MikeB
TVWBB Fan
Let me start out by saying I've never really seen the big deal with grill marks on meats. I understand "presentation is everything" in food service, but for me at home it was not too important.
For many years when I was regularly using my Smokey Joe I would just flip, flip, flip, flip, flip until I thought the steak was done. Since I've had my EP-330 and have been reading this site I've been working at trying to mimic some of the nice looking hash marks I see here. I've never really been able to get it worth sharing a photo
I always seemed to go too far and ended up with blackened grill marks or blackening face of the steak.
Yesterday I had a nice pair of rib eyes from Copp's getting ready all afternoon- a liberal coating of kosher salt, and my own mix of everything else in the cabinet thrown together in one shake container. Flipped for the same on both sides. In the fridge for a couple hours then flipped on the plate for a couple more. As I was getting things ready I put the plate o'steaks on the counter to lose the chill for about 45 minutes.
I thought I would try something a little different for grilling this time. I preheated with the left, sear, and middle burners wide open on high, and the right burner on low. When the hood temp was around 600 I tossed the steaks on over the sear burner. Closed the lid and waited about 2 minutes. Opened for a peek at the bottom- a light brown grill pattern. Turned them 90 degrees and closed the lid. Another couple of minutes, flip to the other side, close the lid- same routine- a couple of minutes, peek and turn. After the last 2 minutes or so I cut the left, sear, and middle burners off completely and cranked the right burner to high. With the occasional peek and flip to check temps with my trusty Thermopen, the hood temp hung around 300~350. When the internal meat temp hit 140 I pulled and plated. I let them rest about 5~10 minutes under a plastic cover while we got everything else together. As we ate I couldn't stop "mmmm-ing" about how good these steaks came out. I think these were my favorite steaks I've ever made. I prefer a little more red inside myself, but these were nice and pink, just the right compromise for me and Sweetie. And a light cross hatch grill pattern without over doing it. Juicy juicy juicy too! I hope I can duplicate these again. I might have hit on something that works for me.
For many years when I was regularly using my Smokey Joe I would just flip, flip, flip, flip, flip until I thought the steak was done. Since I've had my EP-330 and have been reading this site I've been working at trying to mimic some of the nice looking hash marks I see here. I've never really been able to get it worth sharing a photo
I always seemed to go too far and ended up with blackened grill marks or blackening face of the steak.Yesterday I had a nice pair of rib eyes from Copp's getting ready all afternoon- a liberal coating of kosher salt, and my own mix of everything else in the cabinet thrown together in one shake container. Flipped for the same on both sides. In the fridge for a couple hours then flipped on the plate for a couple more. As I was getting things ready I put the plate o'steaks on the counter to lose the chill for about 45 minutes.
I thought I would try something a little different for grilling this time. I preheated with the left, sear, and middle burners wide open on high, and the right burner on low. When the hood temp was around 600 I tossed the steaks on over the sear burner. Closed the lid and waited about 2 minutes. Opened for a peek at the bottom- a light brown grill pattern. Turned them 90 degrees and closed the lid. Another couple of minutes, flip to the other side, close the lid- same routine- a couple of minutes, peek and turn. After the last 2 minutes or so I cut the left, sear, and middle burners off completely and cranked the right burner to high. With the occasional peek and flip to check temps with my trusty Thermopen, the hood temp hung around 300~350. When the internal meat temp hit 140 I pulled and plated. I let them rest about 5~10 minutes under a plastic cover while we got everything else together. As we ate I couldn't stop "mmmm-ing" about how good these steaks came out. I think these were my favorite steaks I've ever made. I prefer a little more red inside myself, but these were nice and pink, just the right compromise for me and Sweetie. And a light cross hatch grill pattern without over doing it. Juicy juicy juicy too! I hope I can duplicate these again. I might have hit on something that works for me.
