Chuck Eyes pre-salted for 9 hours prior. Charcoal Rules!!

[Bob Correll]

Sorry, had to give a shout out to charcoal, seems like most posts lately have been about gas grills.
Nothing wrong with using gas, so please don't flame me.

Read somewhere recently that a top notch steak cooking chef said to salt steaks well in advance of cooking, like the day before, so the meat can reabsorb the liquid.
I used maybe a 1/2 teaspoon total on these 2 eight ounce chuck eyes, then in the fridge for 9 hours.
They were dry and didn't need paper toweling before cooking.

Lately I've been cooking our spuds with olive oil and sea salt, double wrapped in foil, in char baskets on coals for about an hour, turning a few times.
Great for some nice crispy skins.

Bakers done, firing up some lump.

Grill Grate just above the coals.

Nice and pink inside, still working on getting colors right on this computer since reds look more magenta.

Jo and I agreed that these were a notch above my normal chuck eyes, but the early salting would probably be best for strips or sirloins.

We went to the Blue Owl restaurant and bakery for lunch today.
Home of the mile high apple pie, but had to pass on dessert, too full.
I had the chicken fried steak, good stuff! (much better plating than my cook)

 

[ChuckO]

Your Chuck Eyes and Taters are amazing. But I need you to do some cooks on your Santa Maria

 

[Rusty James]

Where does one find that slab of metal to grill on, Bob? Is that a re-purposed item of yours?

The steaks look great (including the taters and bread), but I like mine to stay on the grill just a tad longer.

 

[Cliff Bartlett]

Damned Bob, that looks down home delicious!

 

[Robert T]

The steaks look perfect. I haven't salted steaks quite that long but I have also heard that is the way to go. That little mini griddle thing seems to be perfect for getting that bark on the outside of the steak. What is that? I have a Lodge griddle but it is a serious PIA to clean and oil after cooking. Maybe the salt drawing out the moisture helped form the really nice color of your steaks? As far as charcoal, Bob I don't even own a gas grill any more. 15 years ago I was strictly a gas guy until cooking with real fire took me.

 

[Tim K]

The photo that Rusty is talking about just blew my mind!! Not only does this site willingly and knowingly help others better themselves as masters of all things Weber, I get so many great ideas just. Y looking at the photos posted as well!! I can only imagine the looks I will get the next time we have friends over and I remove the grate and place the spuds on the inside of the bowl, and the steaks on a plank of steel over the coals!!
MIND BLOWN!!
Great job on the steaks, the color is spot on, I've tried for years to achieve that illusive magenta color, and you nailed it!!����
Awesome post as usual,
Tim

 

[JRAiona]

That looks seriously good Bob.

 

[Bob Correll]

Thanks so much everyone!
That slab of metal is simply the flip side of one GrillGrate.
Here's when I was breaking them in with bacon:

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

All killer cooks, Bob!

 

[JimK]

Beautiful steaks Bob.

I can see from that plated pic of the chicken fried steak why you didn't have room for dessert.

 

[CaseT]

Steak looks great! Plate looks great!

That salt method works good for chicken and turkeys too. Dry brine is the way to go in my opinion.

We like crispy skin taters too. Good stuff!

 

[Robert-R]

Love the steaks. & the taters.

The pic of the chicken fry is the reason I stay out of home cook restaurants.
I'm a fool for chicken fried steak & eggs Benedict.

 

[Rich Dahl]

Barb and I agree with "Charcoal Rules" so no flames from us.

Great cook Bob, we really love Chuck eyes but don't see them to often around here, Also like the tater idea, going to try that.
Funny about the CF steak Barb and I go to a little restaurant in Prescott that serves the best CFS ever once a year between our birthdays and that's tomorrow. Get my annual salt and cholesterol bomb for the year


Been lucky so far this month been able to use the performer and JJ a lot due to low winds. I'm sure they will be restricting charcoal use again this summer, they already have banned target shooting in the forest and all campfires and charcoal use. Haven't said we can't use charcoal at home yet but I'm sure it's coming. Last year the imposed the restrictions on July 1st this year June 1st.
Monsoon season here starts next week, hopefully we will get some early heavy rains. That usually pushes out the home restriction if they haven't already enforced it.
If so gas it is.

 

[Barb D]

Bob, love the steak just right and taters we will have to give that a try. That CFS looks delicious and can't wait to get ours tomorrow.

 

[Bob H.]

That chicken fried steak from the Blue Owl would be great for breakfast too with a few eggs added! Love the Chuckeyes........

 

[Michael C.]

Nice crust on those steaks!!!!! Looks very tasty!!!!

 

[JeffG]

I'v never seen a chuck eye in these parts, Bob yours look tremendous.
Did you use the big spatula? ahahah

 

[David Fletcher]

Where is this Blue Owl? That chicken fried steak looks amazing!!! Talk about food ****!

 

[Rusty James]

Where is this Blue Owl?

Maybe this is it...

https://www.facebook.com/theblueowl/

Looks as good or better than the Cracker Barrel.

EDIT: http://theblueowl.com/

EDIT 2: Wow, they close at 3:00pm during the week?? I can't count the mom & pop joints that do not serve dinner around here either. At least the Blue Owl is open a little later on the weekend.

 

[Tony R]

Wow!
Missed those chuck eyes.