re: Experimentalism with steaks: charcoal vs gas

I hear you Jax, but if the point is figuring out optimum steak I haven’t run across a better method. The sous vide/reverse sear will over cook before it ever forms a solid crust and it will never have a wood/smoke flavor. Now, if you don’t want any wood/smoke flavor, I understand. My point is that with wood you will obtain optimum crust and smoke flavor. Honestly , I haven’t had a “gas only” person ever tell me they preferred a gas steak over wood after tasting one. Likewise, I have had several women who “don’t like smoked food” say that it’s the best steak they have ever eaten. They aren’t intense like a smoked chicken, rib or brisket. They have the perfect sweet, burned wood taste. I find it to be a very clean, natural taste as opposed to gas. Charcoal is a close second , but at some point it’s lost a good bit of its flavor.

I get my steaks perfect by putting them on 700 degree grill for a few mins each side, then put them one one side of the grill with the heat off and cook them with indirect heat. Perfect every time.

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The sous vide/reverse sear will over cook before it ever forms a solid crust and it will never have a wood/smoke flavor

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Lol what? Put the steaks on the cool side of the grill at about 225 with a couple of pecan chunks on the coals. Pull them 15 degrees before the goal temp. Sear in a cast iron skillet with some beef tallow. Extremely easy and a perfect crust.

Charcoal always wins IMO, but F that work for 2 weeknight steaks. I'll uncover the gas everytime.

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reverse sear method

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We eat rare steaks at my house.
I can not get this method down good and always end up with medium/medium well steaks

While I have a gas grill, it is never used. Charcoal is my go to for 98% of my grilling.
I still do not mind a good seared steak in a black iron skillet or griddle if done right either.

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The sous vide/reverse sear will over cook before it ever forms a solid crust

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Well that's completely false

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Piscetarian....like jesus.

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Jesus ate sheep and goat.

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I got good at searing in a cast iron pan and it's a game changer.

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I've done this, as well. The concept of reverse searing works the same on a cast iron skillet as a grill. You bring up the temperature slowly so the steak is cooked evenly from edge to edge. On the grill, you can get the charcoal or wood flavor during the slow portion of the cook.

You can do other things on the cast iron skillet, like adding butter/garlic to baste the steak, though. So it comes down to a personal preference.

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The charcoal steak had a more complex flavor where you couldn't taste the salt/pepper as clearly because of the charcoal flavor.



which is precisely why I prefer charcoal. It's that flavor that makes it better. If someone is not a fan of it, then gas is clearly better.


It really all comes down to liking coal taste or not

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I have done both for many years. Gas at home mostly, and charcoal while camping. I cannot taste anything from pure charcoal. I mean-nothing at all. Not only that, there have been times when the drippings from a choice rib eye have reduced the heat greatly on my charcoal fire. For these two reasons, I prefer gas all grilling.

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that's odd, because I can taste a distinct difference.

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Different people taste different things. My buds are probably defective.

On the other hand, there are many who claim charcoal does nothing for flavor in and of itself(I happen to agree) as stated here.