The Simple Reason Your Grill Isn’t Producing Restaurant-Quality Sear Marks – And the Chef-Approved $9 Quick Fix to Elevate Your Hosting
This extra bit of care will work wonders
One of the biggest draws of summer grilling is the flavor and texture that only open-flame cooking can deliver – think caramelized crusts and perfect sear lines.
So it is understandably disappointing when protein comes off your best grill looking no different from something cooked in a pan. According to experts, the reason is often lingering residue on your grates, which prevents proper contact and even heat distribution.
One of the main reasons you're unable to produce perfect sear marks is that the grates on your BBQ are still coated in debris from previous cooking. This nylon-bristle brush is designed for scrubbing away residue, grease, and stuck-on food, allowing full contact and perfect sears.
You can reach the best temperatures for grilling meats by preheating your appliance, or mix the perfect seasoning for your proteins, but without clean, well-seasoned grates, you will never achieve the perfect sear lines, warns Ryan May, grilling expert.
'A dirty grill is a cold grill. That layer of burnt-on carbon insulates your grates, and you end up burning propane to warm up last week's residue instead of getting bare metal rod-hot. If you can't see clean metal when you open the lid, you will not get sear marks.'
Cleaning yours after every use is paramount. While you can clean without a brush, a tough nylon brush and scraper, such as the Kingsford Brush from Amazon, is the quickest and most effective treatment. The tough bristles dislodge debris and residue for a smooth cooking surface. Just don't forget to clean both sides of the grates for even heating.
Beyond cleaning, season the cast iron with quality grapeseed oil (also from Amazon) to ensure the protein doesn't stick or tear when flipping.
When cooking, Jesse Montalva, grill master at LongHorn Steakhouse, then adds, 'My best advice to achieve a nice sear when grilling steaks at home is to make sure your steaks are as dry as possible before they hit the grates. Pat them down first, then season right before cooking so excess moisture doesn’t build on the surface.
'From there, start your steaks in the back, flipping them forward every three to four minutes so each steak hits a fresh hot spot. This guarantees hotter grates, a better sear, and that rich, bold flavor that LongHorn Steakhouse is known for.'
What Else to Shop
To help you perfect your summer cookouts, I’ve rounded up a selection of expert-recommended accessories – from precision thermometers to high-heat seasoning oils.
All prices correct at time of publication.
The Thermapen offers instant temperature readings for proteins, helping you avoid under- or overcooking your steaks.
This set comes with a specialty glove to help you cook safely and the three most important tools for cooking your food perfectly: The stainless steel chef's spatula, tongs, and fork.
Cast iron grates need regular seasoning just as a cast iron pan does. Grapeseed oil is one of the best options as it has a neutral flavour and a high smoke point, protecting your pan in the long term.
Seasoning grates correctly comes down to adjusting the temperatures to ensure the seasoning is baked on correctly. This Gozney Infrared Thermometer reads the surface temperature for accurate results.
This rust eraser provides precision when removing surface rust and tarnish. It is not for use on hot cast iron cookware, however, so allow the grates to cool completely before removing rust, and then heat to season.
When seasoning and cleaning hot grates, wear protective heat-proof gloves to avoid burning your skin and cutting yourself on rough edges.
Meet the Experts
Jesse Montalva has been a grill master at LongHorn Steakhouse for over 20 years and was named one of the top US steak masters in 2019.
While you are preparing for your cookout, brush up on the summer hosting mistakes to avoid to impress your guests and ensure a smooth-running party.
