For years, I felt pressure during
the holidays when I was charged with grilling large (and expensive) cuts of meat. How long would it
take? How will I avoid under cooking or over cooking it? What if the
meat is finished early? Or worse if I keep everyone waiting for the
meat to be done? Now as the holidays approach I am confident and
look forward to grilling those fine roasts. The secret is the sum of
two parts: the right technology and the right technique.
The first key to proper holiday
grilling is a good digital instant read thermometer. Quality meat
thermometers instantly display the internal meat temperature. Using
them to measure temperature progress helps reach the target
temperature without under cooking or over cooking. The peace of mind is
worth the investment. Digital instant read thermometers generally range from $20 to $85.
The second step for holiday grilling
is in the technique of the reverse sear.
The reverse sear allows
you to control the timing of the cook, and includes a rest period
that can last a few minutes or a few hours, depending on your timing
needs. The reverse sear (also known as Sear in the Rear) consists of
three parts:
Long, slow roast of the meat:
The target internal temperature of the meat is 10-15 degrees
under the finished temperature.- Off grill rest period: Once the meat reaches its target, it can sit off the grill for up to 2 hours. The meat will not rise in temperature more than 5 degrees, and the you can relax and prepare other side dishes as the meat rests.
- Hot sear to finish: When you are ready, sear the meat at a very high temperature before serving. Searing the meat at the end of the cook browns and caramelizes the exterior of the roast while finishing to a perfect internal temperature.
Tips for preparation of the meat:
Olive oil and rubs are superior to elaborate marinades and pastes, as
the host will be handling the roast more and heavier crusts won’t
stand up. Some cuts, like lamb, are best tied with butcher’s twine.
The more rounded and uniform the cut, the more consistent the cook.
Tips for grill setup: Two-zone
grilling is another great technique for holiday grilling. If you have
two grills this is a good time to use them both – one for low
roasting and the other for the hot sear. The hot grill can grill
sides during the slow roast, and then get turned up for the hot sear.
Gas grills and charcoals grills can also indirectly cook meat at low
temperatures, and then the heat can be applied when it’s time to
finish.
- Roasting grill temps: 225° - 250° F
- Sear Grill temps: 550°-700° F
- Smaller cuts require approximately 30-45 minutes, while larger roasts can take 1 – 1.5 hours – but the most important aspect is the internal temperature, not the time of the cook.
Three Holiday Grilling Recipes Using The
Reverse Sear Technique– prime rib, boneless leg of lamb, and rack
of lamb.
- Slow Roasted then Seared Prime Rib. Not many other large cuts of meat can rival the grandeur of a beautifully cooked Prime Rib in the center of your table.
- Reverse Seared Rack of Lamb. Rack of lamb when cooked properly is one of the most succulent and flavorful things you will ever eat!
- Slow Roast
- Rest
- Sear
- Slice
- Reverse Seared Boneless Leg of Lamb. In this recipe we remove the lamb from the netting, lay it out flat and divide it into two equally shaped and sized portions. The lamb is then seasoned and formed into two roasts.
