RT-1250 Need for searing plates??

[PRC]

Is there any need for the searing plates on the 1250? Since the 1250 can get up to 700 degrees why can I not just sear on the regular grill racks? That is hotter than I take my gas grill to when cooking steaks and burgers (or anything). Just curious what the searing plates add when cooking steaks, burgers etc.

 

[Greg Jones]

The sear plates just put on a nicer sear than regular grill grates, especially when reversed to get max contact with the meat. I can get my Bullseye to the same max temps, or more, than the RT-1250 but I prefer to use the GrillGrates with the grill set to 500*. I think the results are better, but not everyone will agree.

 

[Pops]

Is there any need for the searing plates on the 1250? Since the 1250 can get up to 700 degrees why can I not just sear on the regular grill racks? That is hotter than I take my gas grill to when cooking steaks and burgers (or anything). Just curious what the searing plates add when cooking steaks, burgers etc.

While I agree the Sear Plates are great and I did buy for my 590, I don't use them now that I have a Bullseye. HOWEVER I use them on the Bullseye on every cook, never take them off and the Bullseye will get to 700+. Honestly I have never cooked anything on the Bullseye without the GrillGrates! Help prevent flair ups, but not an issue on the 1250.
So I would say yes get them if you dont have another option. They cook well, typically 100 degrees more than grill temp, and they give you more versatility.

 

[Plumbertom]

I was going to get the sear plates. I'm not going to now after getting to know this smoker. In my opinion if your looking for texture and taste you don't need them. If you want texture, taste, and presentation you might want to get them according to what grill marks you want. Just my opinion .

 

[sdynak]

It's not just about the heat.. it's about the ability to create a sear and with the plates you have both the flat side which is my preference or the raised for more presentation.

I prefer the flat side as it just makes the entire cook seared which just gives it all the flavor. In fact, it is what drove me to a Blackstone. Nothing wrong with having options and tools for the perfect meal depending on your desired outcome.

I vote to get them and see for yourself. If you have a flattop just use that. You can use a cast iron pan as well. Many options.. Enjoy!

 

[PRC]

I was going to get the sear plates. I'm not going to now after getting to know this smoker. In my opinion if your looking for texture and taste you don't need them. If you want texture, taste, and presentation you might want to get them according to what grill marks you want. Just my opinion .

I am thinking the same way. I am going to do the searing on the grill grates and see how it comes out and tastes before I spend the extra dollars for their plates.

 

[otg42]

Grill grates work well for pizza if that's on your cooking list.

 

[Pacman]

For what it's worth, I did not use the Grill Grates when making yakitori chicken skewers at 350 degrees. No grill marks, but they came out great with a nice smoke kiss and beautiful color. I did Wagyu burgers last night with the flat side up also at 350. Perfect crust and still "mediumish" in the centers. I am glad I used them as everyone wanted cheese on their burgers and my cheese mess was somewhat isolated and easy to clean up.

I see the benefit of the Grill Grates for a hard sear and presentation, but for cooking good tasting food, I think you could make do without one more thing to buy and keep clean.

I want to play with my infrared thermometer next time and see what the Grill Grate surface temp gets up to. I'm still learning all of this so I'm not going crazy high or crazy low with pit temps yet.

 

[rkensrud]

I'm interested to know how folks are using the sear kit on the 1250 now that the main grill rack is 1 piece. I had read many folks on the 700 take one side of grill racks out before putting the sear kit in flat side up.

 

[Chevys10zr2003]

I'm interested to know how folks are using the sear kit on the 1250 now that the main grill rack is 1 piece. I had read many folks on the 700 take one side of grill racks out before putting the sear kit in flat side up.

I just put them on top of the rack. I also must say that I have never used the flat side, and most likely probably never will use the flat side since I have a Blackstone. I haven't tried putting them in flat side up. I will try it tonight to see how it goes when I get off work.

 

[BradBQ]

I'm interested to know how folks are using the sear kit on the 1250 now that the main grill rack is 1 piece. I had read many folks on the 700 take one side of grill racks out before putting the sear kit in flat side up.

I set my grill gates directly on the factory grates on my 700 when im feeling lazy and dont find that it changes performance any. I dont see any reason why it wouldnt perform the same on the 1250.

 

[timrob]

I did a reverse sear on some NY strip steaks a couple of weeks ago, and here's how the 1250 did to give me grill marks after getting up to "high" temp for about 15-20 minutes after the low-and-slow portion of the cook. Not exactly "blackened," but it was the second-best steak I've cooked.

 

[sdynak]

I did a reverse sear on some NY strip steaks a couple of weeks ago, and here's how the 1250 did to give me grill marks after getting up to "high" temp for about 15-20 minutes after the low-and-slow portion of the cook. Not exactly "blackened," but it was the second-best steak I've cooked.

Now you making me hungry for a steak .. that looks tasty!

 

[SmokeZilla]

I own grill-grates and they represent another tool that can be added to the toolbox. If I want to change the flavor profile for my proteins predictably, they are priceless. Just like the mailliard reaction for breaking down connective tissues and fat in foods or converting sugars to a glaze in desserts during their cooks, it enhances foods’ profiles and many of the same tricks can be performed using something as simple as a torch, quite frankly. From an aesthetic's perspective I think we have become brainwashed by the media and the competition cooking circuit to want our food to look a certain way when it is finished. But the grates aren’t the only way to get that outcome as I can do a flat sear with no grill marks on a griddle that enhances the flavor of a steak in a manner that is far superior to the grates. I can also use a campfire in the middle of Yosimite with a cast iron skillet, salt, and pepper, and get a fantastic steak that will never be reproduced on any grill. I often chuckle when so call “experts” rave about different techniques as I was fortunate when growing up to be on many cow and hog kills at family farms where we cooked the meat fresh and didn‘t use seasoning at all. This is the way meat was supposed to be consumed yet few people have every had it fresh that way to know what it was supposed to taste like. At the end of the day, it comes down to personal preference. How many of us have been to a “high end”, ”well reviewed”, or ‘top 10” restaurant, only to find out that it was average at best. I personally think the most exciting part of eating grilled food is that on any day it can be fantastic or on any day it can be mediocre depending on the magician that hovers over the fire.

Just my thoughts