Searing on a Gas Grill

[Herbert Eddy]

You might think that you get a better sear on a charcoal grill.
However, if you follow these three steps, you'll have a restaurant
quality steak in no time with perfect grill marks.
Searing isn't only for steaks, just so you know. The other meats like
pork chops, roasts, and chicken benefit greatly from the searing
process. Searing just means to start out grilling at a high
temperature, which browns the meat, and then finishes the cooking at a
lower temperature. The technical term is the Maillard effect as was
described by Louis-Camille Maillard who researched how fat, collagen,
and muscle type affect the tenderness and juiciness of meat. The
browning is caused by carmelization of the sugars naturally present in
the meat. And that's where a special and wonderful flavor comes from.
Let's see how we can do this quickly and easily on a gas grill such as
the Twin Eagles line. First, have a super clean grill. If you clean
the grill after every use, you're good to go. If you haven't, turn all
the burners on high to cook off any leftover meat or grease on the
grills. Turn off all the burners and wait a few minutes with the cover
up. Using a good wire brush, knock off the chunks, and then wipe with
a soft cloth to clean the grills. Then wipe down the grills with some
good high temperature oils like canola, safflower, or peanut oil. Do
not use olive oil, butter or lard as they break down and leave a bad
flavor on your food.
Secondly, you will want to dry off the meat. Blot it with paper towel.
You should do this even if you have marinated. Having the meat dry and
close to room temperature will allow the heat to do its job better.
Finally, get the grill good and hot again. Set all the main burners to
high and close the cover for at least ten minutes or whatever your
manufacturer recommends. While you're waiting for things to warm up,
gather all of your tools that you'll need like a plate, tongs, any
additional marinade for the last ten minutes of cooking, etc. You
won't want to leave once you start.
Since you spent all this time getting the grill heated, and you want a
good sear, you need to move quickly to get the meat on the grill as
quickly as possible and get the cover closed in order to keep the heat
in.
After about a minute, turn the meat, on to an unused part of the
grill, close the lid and wait another minute. Then turn down the
temperature to medium-high and finish cooking. The next time you turn
the meat, also turn it 90 degrees to get a beautiful criss-cross
grilling pattern.
Once you've finished, let the meat rest off of the grill and under
foil for at least ten minutes. Your patience will be rewarded.