2LaneCruzer
Super Star Member
I posted this on another site, and decided to repost it here. One of my favorite subjects!
HOW I COOK MY STEAKS
If you have a reputation for cooking a good steak, let's hear it. I have several tell me I cooked the best steak they have ever eaten, and when we cook steaks at the Lodge, some want to make sure I cook their steak. Here's my story.
The first charcoaled steak I ever ate, I cooked it myself in 1959, when my folks bought their first charcoal grill. Over the years, my general method evolved as follows:
My favorite steak is a one inch thick bone in rib eye. I always buy the best grade of meat I can find; Prime, if I can afford it, but Choice will work. I will buy the marked down, out of date steaks if they have them; I try to let them age in the frige a week or so before I cook them anyway.
Take them out of the frige a couple of hours before cooking and let them come to room temp. I spray mine with olive oil, add a light sprinkling of dry mustard on one side and season moderately with Montreal Steak seasoning. I add about a tablespoon of Saute Butter on top (regular butter will work), and cover them with a paper towel until time to cook. Oh, you can omit the mustard and steak seasoning if you are a purist, which I was for most of my steak cooking days. I avoid meat tenderizer and garlic, acknowledging that the Montreal seasoning has some garlic added.
I use my Weber charcoal grill, and what ever charcoal I have; brick or chunk. After it is ready, I add my smoking wood..SEASONED Mesquite, Oak (blackjack) and either Hickory or Pecan. I use smaller chunks, so they will catch and burn quickly; about 3 or four small ones of each type. I do not soak them. I let it set a few minutes so the smoke will develop, and add my steaks, butter and seasoned side up. I like a medium hot grill; I don't want to burn them, but I do want them to cook quickly. A one inch thick steak, cooked about at least 5 or so minutes on one side will usually be plenty brown and ready to turn. Watch the fire that it's not too hot, sometimes I close t he top vent. I add another dollup of butter, and cook it a total of about 15 minutes for a medium steak.
It's best to let your steak sit for about 5 minutes at least before cutting into it, but it's hard to wait some times.
I think the key elements are: 1. Charcoal Grill. 2. The types and amount of smoking wood you use. 3. The type, grade and thickness of the steak; 4. Time and temperature; and to some extent the seasoning you use.
HOW I COOK MY STEAKS
If you have a reputation for cooking a good steak, let's hear it. I have several tell me I cooked the best steak they have ever eaten, and when we cook steaks at the Lodge, some want to make sure I cook their steak. Here's my story.
The first charcoaled steak I ever ate, I cooked it myself in 1959, when my folks bought their first charcoal grill. Over the years, my general method evolved as follows:
My favorite steak is a one inch thick bone in rib eye. I always buy the best grade of meat I can find; Prime, if I can afford it, but Choice will work. I will buy the marked down, out of date steaks if they have them; I try to let them age in the frige a week or so before I cook them anyway.
Take them out of the frige a couple of hours before cooking and let them come to room temp. I spray mine with olive oil, add a light sprinkling of dry mustard on one side and season moderately with Montreal Steak seasoning. I add about a tablespoon of Saute Butter on top (regular butter will work), and cover them with a paper towel until time to cook. Oh, you can omit the mustard and steak seasoning if you are a purist, which I was for most of my steak cooking days. I avoid meat tenderizer and garlic, acknowledging that the Montreal seasoning has some garlic added.
I use my Weber charcoal grill, and what ever charcoal I have; brick or chunk. After it is ready, I add my smoking wood..SEASONED Mesquite, Oak (blackjack) and either Hickory or Pecan. I use smaller chunks, so they will catch and burn quickly; about 3 or four small ones of each type. I do not soak them. I let it set a few minutes so the smoke will develop, and add my steaks, butter and seasoned side up. I like a medium hot grill; I don't want to burn them, but I do want them to cook quickly. A one inch thick steak, cooked about at least 5 or so minutes on one side will usually be plenty brown and ready to turn. Watch the fire that it's not too hot, sometimes I close t he top vent. I add another dollup of butter, and cook it a total of about 15 minutes for a medium steak.
It's best to let your steak sit for about 5 minutes at least before cutting into it, but it's hard to wait some times.
I think the key elements are: 1. Charcoal Grill. 2. The types and amount of smoking wood you use. 3. The type, grade and thickness of the steak; 4. Time and temperature; and to some extent the seasoning you use.
