Another First Reverse Sear

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BchrisL

Senior Cook
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Feb 17, 2008
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Man this is amazing. I have always struggled to get my steaks exactly right, but tonight, well I nailed it. That reverse sear method is nothing short of revolutionary. It really really works! Thanks for sharing. I have learned much from you guys. :D

I was doing four with a couple of salmon steaks on the side so I had my hands full and did not snap any pix, sorry, but rest assuresd they were marvelous.

I might add that the BGE is sort of dangerous when you try to rev it up hot. The chamber fills with combustable gas and when you open the lid quickly the oxygen rushes in and there is a big gulp of flame that belches out. It got all the hair on my arms. :roll: In addition there is also the trapped superheated steam that greets your hands. Once you get the hang of opening the lid SLOWLY and watch for the poof in the chimney, then you are OK.

DON'T OPEN THE LID QUICKLY WHEN THE EGG IS RUNNING WITH ALL THE DAMPERS OPEN, OR ESPECIALLY AFTER YOU HAVE JUST CLOSED THEM ALL TIGHT AND THE COALS ARE NOT DEAD.
 
Chris

I learned about the reved up BGE the same way you did -- at the cost of arm hair. I was doing a pizza and running at 650*. Oh, and by the way, on this board, no pics = no cook.
 
Quickest way to loose a eye brow or hair is to crank a BGE or Primo and open the lid. :LOL: I damn near got it last year on a cook at the store. Had a Primo cranked for pizza, open the lid and poof. :shock: Last thing that was on it was butts. I'm sure that had a little to do with it. :LOL:
 
Captain Morgan said:
watch the flashback video here...

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/flash.htm

Thanks for the link. This is exactly what happens. BTY it is the hydrogen that is left over in the charcoal that is causing that flash. In my case it was enhanced by the wood chips that I had put in when it was slow cooking that were contributing to the combustable gas in the chamber.
 
wawatusi said:
BchrisL said:
Captain Morgan said:
watch the flashback video here...

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/flash.htm

Thanks for the link. This is exactly what happens. BTY it is the hydrogen that is left over in the charcoal that is causing that flash. In my case it was enhanced by the wood chips that I had put in when it was slow cooking that were contributing to the combustable gas in the chamber.


What?!?!


It has to do with introducing Oxygen to a fuel rich O2 starved environment.


It is what is known as a "Backdraft". Hydrogen has little to do with it.

IMHO, I think the hydrogen is the fuel you ae refering to, wood being a hydrocarbon. This fuel combines with the oxygen to produce steam. Make a little charcoal or read about making charcoal and you will see what I mean. :)
 
Now if you guys can just figure out how to double the Hydrogen while cutting the Oxygen in half you'd have a sure fire way of putting your fire out! :LOL:
 
wawatusi said:
BchrisL said:
wawatusi said:
BchrisL said:
Captain Morgan said:
watch the flashback video here...

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/flash.htm

Thanks for the link. This is exactly what happens. BTY it is the hydrogen that is left over in the charcoal that is causing that flash. In my case it was enhanced by the wood chips that I had put in when it was slow cooking that were contributing to the combustable gas in the chamber.


What?!?!


It has to do with introducing Oxygen to a fuel rich O2 starved environment.


It is what is known as a "Backdraft". Hydrogen has little to do with it.

IMHO, I think the hydrogen is the fuel you ae refering to, wood being a hydrocarbon. This fuel combines with the oxygen to produce steam. Make a little charcoal or read about making charcoal and you will see what I mean. :)


The "fuel" is the charcoal that heated up to a combustable state, The most prevalant gas emmitted by Charcoal is Carbon Monoxide which when you have the egg at nuke temps burns as blue almost dancing like flames or "snakes".

What you have when when you have Charcoal (a combustable material) heated past its ignition point starved of oxygen then given a rush of o2 is a backdraft.


Another example of the same principle.


Your bedroom catches fire, all the windows and doors are closed. The stuff in the room burns. the oxygen gets starved out of the room While it may look like the fire may be almost out, the minute a fireman or someone breaks open a window or door, thus rushin in all that O2. What do you think would happen? (see nakedwhiz video)



A fire needs three things in order to remain burning: fuel, an adequate supply of oxygen, and a sufficient heat source to start it.


Fuel- Charcoal
O2- Egg with vents all open
Heat- Charcoal and egg taken up to searing temps.


Now you take away the O2 and the fire starves by closing the vents

You give back the O2 by opening the lid too fast to a situation that has 1 and 3 and you have a backdraft. Hydrogen not needed.


I have searched the interwebs looking for the amount of gasses and the types emitted by charcoal and can't seem to find any stating hydrogen in any quantity.

Perhaps you have one I could look at?


Another "trick" you can do with your egg is a flashback. Get it up to nuke temps close it off then open the bottom. Wait about 2 mins then pull the daisy wheel off.

Stand away from the bottom opening. :shock: :D


Woods is basically cellulose an organic compound with the formula (C6H10O5)

Wood in temperatures above 700F undergoes a process of Destructive distillation also known as Pyrolysis which breaks down the molicules to their basic components.

But this has nothing to do with barbecue and that is all I am going to say about it. :D

By the way: Synthetic oil is no better than Dino oil. :twisted:
 
Unity said:
Greg Rempe said:
This thread is about reverse sear...not fire making :idea:
But BchrisL started the thread -- doesn't he get to decide what it's about and what he posts in it? :P

--John

Seem to me it is a good thing for someone to discuss the science behind a potentially deadly reaction to the process of reverse searing on a BGE.

Great posts, guys. Keep 'em coming.
 
Sorry, I did not mean to get off on a tangent.

I just noodled through and the chemical reactions that might be going on inside the chamber that was closed, under the temperature and gas conditions. Indeed it is a condition very much like a "backdraft " scenario in a burning building, where there are volatile gasses in an oxygen-starved environment. When the lid is suddenly raised, the oxygen rushes in and there is a rapid reaction when the two gasses mix, whatever the gasses. The result is a flame front that can cause burns as well as injury from the surprise recoil away from the flame.

So my intention was to bring this issue into discussion, to make others aware of the condition and perhaps make known a procedure to safely operate the cooker in this environment. :)
 

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