quote:

Originally posted by Excam_Man:
I get better results using the reverse sear method for steaks.

Start out preparing steaks with salt and pepper and resting at room temp for 1-2 hrs.

Grill at 200, cook until meat temp is 100. Flip, cook until 125. Remove meat and cover.
Then grill to 450+ put steaks back on for 1-2 mins, flip, another 1-2 mins (final temp about 135). Remove meat and add a slice of butter to top and cover, letting it rest for a couple minutes.

Enjoy your juicy medium steaks.

This will never fail, absolutely get a instant read digital thermometer. I take it off at 120* but I take it rare.

For a thermometer, I like the thermoworks DOT.

Normally $45, on sale for $33.75

https://www.thermoworks.com/dot/

I just saw the new Square DOT, 2 channel thermometer.

Normally $69, on sale for $51.75

https://www.thermoworks.com/square-dot/

Their Smoke or Smoke X adds wireless monitoring.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
I grill as hot as I can get the grill.

Oil grates AND meat

Maybe try GrillGrates? They’re pretty good:

GrillGrate

I agree... I installed grill grates on my gas grill.

Then again, my method of cooking a steak is sear on both sides and then remove and eat....

Slightly off topic, hav you guys tried “Chuck eye” steaks? Smaller, but flavor and tenderness equals ribeye!

quote:

Originally posted by Blume9mm:

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
I grill as hot as I can get the grill.

Oil grates AND meat

Maybe try GrillGrates? They’re pretty good:

GrillGrate

I agree... I installed grill grates on my gas grill.

Then again, my method of cooking a steak is sear on both sides and then remove and eat....

I bought a set of grill grates and loved the results you can get with them. From steaks to fish. I have however stopped using them. We grill at least 3 days a week year round, and more so in the warmer months. The grill grates are a bitch to keep clean, where as cast iron weber grates clean up very easily.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
Thanks guys, I'll try oiling the grates at temp before searing and see if that helps.

The grill marks are attractive. But I like the crisp and taste of the full steak maillard as well.

The GrillGrates PASig suggested have a grill-side & a griddle side - flat with ~3/8" holes.
I have 5 panels in my gas grill. I usually keep 3 as the grill & 2 as griddle if I'm cooking for <5-6 people. I also have a rounded 3-panel for my broil king keg (like a big green egg, but metal with oven insulation).
Griddle for major sear or smashburgers, grate marks on everything else. The keg griddle also makes a good 'raised pizza stone' when stacked on the stock grate. Also a helluva lot easier to keep clean vs a real stone & won't blow up with temp shock.

quote:

Originally posted by NavyGuy:
The grill grates are a bitch to keep clean, where as cast iron weber grates clean up very easily.

Yeah, that's the biggest downside for me too.
Full-blast when done cooking for 10-15 minutes, then scrape the crap off. once cool, I use a leaf blower to get it out of the grill.

If I let it build up, I pressure wash them, then let the keg get up to 7-800* and burn the residual off.

konata88 ...

As I understand, you bought new cast iron grates and seasoned them as you would your cast iron pans.

What was the surface texture like on the new cast iron grates ? One time I bought an aftermarket cast iron pan with a grainy texture. After seasoning the pan, food would still stick. I then sanded down the inside of the pan till it was smooth and re-seasoned. Food did not stick.

Wondering if this is what is causing your meat to stick on your new grill ... that the cast iron is not smooth ?

Just a thought.

quote:

Originally posted by NavyGuy:

I bought a set of grill grates and loved the results you can get with them. From steaks to fish. I have however stopped using them. We grill at least 3 days a week year round, and more so in the warmer months. The grill grates are a bitch to keep clean, where as cast iron weber grates clean up very easily.

GrillGrate actually sells a brush designed specifically to clean the valleys in the grates. Remember these grates will be rocking on (aluminum alloy) long after your cast iron grates have rusted out:

quote:

Originally posted by old dino:
What was the surface texture like on the new cast iron grates ? One time I bought an aftermarket cast iron pan with a grainy texture. After seasoning the pan, food would still stick. I then sanded down the inside of the pan till it was smooth and re-seasoned. Food did not stick.

It wasn't entirely smooth - paper towels would stick. But it seems smoother than my lodge skillets which have no issues with sticking.

I tested using a lower temp (400 instead of 500+) and I oiled the grate and the meat right before placing the meat on the grill. I used a marinated flat iron steak (first time was a marinated hanger steak). The meat didn't stick much. The hanger steak had a marinade with more sugar though. Sweeter teriyaki type of marinade vs a rosemary savory marinade for the flat iron steak.

Just for fun, maybe I'll buy the Lodge grate and do a cooking side by side comparison.

I have grill grates and their simple to clean. I bought a stiff silicone brush from GrillGrates.com ($40) and use a little water to steam away the gunk. Between the Silicone Brush and a little water it takes very little time and does an excellent job. The gunk is steamed loose, and then the brush pushes it to the rear of the grill. It’s the secret to making Grill Grates easy to clean. I didn’t believe it at first, but I heat it up to about 350-400, pour a little water from a bottle on it section by section, let it steam the gunk loose, and push it to the back.
Remember, never heat your grill grates to Max heat as it will warp your grates. The Grill Grates actually heat up faster and hotter than regular grates so there is a learning curve.

I've never had an issue with any steak sticking on any of the weber grills I've had. But I think they'll stick if you don't leave them in one place long enough.

I generally grilled chicken.....B/S breasts at 425, Breasts with ribs/skin and thighs with bones/skin at 425-450, steaks around 500-550, burgers 550-600.