Steaks... Sear? Smoke?


 
D

Don NICKLES

TVWBB Member
My steaks are pretty good. Maybe perfect (buy Good steaks,salt and pepper to room temp, cook to 135, cover for 5 minutes or so, A1 sauce. Is there any advantage to using a sear burner? I am assuming you would just start it on the burner...Also as far as using smoke wood I am undecided. If I use a light smoke wood I like it but if I don't use wood i don't miss it at all...what is the consensus?
 
I can offer no input re: a sear burner. As for smoke wood, I will occasionally toss a chunk of mesquite into the fire under a bone-in ribeye. Someday I am going to try cooking steaks over an oak fire - no charcoal, just oak chunks. I invite anyone who has done this to share their impressions . . .

Thanks.
 
I'm not sure if the steak would be in the smoke long enough to absorb any smoke flavor. I think you should give it a try and let us know how it turns out.
PS- what time are we eating?!
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Don,
All sounded good until the "A1 sauce"
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We love our steaks smoked, and it's easy to do, if doing the reverse sear.
Just a small chunk of wood on the coals, with the steak on the cool side of an indirect setup, lid down.

Then sear when the internal is about 10 degrees below target.
 
Sometimes I'm in the mood for smoke, sometimes not. If I am, I'll simply toss a chunk of oak or cherry into the coals. And I'll even throw some hickory on for burgers from time to time. Don't have a sear burner, but I usually do steak as hot as I can get the fire.
 
My favorite steak cook is "smoke then sear"
Build a fire like for an indirect cook & smoke the steaks for 15 min then pull.
Spread fire heat up then sear.
 
Originally posted by Kevin Walsh:
...Someday I am going to try cooking steaks over an oak fire - no charcoal, just oak chunks. I invite anyone who has done this to share their impressions...
Click to expand...
Kevin - I've grilled ribeyes direct over burning apple chunks, and my wife and I LOVED them! I lit a full chimney of fist-sized chunks, and had to wait about 30 min before they were ready for grilling (flames were quite high!). I started by cooking corn on the cob doused with melted butter, sprinkled with herbs and Parmesan cheese and wrapped in foil. After 20 min, I moved the corn off to indirect and then seared and grilled the steaks. They had such a unique and wonderful flavor from the apple wood that I plan to do it again when we find ribeyes on sale.

In all, the chunks burned a lot faster than charcoal, and only gave me about 30 min total cooking time. But I think it's worth it for the experience and flavor from grilling over direct, live hardwood fire.

Barret
 
I like Alton Brown's approach to porterhouse. Broil tucked underneath a charcoal chimney half full of flaming lump for a couple minutes per side. Have yet to try it, but it looks awesome.
 
Don, Im assuming you have a gasser with a sear burner. I've been doing some steaks on my S670's sear burner. I love it. I really only use the sear burner to cook t-bones, ribeyes that are about 1- 1/2'' thick. Fire up the grill full blast with the sear burner on. 2 minutes a side and they're done for me. For the wife who likes it more on the med-well side i do the same and just put on med heat off to the side for an extra few mins.
 
Hurricane Wilma taught me that wood fired grilling can produce some unbelievable results, no exotic fruit woods,just daily collecting of any dry fallen branches. Light a good sized fire in the kettle,wait for it to peak then spread evenly,close lid for ten min. or so and cook away. After two weeks of no power I had it down. Try it,you wont be dissapointed.
 
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