using the cast iron skillet on my double jet burner - question

Will get hot as balls

Why not just hold the steaks with tongs and put directly over jet flame to sear them like a blow torch?

ill report back later but i agree

I am just curious if there is a certain temp that is too hot for searing

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Is this a dumb idea?

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No. You are already cooking the steaks to doneness, so your goal with the finish is to get as intense a heat as you can on the steaks to quickly sear the outside before the inside starts warming up. Cast iron is ideal for this. Plus, you can do it outside which is great because those steaks are going to smoke something fierce when you drop them on rocket hot cast iron.

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How hot will the skillet get?

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I bet that burner can make that skillet glow if you tried. That's at least 8-900 degrees, so that might be a bit too hot for what you want to do, considering the skillet will be in direct contact with the meat. Also, if you get it that hot, you risk fricking up the seasoning. The cast iron needs to be maybe 5-600 degrees. You want to quickly sear it, not instantly turn the outside into carbon.

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how long should I sear the steaks?

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You don't time it, you watch it. Your steak is already cooked to doneness, so you just are applying massive heat to the steak to get a nice surface finish. You get your skillet good and hot. Instead of adding oil to the skillet, I like to pat my steaks dry, then rub them down with oil. You put the steaks in and just watch them. When they have the crust you want, you flip them and when that second side gets its crust, you pull them. If they stick, just leave them be. If you pull on them when they're stuck, you're just going to leave your crust in the pan. When the steak develops its crust, it'll release from the skillet naturally if it's well seasoned and the crust you're trying to get will stay on the steak, not the skillet. It shouldn't take too long to finish, either. If your skillet is rocket hot, the whole process might take 30 seconds or so on a side. It doesn't take long at all if you have a lot of heat, so you don't want to walk away thinking you've got a couple of minutes to do something else.

Also, that suggestion above to just use the jet directly to finish the steak isn't silly, either. Put the grate from your barbecue, an oven rack, a cooling rack, etc. over the burner and go to town on the steak. If you have one of these things for cooking fish and it's big enough to hold your steaks, they're great to put your steaks and keep them moving so they char evenly and the intense fire doesn't burn them.

I hope you aren't using your grandma's old Wagner or Griswold skillet for this.

If you get it red/white hot, you're going to frick up the seasoning of it and may warp it.

Use a Walmart lodge skillet for this one.

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Why not just hold the steaks with tongs and put directly over jet flame to sear them like a blow torch?

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I know people who have done this with a weed burner and it did not work well. The heat is too uneven and hot for a good sear/char and imparts an odd taste if you actually put it in the flame.

Cast Iron on a jet burner works fine. Don't open it all the way. Use a IR thermometer or some high heat oil to judge the surface temperature.

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I bet that burner can make that skillet glow if you tried. That's at least 8-900 degrees, so that might be a bit too hot for what you want to do, considering the skillet will be in direct contact with the meat. Also, if you get it that hot, you risk fricking up the seasoning. The cast iron needs to be maybe 5-600 degrees. You want to quickly sear it, not instantly turn the outside into carbon.

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Ok, we've got to have OP make a video of this now

It works great, but be aware it's going to destroy your seasoning. I do it every once in a while, though on a non-jet burner. I have a dedicated cast iron I use that I don't care about the seasoning.

It will get almost white hot. It will also have a good bit of the fat catching on fire, both on the steak and in the skillet.

ETA: here's pictures from a few years ago when I tried it for the first time. This is when I learned it will destroy the seasoning.

I've maxed mine out at 900 and that's only because I was nervous to go any higher. The cast iron starts looking a little funny and it made me nervous throwing a cold steak on a super hot surface Whether that fear is warranted or not, I don't know. I know I own a glass tempering oven and I see what rapid heating and cooling does to things and it's sometimes scary. You're good in the 700 range. That's about where I go.

old pic but i did this strip on the cast iron/burner.

as long as your iron is well seasoned dont add oil. pat steak real dry after removing from water bath. 30 seconds on each side should suffice. do 1 steak at a time

mine is not well seasoned honestly.

Should I pat dry and rub each side with EVOO?