Steak Grilling Question

[fightingquaker13]

Ok. I generally do not live high on the hog. However my butcher shop had bone in "cowboy cut" rib eyes for $10 a pound. I cooked them on medium high  with the lid down. About 450 with salt and pepper, lemon pepper on one side and MaCormick's steak seasoning on the other with good olive oil. 10 minutes covered, and rare to medium rare no worries. The question is the crust. How do I do get the things to give this without charring the outside, undercooking the inside, and get that crust I can produce in my oven, but minus the hickory? I like the grill and hickory. Any advice is appreciated.
FQ13

[Timothy]

Grill isn't hot enough.

I buy steaks every week and start with a thick cut, at least 1-1/2 - 2" thick.  Rib Eye or a NY Strip works for me, my wife usually gets the fillet.  Anyway, I get the grill screaming hot, 600 deg if I can, the winters get a little tough.

Get the steaks to room temperature about an hour on the counter.  Rub with EVOO and add your rub, anything will do.  I like the McCormicks as well but you can make a decent one with just what you have in the pantry.  Drop the steaks on the grill, close the cover and don't open until ready to flip.  This sears in the juices.

1-1/2" - 2" steak is about 7 minutes on first side, 6 minutes after the flip and don't mess with it.  This will get you to M. Rare to Medium.  Takes a little practice until you get your grill right.  Poke the steak with your finger, if it feels rather squishy, it's rare, it will firm up as it cooks.  If it gets stiff, it's overdone, again it takes some practice.  Remove the steaks from the grill and depending on how thick they are, it's very important to let them rest for 5 minutes or so.  This also will loosen up the sear on the surface and it won't seem so charred.

I make as good a steak as any restaurant with maybe the exception of a Morton House.....I can't age my beef as they do so I gotta compromise.  It's basic understanding and nothing more.  A good steak needs HIGH heat!

[fullautovalmet76]

Like Timothy, I think your grill is not hot enough. But I have a different approach to get you where you want to go:

This technique is borrowed from an article in Cook's Illustrated:

Before going to the grill, put the steaks in the oven (275 degrees) and raise the internal temperature to between 90 - 95 degrees for rare - medium rare, or to about 105 (max) degrees for medium. You'll need a good meat thermometer for this (Poulder) too.

After this is complete, take them to your super-hot grill and sear them well. This will allow the crust you want without over cooking the inside. And this is important: after you have them like you want, or close, take them off and let them rest for at least 10 minutes; it really matters.....

One other thing I do before any of this is to give my steaks a good wet rub for at least 8 hours to overnight. And I will let the steaks age in the bottom of the fridge for about 4 days too.

Good luck!

[MikeBjerum]

Timothy,

Buy your meat uncut, place in a large covered plastic container with several holes drilled in the sides and a plastic rack to keep the meat of the bottom, and place in the refrigerator for anywhere from three to ten days.  After aging trim off any "funky" stuff and slice to the thickness you like.

Aging does two things to improve meat:  First, it allows natural enzymes to break down connective tissue and tenderize the meat; and second, it concentrates flavor by dehydrating the meat slightly.

One of the reasons really good aged beef is so expensive is because of the loss of meat through moisture loss and trim.

We are very fortunate to have access to some really good beef and pork at good prices ... good prices being slightly higher than the grocery store often, because we can sometimes get the really good stuff.  Really spoils you when you get sirloin at sirloin price that is better than many ribeye that you pick up at the local market.  I'm lovin' it for as long as we can get it!

[ericire12]

Yep, the hotter the better when it comes to steaks.....BTUs BABY!

[Sponsor]

[Timothy]

Buy your meat uncut, place in a large covered plastic container with several holes drilled in the sides and a plastic rack to keep the meat of the bottom, and place in the refrigerator for anywhere from three to ten days.  After aging trim off any "funky" stuff and slice to the thickness you like.

That's a GREAT idea Mike....I would hate to freeze it after the aging process though, I think it detracts from the flavor somewhat.

Thoughts?

One of the markets around here, probably Whole Foods, has an aging refer in their butcher department, keeps the strip or rib at 38-40 degrees for a month or so.  Then they trim off all the nasty and cut to the customers thickness.  It about triples the cost of the cut.  Your idea would put strips on the grill for about 3-4 bucks a pound.  I can get a whole strip for about 35-50 bucks for an 8-10 pound strip.  I'm going shopping!

[ericire12]

its also good to leave it out of the Frig for about 30 minutes before putting it on the grill.

[jnevis]

I set the stove to med hi/hi (7-9 if so marked) and let the pan heat up.  I have one that has grill "rails" so I get the char lines like on the BBQ.  Then I usually toss a rub on one side and spray with cooking spray or olive oil.  I put the steaks down and add rub/oil to the other side.  2-3 minutes, rotate 90 deg, 2-3 more and turn over and same thing.  It gives the crossed pattern like at the steakhouses.   Let it sit for a few minutes and serve.

Rubs:
Cabelas Maple Jalapeno, Mesquite Chipotle, Wild Game
McCormicks Cinnamon Chipotle, Mediterranean Spiced Sea Salt, Spicy Motreal Steak seasoning
I've also made some using espresso gring coffee, sea salt, ground cumin, dried rosemarie, and black and white pepper

I've also marinated them on occassion in various stuff like italian dressing, coffee, and Tobasco Chipotle sauce

[1911 Junkie]

I like McCormicks steakhouse grinders as a rub on my steak. I also usually buy Delmonico. (I know the history of the exact cut is fuzzy and all).
Let the steak come to room temp, use EVOO & rub. Get the grill as hot as it can, cook 3min per side. Done.

[MikeBjerum]

its also good to leave it out of the Frig for about 30 minutes before putting it on the grill.

You want the meat at room temp all the way through (I think this was mentioned on here earlier).  It drives my wife nuts, but I take the meat out of the fridge at least an hour ahead for an inch thick, and up to four hours ahead if we are talking roasts.  The "food police" will chew your ass on this one, but nothing is going to grow that the hot grill won't kill right away.