This is what I don't understand about grill grates

[peplogic]

Hello all. Question for people that use this accessory.

If this product raises surface temp 100 degrees or more....is everyone reducing their traeger temperature to account for this temp spike?

Example. Recipe calls for cooking temp to be 250. Are people lowering traeger temp down ton150 to accommodate?

The way I was thinking of doing some steaks was to put the grill gates on the traeger....but cook the steak on the next rack level.

At the end of the cooking cycle turn the heat up to 400...(the grill grates should ramp that surface temp up to 500 + and sear on each side for 2 minutes

The other way I was thinking about doing this is to do the grill grates on just half the grill and move them to the sear side at end.

Thoughts?

 

[JPSBBQ]

It’s not necessarily the whole cook chamber but rather the surface in contact with the protein. If your grates are right adjacent to your RTD probe, you may get some fluctuations but it’s the IT of the meat that matters.
That said, do like Matt @ Meatchurch says and “get your head out of the recipe”. This is by far the best advice I’ve ever heard him offer and he has plenty of good advice. Recipes are a rough guide or template. To be really successful you must learn to recognize what is happening during a cook by visual and instrument readings and adjust accordingly to achieve your desired outcome.

I never consider reverse searing any steaks under 2” thick as they are not conducive to my desired outcome. I like med. rare or a touch under for most steaks. In your example, you are basically putting hard sear marks on your steaks and finishing the last degrees to your doneness. I would crank you grill up as high as possible. Understanding that you can follow a recipe to a Tee and not get the same results twice. You must check diligently with instant reads. You must account for carry over cooking (Which is more significant the higher the grill temp). You must observe during the cook and feel the firmness of the protein. You must retain these things and learn so you will become increasingly proficient at your hobby or craft. I’ve cooked so many steaks I rarely need to use a probe to get my doneness but might if cooking to other temps as I’m not quite as proficient at higher finish temps.

hope this helps. The journey can be part of the fun but also it can sometimes frustrate. Enjoy!

 

[davwhite]

You will use a lot of pellets when you turn the heat up to 400 and even at that temp you will not get the high temp that the grates require. Simple way I have found is use a gasser for your grillgrates. I can reach a metal temp of 400f very easy and I don't burn any pellets. Normally cook to an internal of 105f, rest, onto the grates until I reach my choice of doneness.

 

[JPSBBQ]

You will use a lot of pellets when you turn the heat up to 400 and even at that temp you will not get the high temp that the grates require. Simple way I have found is use a gasser for your grillgrates. I can reach a metal temp of 400f very easy and I don't burn any pellets. Normally cook to an internal of 105f, rest, onto the grates until I reach my choice of doneness.

He has a Timberline according to his bio. You are right in so much the higher the temp, the more pellets you burn. This is also true of natural gas or propane though. Pellet grills are not the best searing instrument with the possible exception of a couple brands. You really want surface temp of 500-600 or higher for great searing.

I was assuming he was asking for his best possibility for searing with the grill grates using his timberline. Heck, charcoal is probably better and cheaper than propane. I think the steak competitors are using small charcoal grills and grill grates. Not even sure he has two grills.

 

[TheGrumpyGriller]

For me at least, I can't be bothered with determining that it'll cost me $1.25 in pellets vs. $1.03 for gas/propane or whatever to sear with the Grill Grates I use frequently. I do not lower the pit temp with the grates since (as pointed out above) it's only the surface temp of the grates that changes and hence does the searing. I do burgers on them @ 250 and get sear marks, so it's also not necessary to have the temp maxed out. They key for me, is the same as with pizza stones - keep them on the grill the whole time so that they are already at +100-150 and they'll normally work out pretty good.

 

[Sloppysalmon219]

Smoked turkey burgers @300f. I love mine.. these are from my weber genesis. The nice thing I like it catches the grease and vaporizer it.

 

[GrillMeister]

I love my GrillGrates, but use them pretty much exclusively for reverse searing meats on my small gasser at a higher temp than the Traeger can achieve. I really don't do any more high temp cooks on the Traeger as they generally result in a fire no matter how clean my Ironwood is. The combination of the gasser and the Traeger makes reverse searing easy peasy and the results are fantastic.

Here's some thick bone in center cut pork chops cooked in this fashion.