Steak help?

[TxQGuy]

Hey y’all. So, this weekend I planned on cooking up a few steaks. They (specifically ribeyes and strip steaks) are my wife’s fave, so I obviously want to put out a quality product. I make them fairly often, and they taste decent IMO, but it just occurred to me that I could probably be making better steaks. I’m trying to perfect my smoking technique on ribs/brisket, etc but I don’t think I’ve ever given much thought to how I grill steaks. In fact, I am not altogether sure that I’m even cooking them the best way they can be cooked. I hear people doing “reverse searing” and all this stuff and I wonder if I need to be incorporating some extra tricks into my arsenal. My main issue is that I don’t get that nice black crust on the outside of my steaks. Here is my process, please tell me what I should be doing differently:

1) Rub steak with olive oil, kosher salt, and spice rub (usually Fiesta brand Uncle Chris’ Steak Seasoning)
2) Refrigerate for a couple hours
3) Let steak sit at room temp a half hour before putting on grill
4) Put steak on grill directly above coal bed once coals are grey (usually use lump charcoal with a few mesquite chunks)
5) Cook roughly 3-4 minutes a side until the poke test says medium rare
6) Let sit for 10 minutes or so before eating

Once again, they taste good but the outside doesn’t have that nice crusty char that you get in steakhouses, just a few grill marks if I’m lucky and even then not always. I’ve even tried cooking them over flames rather than waiting for the coals to go gray with only slightly better crust results. How can I improve my steak game?

[PatAttack]

High heat sear, my friend. High heat! 700°+ degrees for the sear.

[chingador]

on my primo, I can get a quality sear at 550 degrees about 4 minutes per side on your basic upper quality grocery store steak (1.5" thick). Not sure how hot the old smokey gets but I imagine you can get hot enough. You are probably not cooking at high enough of a temp. Another good cheat is to get a cheap cast iron griddle and put it on the grill. Let it get hot, then sear the steak on the griddle. You will get a great crust that way. You just have to play with the time and temperature that works best for your grill.

[angryelfFan]

I like to just salt them and sit them in the fridge, uncovered, for 1-2 days. Then season with either just pepper or some other steak rub. Reverse sear on PK with lump and a chunk of pecan too 122 or so. Rest for 10-20 min as I get fire way up. Either use Grill Grates (at 500+) or not. Sometimes heat up a cast iron skillet on the grill and sear there. Add melted butter to top as I take off and rest for 5 minutes.

[TxQGuy]

Thanks for the replies!

So, I probably need a roaring flame to reach temps high enough to sear, right? I always set up a 2-zone fire in the Smokey. Would I sear them first over the flames and then move them to the cool side to finish? Or do it the other way around?


Edit: I just googled reverse searing. Apparently it means cooking your steak indirect on the cooler side first until it is almost up to temp, and then finishing it directly over the fire for a sear.

[16Adams]

I prefer the juices

[TxQGuy]

Originally Posted by 16Adams

I prefer the juices

That's a killer looking steak. I remember seeing your post the other day and forgot to ask about your method. Care to tell? I think I remember seeing foil?

[Kanco Connection]

Nice color/sear is def helped by carne crosta rub from oakridge.

[smoke ninja]

I'd say that's a good steak method. do you sear lid off? that helps get more flame on.

I do 3.5 minutes a side over a chimney of lit charcoal

[HankB]

I get a bed of lump good and hot, set the grate aside and put the steaks right on the coals. Brush any charcoal off before you serve. They don;t cook as fast as you might think because the meat tends to cool the coals.

I bring them to room temp ahead of time and S&P before they go on. But if you like the other seasonings, go with them.

[Springram]

Hot Hot ..........plus a solid surface like a griddle, cast iron pan or an upside down GrillGrate.
This way will provide an overall crust s opposed to grill marks.

If you cook on regular grill grates, you will get grill marks. I prefer Grillgrates because I do not want flame touching the meat...just 600* +/- heat. Black char is not what I call a "crust"......... I call it burned.

[SMOKE FREAK]

Originally Posted by TxQGuy

Thanks for the replies!

So, I probably need a roaring flame to reach temps high enough to sear, right? I always set up a 2-zone fire in the Smokey. Would I sear them first over the flames and then move them to the cool side to finish? Or do it the other way around?


Edit: I just googled reverse searing. Apparently it means cooking your steak indirect on the cooler side first until it is almost up to temp, and then finishing it directly over the fire for a sear.

This is how I do it...
Only advise I have is don't rush things...
Give the fire plenty of time to reach peak heat and place the meat on the screaming hot grates...It's all good...

[SmokinAussie]

Invest in some Grill Grates?

[Hoss]

If you want them to be"pretty", with grill marks and such,use grill grates really hot.If you want a seared steak,use a solid piece of cast iron,really hot.

[Big George's BBQ]

Grill grates will give you a great sear and they get 150-200* hotter than the grill Help to prevent flare ups You can flip them over and you have a flat surface like a flat top and they will not rust
Reverse sear for a thick steak- 2" or more You can also put about a 1/4 tsp of kosher salt on each side of the steak and let it sit for an hour for 1"- add 15 minutes 1/4 inch This will make the meat more tender- works great