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So we all know that steaks like to be cooked HOT. I’ve cooked plenty of steaks this way & as long as they have good marbling, they come out great. This usually means steaks like a Rib Eye in the USDA Choice category at a minimum.
Carrie and I stoked the Egg one eve and whipped out this amazing steak cooked at over 700 degrees in the Egg. Keep in mind that as long as the internal temps in a steak stay around 120 -125 degrees – the meat stays red and juicy inside. When the temps get higher than that, the steak begins to cook through. Your job as a BBQ master is to cook that steak in as little time as it takes to lightly char the exterior & leave a tender pink interior with as little grey around the edges of the pink as possible. Of course if the preference is more of a medium or we done steak -LOWER the temps at which you cook it.
For what is’s worth, many steak afficionados love the Medium Rare steak & that is my taste as well…
We used some of the Rub Co. “Santa Maria” product as our base & added butter, garlic & rosemary near the end. I like to add the herbal ingredients late in the cook so that the flame doesn’t just burn them off – you can see the coarse garlic & rosemary in the photos.
If you haven’t tried this style of steak cooking – it will probably take some practice – everything happens pretty fast. Don’t give up, as the reward is all the equal of a Morton’s, Ruth’s Chris etc. type of steak -except the price! So go fire that BBQ, get your self a great cut of meat and go to work!
Marbling, simply put, is the distribution of fat within a cut of beef. The USDA measures this “Marbling” and assigns a grade to the beef. Many recognize that without a degree of marbling, a steak or beef cut just doesn’t taste very flavorful, and may even be tough and dry after cooking. There is a commonly accepted relationship between the amount of marbling in a beef cut, and it’s inherent flavor. There is also a direct corollary between marbling and price per pound of beef. This chart explains why a “Select” grade Rib Eye steak will taste remarkably different than a “Prime” Rib Eye steak – and cost more too.
These are excerpts from the USDA marbling chart. I wanted to post this as an example of the differences that exist between meat grades that we commonly see in the store. The standard USDA grades are labeled, Kobe Beef falls between “Prime” and “Marble Score 4”. The “Marble Scores” come from Australian Wagu Beef, or other unique breeds of cattle. Draw your own conclusions about the grade of beef and the fat content of each.
So, next time a “Select” New York steak steak goes on sale at you local market , realize that a “Prime” sirloin may be the more flavorful cut at a similar price. Keep in mind that all steaks or beef cuts are NOT created equal. One simply cannot cook the same steak at home as was had at a restaurant unless the grade is the same or similar…no matter how amazing your BBQ skills are.
I thought is was visually interesting to see all of the beef grades together for a quick comparison. I hope this leads to a more well informed beef purchase and better quality BBQ.
We are a small business that wanted to take a fresh approach to the old ways of backyard cooking. You won’t find gas grills, paper plates, plastic forks or lighter fluid in our store. We carry specialty barbecues and smokers that are friendly for our mother earth. Our selection of gourmet sauces, spices and rubs come from award winning locals all over the country.
We are constantly on the lookout for new recipes, products, techniques and new experiences. Monthly events will take place at our store to teach the basic skills in barbecue preparation, cooking, and to just meet new friends. Check out our calendar of events for current demos and classes.
Ask us about our drop-off barbecue catering services….coming soon.
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Green Leaf BBQ Shop - Gourmet BBQ Products 