There are many ways to cook your favorite meat, be it a juicy steak or tender chicken breast. You can bake, smoke, roast and sear to get the flavor you’re looking for. Although you can do all of that using your Memphis Wood Fire Grill, one of our favorite grilling methods is the sear.
What Does It Mean to Sear Meat?
To sear your meat is to apply quick and intense heat to char the meat’s surface. Searing your meat occurs prior to cooking it through. If you sear correctly, you won’t burn your meat. Instead, you’ll quickly cook the outside of the meat before finishing the inside at a much slower pace.
What Does Searing Do to Meat?
As you sear on a grill, you caramelize the outside of the meat. Although it doesn’t seal in the juices (a common myth), searing the meat creates an extra layer of flavor and texture—as well as those beautiful grill marks. Searing doesn’t affect the inside of your meat.
What Type of Meat Can You Sear?
You can sear virtually any meat that you can grill. Although you may think a steak is the only meat you can sear, chicken and fish are also great candidates. Other options include chops and roasts as well as various seafood options such as scallops.
How to Sear Your Meat on a Grill
Before you begin, start by preheating your grill, allowing it to warm up for 10 to 15 minutes. You’ll need the temperature to reach between 450 and 500 degrees for a good, quick sear. Scrape off your cooking grates before getting started. Then, season your meat and get ready to sear.
- Slap your meat on the grill: Place your uncooked, fully thawed meat on the grill directly above the heat source, then close the lid. Allow the meat to stay put for around 3 minutes.
- Flip your meat: Flip the meat, close the lid and allow the meat to cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Finish your meat: Once the meat is seared, lower the temperature and continue grilling to cook the meat through. Make sure to move your meat away from direct heat to avoid burning.
A Note About Grilling With Direct vs. Indirect Heat
To sear meat properly, you must use direct heat. This means cooking your meat directly over the heat source. When you’re ready to grill the meat, you’ll move it to indirect heat, or a cooking space adjacent to the heat source to avoid burning.
Once your meat has finished cooking, remove it and serve. We can almost taste the flavor from here!
Start Searing Today On a Pellet Grill From Memphis Wood Fire Grills
If you want to start searing like a pro, you’ll need a great grill. A wood fire grill from Memphis Grills gives your meat the sear it deserves by offering you a wide range of other cooking methods including smoking and baking. To learn more about our grills, reach out to a Memphis Wood Fire Grills dealer or contact us today.