Q320 grate temperature

Hy all,

not so long and I have my first question. I recently compared grilling 1 inch T- Bones on a Q320 and a Kettle. Steaks grilled on Q were not as good as on the Kettle. Of course I do understand that using real steakhouse lump charcoal on a Kettle will win over gas but the main difference was the searing part. I did the searing on a fully heated Q with a lid down and on a Kettle it was with the lid off.
The end result was a perfect T - Bone steak from a Kettle and a litttle mushy one from the Q even if the sear alone was good. Both were done in between medium rare and medium(135 - 145°F).
Now the question here is....can the searing part of the cooking on the Q be done with the raised lid?? Did anybody measure the real grate temperature of a fully blazing Q? For just every other piece of meat the Q is the best gas grill on the world in my oppinion but for steaks searing with the lid down it's just giving me the wrong result. The heat starts to cook the steak from the top side while searing the bottom wich it should not in my opinion. All together it's done in lets say 2 min + 2 min + 3 min on both grills but significantly better taste and texture on a Kettle.
If there is room for improvement on the Q I'd like some guidance from you masters of the grill(s).

Thanks and best regards.

Peter H.

Back when I ate steak medium rare, I'd often cook on my Q200 with the lid open. I'd first let the grate heat up with the lid closed for about 10 minutes, then open it up and start cooking. I found that I'd get better sear marks on the "second" side.

I find that the Q300 is great at cooking steaks. I can get 550 easy and sometimes 600 lid temp. You want to run it wide open for 15 to twenty minutes to get the chamber and grates really hot. Quickly open the lid just enough to throw your steaks on and close it as soon as possible to retain the temp.

A kettle needs oxygen to get the coals hotter the Q needs the lid closed to retain heat.

The Q is great for direct grilling including steaks. It is sub par for indirect grilling but grilling steaks is not a weakness.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Sameer Wahid:
Back when I ate steak medium rare, I'd often cook on my Q200 with the lid open. I'd first let the grate heat up with the lid closed for about 10 minutes, then open it up and start cooking. I found that I'd get better sear marks on the "second" side. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You probably do get better marks doing that. The time of the cook will probably increase a little allowing for more cooking on the surface. But I do believe that the higher temps attained by closing the lid get a better sear but you are partially cooking the top side via convection when closing the lid which might reduce the grill marks on that side. Just my theory, I do not know if I am right or not.

Hy all

my quest continues....this time I tryed nice big hamburger pattys. Outcome was similar. Taste was there, color too but the patty seemed mushy....not bad at all but like my expirience with steak no crunchy crisp top. Any suggestions?

Peter

I got excellent sear marks (almost too much in fact) last night on bavette, and my Q220 has lower BTU/inch than the Q320.

When you did your pattys, did you use both burners? If you have both burners on full with the lid down for 8-10 minutes prior to cooking, you should have excellent sear marks are very firm outsides. I use a grate thermometer to tell if the grill is ready.

If you still can't get sear marks, I'd be inclined to think something is not quite right with your Q.

Your sear marks do require the lid closed long enough to have convection spread the temp to the grill. Forget about getting crosshatch marks, though. It simply does not have the power to truly sear meat.

OK guys, try Nr.3....a Succes! Burgers as we like them. But I did crank the grill allmost to max for some time. I grilled five pattys at one time without a single complain. Rotating them for 90° gave me the best crosshatch since on both sides so the grill did hold on with the temperature throughout the cook. Also I found a hot spot on my Q320 over the junction point of the both burners on the right side of the grill surface. I wonder if the designers did this on purpouse or is it simply a way to succesfully turn on both burners at start. Anyway it's a conciderable big hot spot I'd say some 12 x 12 cm that can be used for searing.Try it out Q300 owners and let me know what you think.

Thanks guys!
Peter H.

Just a side question---Has anyone used a q 300 or 320 with a grillgrate?? Wonder if this would help the sear. I don't have a grilgrate yet myself, but have been looking at them.

Hello, I have a grill grate but have not yet used it....will post results! For burgers I'm allmost sure that it will be better. Also from past expirience I can say sausagess(not hod dogs or similar....) make big flareups when the fat escape the casing so grates are better for those meats too.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Peter H.:
Hy all,

not so long and I have my first question. I recently compared grilling 1 inch T- Bones on a Q320 and a Kettle. Steaks grilled on Q were not as good as on the Kettle. Of course I do understand that using real steakhouse lump charcoal on a Kettle will win over gas but the main difference was the searing part. I did the searing on a fully heated Q with a lid down and on a Kettle it was with the lid off.
The end result was a perfect T - Bone steak from a Kettle and a litttle mushy one from the Q even if the sear alone was good. Both were done in between medium rare and medium(135 - 145°F).
Now the question here is....can the searing part of the cooking on the Q be done with the raised lid?? Did anybody measure the real grate temperature of a fully blazing Q? For just every other piece of meat the Q is the best gas grill on the world in my oppinion but for steaks searing with the lid down it's just giving me the wrong result. The heat starts to cook the steak from the top side while searing the bottom wich it should not in my opinion. All together it's done in lets say 2 min + 2 min + 3 min on both grills but significantly better taste and texture on a Kettle.
If there is room for improvement on the Q I'd like some guidance from you masters of the grill(s).

Thanks and best regards.

Peter H. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Peter
Hi Mate.
You are trying to compare apples and oranges.

The Weber Q series is a convenience type BBQ. I defy anyone to get a better steak than one cooked over charcoal.


The Difference is that the Q cooks from the bottom up and the top down at the same time this pushes the juices into the centre and reduces cooking time which means a reduced searing time.
It all depends on individual taste. The Q300 series and the Q100 series get hotter than the Q200 Series. You can get very good steaks of the Q300 series by doing this. For a Rare - Medium Rare Steak - it should be a minimum of 1" thick 1 1/2" is best Keep steak cold until ready to cook. Preheat Q for 15 minutes, brush steak with a little OO and season with salt. Cook steak on one side for 2 minutes then rotate 90 degrees to get cross hatch searing - put on a different part of the grill - flip and cook a further 2 minutes on a different part of the grill. For heavier searing do 3 minutes per side and don't cross hatch.

Cheers

Hy,I found it too that it's better to make a steak at a time to get the fresh surface every time you turn. Personaly I'd like to get as close to that crusty seared felling of a charcoal grill. So I understand the two types are not directly comparable. I'm still learning though....thanks anyway.

Peter