# Searing meat before you smoke it



## dwags55

Good morning Y'all David in Slidell, Louisiana here do any of y'all sear any of the meat you smoke before you smoke it the reason I ask is I have a MES & have seen some of the post chat about the crispy outer crust i'm fixin to do the Prime Rib roast while we are out camping this weekend & I don't want to mess it up I want it to be right once again Thank  y'all for all your help which is very generous  &appreciated                                                                                                                                David in Slidell, Louisiana


----------



## alblancher

David,

I'm over on Thompson Road so HELLO from a neighbor.

I expect others to comment but I have always smoked first then sear. 

A good sear will slow down the smoke getting into the meat and any humidity in the fuel or water pan will turn the sear into mush.

You probably won't get a good "bark" using an electric smoker. 

If you are going camping this weekend I recommend doing the smoke the day before (assuming you will have no electricity) and then either slice and toss on a hot grill as needed or leave whole and roll around on a hot grill till you get the crispy you are looking for.  It might be a good idea to coat the meat with some type of butter or olive oil grilling sauce to help with color and flavor before going on the grill.

Keep in touch,  there are a couple of forum members that meet up at my little farm and do weekend smokes.


----------



## eman

Hi David,

  There are folks that do it both ways . I kinda think along the same line as AL. If smoke penitration is what we are after then why sear and seal up the outer

surface of the meat?

  Al ,He can't be to far from ya as Slidell ain't that big????


----------



## rbranstner

I've done it both ways. It all depends on what I am cooking. I use to always sear first but then I got turned onto the reverse sear.


----------



## mballi3011

When smoking a prime rib and don't want to mess it up. The only answer to your searing question to me is WHY???


----------



## jirodriguez

I would smoke first then sear. Once you seal up the pores on the outside of the meat the smoke penetration goes way down.


----------



## dwags55

I was looking for a good bark that Al was refering to. You folks are great I just thought I would get some good advice & I did this is a great site & full of information I am just learning about the search bar I am learning leaps & bounds Thanks everyone I value y'alls opinions & appreciate the help Thanks again David in Slidell, Louisiana Oh by the way I just turned my son in law on to this site because he is the one that got me started into smoking meats


----------



## meateater

Never, smoke that puppy!


----------



## SmokinAl

If you are intent on searing it, do it after you take it out of the smoker, but if it was me I would just smoke it. You should still get good bark.


----------



## eman

With the MES i don't seem to get the great bark that i got w/ my new braunful coal / stick burner.

 In discussion w/ others i think that this is from the ammount of steam that is released inside the MES from the water pan.

 I tried running it w/o the water pan and the hot spots are to much to deal with.

 The water pan is the main way that the heat is spread fairly evenly through the cabinet.

 I would just smoke first and then hot sear on the grill or under the broiler.


----------

