PM or Steeping?

I have been doing extract/specialty grains for almost a year. I have been putting my grains in about 2 gals. of water, then keeping the temp. about 150 to 160 for 45 mins. I have been hovering over the brew pot the whole time to keep tabs on temp. I then rinse the grains thru the bag with another gal. of 160 degree water. I then add about 5 more gals. of water ( I brew 7.5 gal batches) bring to a boil, add about a third of the extract,follow the hop schedule. I then add the rest of the extract about 15 mins left in the boil. I guess with the amount of water, this is a steep rather than a PM? My next step is to make a mash tun(yes I have read all the posts on how to make one) With my next batch, I am using all DME instead of LME so I will see if I can tell the difference.

>I guess with the amount of water, this is a steep rather than a PM?

IMHO, yes, you are doing a steep. Keep on keepin on....

Part of what makes it a steep rather than a mash is also the types of grains you are using. If you were mashing you need some kind of base malt to aid in starch conversion and extract sugars; since you are only using specialty grains you are only steeping regardless of how long you leave the grains in the water.

Once you make a mash tun you will need to replace some of your extract additions with 2-row or some other base malt in the mash.

Some good reading on PM's

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=29961

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=24180