Post by chsdavid on Dec 2, 2014 1:17:57 GMT -5
Tonight I assembled my Searzall, TS8000 torch and 14.6-oz Coleman propane tank, and used it for the first time.
First impressions:
1. The video explaining seasoning was a big help.
2. My local big-box hardware stores sold the TS8000 only in a kit with a MAP canister. I've set that canister aside and purchased the recommended 14.6-oz propane canister. I'd rather not risk my Searzall's screens with MAP.
3. The flame lapping up through the screens around the Searzall's body (toward the TS8000 knob) during seasoning was a little worrisome. I could feel my fingers (and the TS8000's plastic controls) getting warm as I held the Searzall pointed downward, so the screens stayed parallel to the floor. But having watched the video, I knew I was doing it right and the 2 minutes went by fairly quickly.
4. I noticed the outside of the Searzall has changed color significantly following the seasoning and my first cook. The half closest to the gas canister (farthest from the screen, or if you want to be all science-y the proximal part of the Searzall's body) now looks almost anodized, with irregular waves of indigo and blue. The border of the colors is not equidistant from the edge, suggesting that the heat is unevenly distributed.
5. Even after 2 minutes of seasoning, I could see smoke and gas coming from the screens.
But to the more important issue, results...
I'm an experienced BBQer and have for years combined SV and BBQ methods. When cooking for a crowd I typically finish my SV products for a few seconds per side on a high-temp cast iron grate fired by lump charcoal (Kamado-style ceramic smoker set up for searing), so I get a nice sear plus a hint of wood smoke. When cooking for just myself, I have been finishing my SV proteins using an Iwatani butane torch. It gives a decent sear but no smoke. So I wanted to see how the Searzall compares with those two methods.
For my first cook using the Searzall, I tried SV fresh salmon filet, skin on, runs about $12 a pound at the local grocery (the fresh, color-enhanced-by-feed kind, not a premium wild-caught). Seasoned with Prudhomme "Magic Salmon Seasoning" with skin left on, no added fat, then SV for 20 minutes at 132ºF since it was not sushi-grade fish. I dried the cooked filet with a paper towel, then Searzalled both sides without problem.
Best freakin' salmon I've ever tasted. Jaw-droppingly good. The sear was perfect, with the heat line (the dreaded "gray line" in beef) almost invisibly thin. It was like eating pink butter. I'm a convert.
First impressions:
1. The video explaining seasoning was a big help.
2. My local big-box hardware stores sold the TS8000 only in a kit with a MAP canister. I've set that canister aside and purchased the recommended 14.6-oz propane canister. I'd rather not risk my Searzall's screens with MAP.
3. The flame lapping up through the screens around the Searzall's body (toward the TS8000 knob) during seasoning was a little worrisome. I could feel my fingers (and the TS8000's plastic controls) getting warm as I held the Searzall pointed downward, so the screens stayed parallel to the floor. But having watched the video, I knew I was doing it right and the 2 minutes went by fairly quickly.
4. I noticed the outside of the Searzall has changed color significantly following the seasoning and my first cook. The half closest to the gas canister (farthest from the screen, or if you want to be all science-y the proximal part of the Searzall's body) now looks almost anodized, with irregular waves of indigo and blue. The border of the colors is not equidistant from the edge, suggesting that the heat is unevenly distributed.
5. Even after 2 minutes of seasoning, I could see smoke and gas coming from the screens.
But to the more important issue, results...
I'm an experienced BBQer and have for years combined SV and BBQ methods. When cooking for a crowd I typically finish my SV products for a few seconds per side on a high-temp cast iron grate fired by lump charcoal (Kamado-style ceramic smoker set up for searing), so I get a nice sear plus a hint of wood smoke. When cooking for just myself, I have been finishing my SV proteins using an Iwatani butane torch. It gives a decent sear but no smoke. So I wanted to see how the Searzall compares with those two methods.
For my first cook using the Searzall, I tried SV fresh salmon filet, skin on, runs about $12 a pound at the local grocery (the fresh, color-enhanced-by-feed kind, not a premium wild-caught). Seasoned with Prudhomme "Magic Salmon Seasoning" with skin left on, no added fat, then SV for 20 minutes at 132ºF since it was not sushi-grade fish. I dried the cooked filet with a paper towel, then Searzalled both sides without problem.
Best freakin' salmon I've ever tasted. Jaw-droppingly good. The sear was perfect, with the heat line (the dreaded "gray line" in beef) almost invisibly thin. It was like eating pink butter. I'm a convert.