Caveman steaks - what's the point???


 
R

Russ Harris

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I'm sure you all are familiar with caveman steaks - steaks cooked by placing the meat right on the charcoal instead of on the grill grate. They seem to be somewhat popular and easy to do although I have never done them. My question is simple - what is the point of doing your steaks that way? I mean, what added benefit do you get by putting them on the coals instead of on the grill? Most of the techniques we use have an added benefit. We brine chicken and turkey for juicier meat. We add smoke wood for smokey flavor. So why do we do our steaks caveman style? Just wondering.
 
Interesting question, and one that I really hadn't ever thought about in depth before.

For me, the caveman is part show/part novelty/part unique flavor. It really does produce a tasty steak, if you like your meat med-rare (which we do.) It's an odd description, but it's almost like you can taste the actual fire on the meat. Hard to make that make any sense if you've not had one, but hopefully someone else can go with me on that one.

When we have guests, it is just plain old fun to whack a big ribeye right on the coals and see people get real nervous real fast. So, selfishly, there's that part too.

As for an actual tangible "benefit" I'm not certain there is one, outside of not having to brush the grates.
 
Maybe you don't have to brush the grates, but don't you have to brush the steak before you eat it?
I've never done a caveman steak, but I am curious to try. Don't the briquettes stick to the meat? And how long do you leave each side of the steak in the coals?
My feeling has been that it's mostly a novelty thing - not that there's anything wrong with that - but it makes sense that there would be some different flavor imparted to the meat too.
I'll have to try it sometime when the cavewoman won't be involved.
 
The idea is that since there's no oxygen between the fuel and the meat, you get a very fast flash of heat without fire. I tried it once and did not like the results. Cast iron on the Performer gets much better results for me.
 
I've done it before on a red hot oak log in a campfire or fireplace. I think the results are worth it in that regard, never tried it on the lump in a kettle....

Tim
 
I did it just to try it... we'd hiked all day to lone peak, started w// the steaks frozen in our packs in foil & a baggie. Once we got to the top we gathered some deadfall, got some coals, & burned some meat like they used to do it way back when...

There's another technique I've seen that also looks interesting where I think the meat's aged in a terrycloth towel & the whole thing thrown on the fire.

I guess it just looks cool and is something to talk about. But FWIW, next time I'll prolly use some foil.
 
the surface of the coals is a lot hotter than the surface of the grates

you get a great crust/sear without cooking the inside of the steak past where you like it.

you can cook thinner steaks to med rare this way and STILL have a nice sear.
 
I tried this method a while back, and with my briquettes I got chunks of charcoal stuck on the meat. Gave for an odd cruch thats for sure.. Worked great but I don't think I will be doing it again just for my teeth's sake.. I found that I have been able to get the char I am looking for by just piling up the charcoal nearer to the grate.. But thats just this guys findings
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jeremy Calow:
I tried this method a while back, and with my briquettes I got chunks of charcoal stuck on the meat. Gave for an odd cruch thats for sure.. Worked great but I don't think I will be doing it again just for my teeth's sake.. I found that I have been able to get the char I am looking for by just piling up the charcoal nearer to the grate.. But thats just this guys findings
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</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Caveman say briquettes bad when cook steak. Must use lump.
 
for better results:

the surface of your steaks MUST be dry.

and you should use a hair dryer, air pump, or a bellows to blow the ash off the surface of your charcoal and get it rocket hot. do this at the flip too.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by JimK:


Caveman say briquettes bad when cook steak. Must use lump. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Jeremy say thank you Caveman, me try different next time!!
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I love steak and have cooked it many different ways. What the other folks have said is right, it produces a unique flavor. Use a simple seasoning like salt and pepper. I like to do it with a T-bone or porterhouse. A steak with the bone in it. Use lump not briquettes.
 
We were packing up on Friday after the Best of the Best invitational competition last year...the team behind us was there getting ready for the open the next day.

They had a 5' diameter fire ring full of glowing-red lump charcoal they had been working for an hour, getting it ready. I think they had something like 35 steaks to cook.

They gave us one.

Best steak I have ever eaten in my life.

'nuff said.
 
I've done it many times and not only did I like the results but so did my wife who saw me throwing them on the coals. She freaked at first unilt I got a peice of steak in her mouth and rubbed her throat like you have to do to the dog when giving meds (just kidding, she'd kick my @ss).
A t-bone or a rib eye with plenty of marbling. Use kosher salt and fresh ground peppercorn. I have not used the grate since i did this the first time. My guests love it always ask if I'm going "caveman" on the steaks. I also use my CI skillet to do the onions and peppers (that goes on the steak) right on the coals too.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Russell Y:
Would it be safe to do caveman steaks on Stubb's briquette's? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think it would be safe, but the reason most people use lump is the ash. With briquettes you are going to have more ash and a lower temp, whereas with lump the high heat sears the steak better and there is less ash to deal with.
 
If you have not made steaks like this yet, please do. Dont worry, you will not screw them up.

They will be the best steaks you have ever had.

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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Russell Y:
Would it be safe to do caveman steaks on Stubb's briquette's? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I wouldn't. When I do mine I use lump and just give a quick brush off to both sides. My FIL came over last weekend for dinner where I commenced to go caveman on the steaks, he near had a heart attack. "hey! what are you doing, your ruining the steaks!!! LOL!
After a bite he said that was the best tasting steak he's ever had and he's been around.
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I'll have to try this next time I go camping. How important is the blow dryer? Can I clean the coals enough by waving a plate back and forth?
 
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