Ribeyes on the Santa Maria

Enjoying my new grill. Love the flavor of open fire pit cooking. I like it with a little bit of flame.

Small ribeye steaks from homegrown grass-fed Dexter. I wanted to taste the beef, so only salt 60 min before grilling.
Smashed homegrown potatoes with EVO, garlic, salt, rosemary.
Charred homegrown tomatoes with EVO, salt, oregano.
Steaks were 1" thick so cooked directly over hot coals/fire (no reverse sear).
Used chimney of lump charcoal and 3 logs of red oak.

Gimmethecash said:

Love me some ribeye over open fire/coals. Your whole cook looks great!

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Open fire cooking always seems to add a little something extra.

SMOKE FREAK said:

That's good marbling for grass fed beef :thumb:

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Dexter cattle are known for marbling on grass without grain, and their flavor is hard to beat. So I seldom use any seasoning except salt for flavorful cuts like ribeye, picanha, ribs ...

Fooball said:

I know you said this is a new grill, but what are your first impressions on that style of grill grate?

I always saw the "v" grates on Argentina grills and thought I would rather have stainless rod to allow the drippings to hit the fire and also be easier clean-up.

Seems like the v design also blocks some direct fire heat that rods would not.

Just wondering what you think.

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I've done 5 cooks so far, and I'm really liking the flavor I get.

As you said, the drippings do not fall onto the fire with Argentine grates. Some people say the vaporizing (burning) fat is what makes grilled meat taste grilled. I dunno, but if the Argentine grates are hot, some of the drippings should be vaporized immediately right below the meat. I don't know how much of that happens, but considerable drippings can be caught by the V-grates (especially chicken fat), and you could even use this as a mop to add back on the meat while it cooks (I haven't tried this yet). At any rate, I am getting used to them. The biggest possible drawback I see is that round/cylindrical pieces of food could roll down the grate (grate is inclined to collect drippings in tray) or maybe into the grooves.

Of course, the reason Argentinians use this style of grate is because there are almost no flare ups. On a kettle you use the lid to control flare ups. The Argentine/Santa Maria grills are open pits and don't have lids.

Clean up seems easy enough. You dump out the removable drippings tray and wipe down the grates.

I don't think there is much heat loss due to blockage. They radiate any heat they absorb.

I also have a set of "laser cut" grates but haven't tried them yet.

Sorry for the long answer.

shares said:

Cool design with the up-turned angle stock. Should give nice even grill marks. But how do you clean out what collects in the angle?

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The grate is inclined and drippings run into a removable tray. I clean the grate with a wet Grill Rescue Brush, which steam cleans the grate and removes most leavings.