grate gas grill is beyond me.

Explore the food, beverages, and people of Wisconsin EatWisconsin.com

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I am beginning to get all geeked for this weekends foray into advanced gas-grilling. Reflective foil, grill open ( for better char ? ), front heat high, back heat low, etc.

Actually it sounds kinda complicated.

I'm gonna just throw my steak in the dishwasher. Salt and pepper in the soap dispenser. . . . . set on "Fine China", push button. . . . eat, chew, and try to smile.

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I realize that this is an abandoned thread - but here goes, anyway. . .

Is it NOT possible to add a grate above the flash bars, in order to accommodate the occasional use of hardwood charcoal - in a GAS grill ? ? ?

HELP me here . . . I actually sent an email to Weber Support. . . . no reply.

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Is it NOT possible to add a grate above the flash bars, in order to accommodate the occasional use of hardwood charcoal - in a GAS grill ? ? ?

If I understand your question, yes you can get a cast iron smoker box and place it on the flash bars. We have a smoker box, but usually use foil packets because they are eaiser to replace (to prolong the smoke) when cooking ribs.

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Hard wood charcoal would be different than the soaked wood I put in my smoker box. I put my smoker box on top of the flash bars on the left side. The burner that runs along the left side stays burning even when the front and middle burners are off so when doing indirect it a good place for the wood. The only thing I would worry about with using hardwood over the gas is the ash may clog the burners. It would be easy to clean though. Just brush out the ashes and brush the burners with a wire brush.

Today I'm trying something new on my Weber. A big brisket. I had a full 13lb brisket. I ended up cutting it in half to brine it because I didn't have a vessel big enough. One side is just under 6lbs and the thick half is just under 8lbs. I have it currently cooking with indirect heat. The front and middle burners are off and maintaining around 260 degrees. I hope this turns out moist. While brining I injected the meat with some of the brine. I hope to get enough smoke going for some good flavor but this will take most of the day to cook.

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Is it NOT possible to add a grate above the flash bars, in order to accommodate the occasional use of hardwood charcoal - in a GAS grill ? ? ?

If I understand your question, yes you can get a cast iron smoker box and place it on the flash bars. We have a smoker box, but usually use foil packets because they are eaiser to replace (to prolong the smoke) when cooking ribs.

Actually, I own that exact smoker box. The trouble I have with it, is the fine line between 'smoking' chips - and 'burning' chips . . . it's a tightrope.

What I am really after is utilizing lump hardwood charcoal.

I am REALLY pleased with the heat, and the performance of the grill - but I want to be able to get more of the 'charcoal'-type flavor ( on certain specific cuts ) . . . I do plan to experiment some with hardwood.

Edited by D. B. Brown (log)
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I realize that this is an abandoned thread - but here goes, anyway. . .

Is it NOT possible to add a grate above the flash bars, in order to accommodate the occasional use of hardwood charcoal - in a GAS grill ? ? ?

HELP me here . . . I actually sent an email to Weber Support. . . . no reply.

I don't think you will accomplish anything if you do that. Hardwood charcoal adds very little flavor. Those of us who grill with charcoal use wood chunks for flavor. Wood chips in a smoker box or foil packet is the best solution if you cook with gas.

Jim

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If you can afford a Weber Genesis Platinum, then I'm guessing a Webber Charcoal Grill might be within your budget as well. I would use the gas grill as a gas grill and the charcoal grill for that purpose.

Or, if you're handy, you can build a charcoal grill with brick. That's what I plan on doing should I ever have a back yard that would accommodate it. A brick charcoal grill with a brick wood burning oven.

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I went ahead and tried it with mequite . . .

It gave me the charcoal "edge" that I was looking for . . . I used a grill-screen type thing that is normally used to grill veggies and smaller things, as a grate for the mesquite.

The mesquite was ready to go in minutes, and the results were just right.

gallery_33366_3047_53130.jpg

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I don't see any problem with what you're doing. When I cooked the big brisket last Sunday which came out great, I added similar sized chunks of oak on the grates in the back. I had the brisket over the front and middle burners that were turned off. Worked very well and got some smoke flavor and a pink rim around the meat. Not as much smoke as when I've used a smoker but not bad. Some ash obviously fell into the grill but should be no problem to clean out.

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I'm thinking that once the charcoal is raging, I can mix in some soaked hardwood chunks for the smoke. . . . I just miss having vents in the kettle lid for circulation.

The Weber design of the flash bars kept all the ash ( not much actually ) away from the burner elements.

So far, so good. . . . more to come.

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Why did you buy a gas grill again?

So we finish the eighteenth and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money. But when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness."

So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.

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