Q-1200...one HOT little mother!

[HiDesertHal]

 My new Q-1200  generates heat like a Kilogram of Fissioning U-235!

It gets up to searing temperature (450-500 degrees) in about 12-15 minutes! Much faster than waiting for a stack of charcoal briquettes to get there!  AND it leaves deep, dark grill marks too!

My first try was with a nice Ribeye, which I unknowingly left on the grill too long, at 5 minutes per side, and between 400 and 450 degrees.  After letting it set on the dinner plate for another 5 minutes, I tried to cut into it to see how it was done, and it almost required a chain saw to slice it open!

It was brown all the way through its 1-inch thickness, and I couldn't chew any of it.

My next try was a T-Bone, which I grilled for 3 minutes on a side, and it was still too tough, except for the Filet portion which was tender enough to chew.

I still have a big, mean-lookin' Porterhouse, which I'll try at 1 to 2 minutes per side.

With suggestions from you troopers, I'll eventually get it right!

HiDesertHal

[blksabbath]

You should get a probe thermometer to help tune it in.   Just a simple grocery store one will get you in the ballpark.  Throw the meat on the grill, quickly sear, flip then check the temp.  Pull the steak as you approach ~125 - 130F, wrap in butcher paper or foil, let it rest for 10 minutes, enjoy.  And repeat with more steaks!  Also, a quick salt rub 30 before cooking can do amazing things.


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[HiDesertHal]

 
Hey blksabbath,

Do you mean to sear both sides, then remove the steak to probe its temp, or probe it while its still on the hot grill?

I brushed Canola oil on my last steak, then Kosher salted and rubbed it in before throwing it on the 500 degree Q awhile later.

I want to learn how to do this before I ruin that Porterhouse!

Thanks...
HiDesertHal

[kettlebb]

I pick up my steaks with tongs and probe in the side of them. I cook indirect until 125. Then I cook direct over high heat until it's evenly brown (no grill marks). Give it a try. You'll like it.


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[HiDesertHal]

Thanks, kettlebb, but this direct/indirect business is too complicated for me!

I have a small gas grill with the burner running the full length, so there's no indirect section on the grill.

The meat's either on it or it aint, and the grill is either hot or it's not!

I like it simple like that, and I LOVE those "branding iron" grill marks!

I'd like to buy you a beer anyway!

Cheers,
HiDesertHal

[kettlebb]

Forgot about the burner tube Hal. You're right. Just crank the bitch up and let 'er eat. Keep at it, you'll find what works for you.


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[HiDesertHal]

OK...OK...you win!

I ordered a probe thermometer from Amazon; it was highly praised in the customer reviews and was labeled a "best seller".

Hell, it even has a digital readout of temperature in either F or C!

As soon as I get it I'll use it on my Porterhouse Steak!

Thanks,
HIDesertHal

[blksabbath]

I sear, flip to the other side while still on the grill, probe to get an idea where the temp is.  When you hit your desired temp, pull it off the grill and let it rest, then enjoy.

Good luck!


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[HiDesertHal]

Hey blksabbath:

Your method may require that I make several "flips" until I get to my desired temperature.

This goes against the advice of making only ONE flip during grilling, which brings another element of confusion for me.

Also, if I probe while the meat is still on the grill, I'll be probing in a 400-500 degree environment while striving for 125 degrees! 

I don't see the reasoning in this, unless I'm not understanding your sequence of events.

I must know the exact moves to make so I won't destroy that Porterhouse before Kim Jong-Un cooks it for me!

HiDesertHal

[demosthenes9]

Hey blksabbath:

Your method may require that I make several "flips" until I get to my desired temperature.

This goes against the advice of making only ONE flip during grilling, which brings another element of confusion for me.

Also, if I probe while the meat is still on the grill, I'll be probing in a 400-500 degree environment while striving for 125 degrees! 

I don't see the reasoning in this, unless I'm not understanding your sequence of events.

I must know the exact moves to make so I won't destroy that Porterhouse before Kim Jong-Un cooks it for me!

HiDesertHal

Short answer is that whomever told you to only flip once was sort of wrong.  That's one way to do it, but not the only way.   Some advise that you flip the steak constantly to get more of a Maillard reaction, (i.e. the browning/searing crust).    If you don't want that, there's still no requirement to only flip once.  You flip as often as necessary to even out the cooking and get whatever color you want on the surface of your steak. 

Picture if you will a 1 inch thick raw steak.  You put it down on the grill and the bottom surface starts to brown.   The heat transfers and the steak starts cooking from the bottom up.   At this point, the top 4/5th of the steak is still raw.     Now, it's entirely possible to time/judge things right so that you cook the steak about 1/2 way through, then flip it and cook it the rest of the way.   But that takes some time / experience to get it just right.   Say that you flip the steak a bit too early.   Well, it needed to have cooked on that side a bit more.   Just cooking it longer on the other side won't work.  It needs more time on that side so that the center band of your steak is a nice mid rare to medium.   So, after having flipped once, and cooked it the right amount of time on the 2nd side, you flip it back over to let it cook more on the 1st side.

As to the probing,  while the grill temp is 400-600 and the surface temp of the steak will quickly hit that temp, the internal temp of the steak won't.    It will start out at sub 40 degrees (whatever your fridge temp is) and will slowly increase in temp as the heat penetrates from the outside of the steak.   The temps people are telling you to target will give you a nice midrare to medium steak.

[HiDesertHal]

 
I'll go with your well-detailed procedure, demosthenes9.

The Aussie who was demonstrating the Q on his website said flip only once, but your suggestion sounds more appropriate, and it also sounds like you're intelligent and really know what you're talking about!!!

HiDesertHal

[blksabbath]

I think we are basically describing the same procedure.  demosthenes9 did a better job of explaining it.  You are going for the internal temp of the meat, not the surface.  And flip as needed.

There is more than one way to skin a cat...and cook steaks on a grill:)