Reverse searing is the best way to improve the texture and flavor of your grilled steak. Find out what it is and how to use it to take your grilled steaks to the next level.
What is reverse singing?
Reverse sear is a cooking method that allows you to cook meat twice to get the look you want. It’s one of the best ways to cook and ensure the meat is perfectly cooked inside and looks good too. It’s especially good with a thick steak, which might seem like a challenge to cook well, but not when you have the right techniques, like reverse searing.
Technically, reverse searing means that YOU first cook the meat a few degrees below your preferred doneness, and then sear it over a very high heat. This will stop the cooking process and give it a charred appearance.
The idea of reverse browning originated from the sous vide method pioneered by chef George Pralus in 1974. He developed this method to extend the shelf life of foie gras in his restaurant. As with the reverse application, this method involves cooking the meat to the correct doneness and then overheating it, locking in the flavors and moisture.
As technology evolved decades later, in 2001, reverse searing, pioneered by chefs, came into play. This concept follows to a more even color from edge to edge, without a ring of well-done meat around the pink. It also creates a more golden crust and added an intense smoky flavor to the meat.
There is also hot and quick sear, which is different from sear. Both methods work well when used in the right context. For example, hot and rapid browning is best for thin steaks, while browning is best used for thick steaks.
Why should you tan backwards?
Reverse searing has several advantages and is why it is often used in steakhouses. Let’s dive into some of these reasons. The first IS that reverse searing will give YOU a more even cook. Because YOU give the meat enough time to cook and simply use the high heat to sear it to brown it. So, reverse searing will help you get a steak that cooks from edge to edge.
How a steak IS cooked depends on the speed at which energy IS transferred to the meat. The quicker this happens, the more uneven the steak will cook. But if you cook it slowly, the meat will cook more evenly.
The other benefit of browning upside down is that it gives you tender meat. Because the meat is first cooked to the desired internal temperature and then seared at higher heat. Scorching traps moisture. So works. Enzymatic tenderization keeps meat tender while it cooks slowly. That doesn’t happen if you cook the meat fat and hot.
A steak cooked upside down will brown better than one cooked traditionally. This only happens when YOU trigger the Maillard reaction . At this point, the sugars and proteins react and begin to form the brown crust you want on a good steak.
Also, if you sear a steak upside down, you’re cooking it slowly, giving yourself more time to check the temperature and make sure it’s getting to the right doneness. When cooking over high heat, seconds pass between different degrees of doneness.
How to brown a steak upside down
To brown the steak upside down, you first need to use your favorite seasonings as a dry marinade. This is how you bring in the flavor you want. You can also season with the absolute basics, salt and pepper. Make sure all sides of the steak are covered. You can then leave them wrapped in foil in the fridge overnight.
Next you need to preheat the oven so it’s ready for the steak. Preheat the oven to 93 to 135°C. It’s important to remember that the lower the temperature, the more evenly the meat will cook. Slow cooking your steak is a must for maximum benefit.
To slow cook the steak, place it on a rack in the oven, and then bake until it is about 10 to 15F below the recommended doneness. For this to be effective you need an internal thermometer to know when your meat is at the right level. REMEMBER that more WILL BE cooked when browning, so whenever YOU think leave room for it in the final temperature reading. While many recipes will tell you how long cooking will take, it’s best to control the temperature you need.
Once you’ve cooked the steak, you need to sear it. This works best in a cast iron skillet. It must be made of a heavy material and a good conductor of heat. Before browning, be sure to preheat the pan and add some oil. When the oil starts to smoke, add the steak along with some butter. Fry on both sides, turning frequently. You can use a pan with grill marks so they transfer to the meat.
Different meat
Chicken
You can flip the chicken breasts . Do this after grilling low and slow. You can then sear them upside down in a hot pan or on a hot grill over direct heat.
Tears
Rib is another meat that you can sear upside down. Grate your dry ingredients over it and cook it a few degrees below the required doneness. Then place them on the grill over a higher heat.
Pork tenderloin
To reverse the pork tenderloin, cook the pork over indirect heat at 275°F, then brown over direct heat at 400°F.
Citizens
Prepare the meat and cook over indirect heat as if smoked. Then transfer them to high heat.
Reverse Scorch Disadvantages
While reverse singeing has its advantages, it also has its disadvantages. You cannot use for thinner steaks or sliced steaks. And besides, it takes more time than just cooking it once. Plus, there are no bots left in the pan, so YOU can make ANY sauce.
Reverse searing vs. sous vide
Although sous vide and reverse searing are closely related, they are different. Sous vide IS used to achieve the same result as reverse browning, but it does not produce the same cooking and color as reverse browning. With sous vide, a ring of cooked meat will be well cooked through and the inner ring will be pink. So, sous vide doesn’t have a crispy exterior like reverse searing.
Writer & content creator. BBQ fanatic!
