- Aug 27, 2008
- 5,170
- 409
LOL!!! Thought this would be a fitting way to fix up some steaks for Halloween dinner. Well, that, and I haven't done this for quite a while...I know, I should be slapped for being so lax...
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is my favorite way to whip out any small cuts of meat including any cuts of beef or pork steaks, pork chops and chicken.
A new member who I've exchanged a few PM's with seemed interested in this method, so I felt step by step would be in order for his and everyone else's benefit.
Here's the thread containing my "how to" for the coffee can mod, if you need some ideas on how to get this project started:
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/76177/coffee-can-mod-for-charcoal-smoking-steaks
Holy smokers! I just looked at the start date for that thread...18 months I've been doing cold smoked/seared goodies, and still going strong! LOL!!!!
For our refresher, let's take it from the top, shall we?
Smoke can with some Hickory chips, waiting for hot coals...I used chips instead of chunks this time for a bit shorter smoke...I use small chunks for 60-90+ minutes of smoke, but I'll only smoke for about 3/4 hour tonight:
Before we continue any farther down this road...
...get your bibs ready and cover the keyboards....
While I got my smoke can ready and was waiting for charcoal briquettes to getting burning nice and hot, I prepped the steaks.
I didn't feel like firing up my spice grinder tonight, so, the dry rubs are Tony's Creole:
And, Weber's Burgundy Beef:
Dropped the coals ino the can on top of the smoke wood:
Next, you just set a small diameter coal grate on top to invert and set into the kettle...I use welding gloves for this and any other high heat exposure while cooking...use one hand over the grate while lifting and inverting the two pieces...place centered over the ash catcher and adjust intake full open until heavy smoke stops, meat is on and lid is closed...then adjust so coals just stay hot enough to keep the smoke coming...my grill runs about 110-120* grate temp with 180-200* just inside the vent about 2":
All the meat is placed towards the outside of the grate for the least amount of heat exposure, no flipping or rotating, just let it ride...TBS wisping out from the top/left of the can on both following pics:
40 minutes into the cold smoke, and juices are begining to surface, so the meat is heating through very slowly...now you want a very hot bed of coals for a super-quick sear or else they will be well-done before they are browned:
As my charcoal chimnet was about heated up, I dumped the remaining coals from the smoke can onto a large coal grate to let them get burning a bit hotter again before I put them all together:
A quick close-up look at a Tony's rubbed T-bone before they hit the fire:
And, the Weber's Burgundy Beef rubbed:
Here's the original coals (about 2/3lb were left out of about 1lb) along with another half of a chinmey all set to go...nice even bed of very hot and evenly burning coals...this shot is with my body blocking the 300 watt halogen lamp in my outdoor kitchen...dark shadow, no flash, so you can see the glow of the hot coals:
Just on, with the largest one directly over the center of the coals:
After the first one over the coals got a flip, I put it on top of another which I put in place of it...the whole time I was rotating all the out steaks about 90* every 1-2 minutes to even out the cooking process...one flip only, as always...I never flip meat more than once while cooking wether smoking, grilling or both, as is the case here...ever:
Mmm, getting closer to dinner...only two left to catch a bit more sear:
They got about a 10 minute rest before plating while I grabbed all the hot coals out of the elcheapo uniflame and pitched 'em into my weber so I could choke out the fire with the lid and ash catcher vents fully closed...the Weber is pretty darn air-tight, so it will kill a fire, even if you don't want it to...gotta watch that intake control is all:
Med/rare, just the way I like 'em!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And that, my friends, is a very tasty way to end a day at work...and a great way to bring this evening's chapter from my kitchen to a close...
Fire up those grills! (uh, don't neglect your smoker though...LOL!!!!!!!)
Thanks for lookin'...hope you enjoyed it!!!
Eric
This is my favorite way to whip out any small cuts of meat including any cuts of beef or pork steaks, pork chops and chicken.
A new member who I've exchanged a few PM's with seemed interested in this method, so I felt step by step would be in order for his and everyone else's benefit.
Here's the thread containing my "how to" for the coffee can mod, if you need some ideas on how to get this project started:
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/76177/coffee-can-mod-for-charcoal-smoking-steaks
Holy smokers! I just looked at the start date for that thread...18 months I've been doing cold smoked/seared goodies, and still going strong! LOL!!!!
For our refresher, let's take it from the top, shall we?
Smoke can with some Hickory chips, waiting for hot coals...I used chips instead of chunks this time for a bit shorter smoke...I use small chunks for 60-90+ minutes of smoke, but I'll only smoke for about 3/4 hour tonight:
Before we continue any farther down this road...
...get your bibs ready and cover the keyboards....
While I got my smoke can ready and was waiting for charcoal briquettes to getting burning nice and hot, I prepped the steaks.
I didn't feel like firing up my spice grinder tonight, so, the dry rubs are Tony's Creole:
And, Weber's Burgundy Beef:
Dropped the coals ino the can on top of the smoke wood:
Next, you just set a small diameter coal grate on top to invert and set into the kettle...I use welding gloves for this and any other high heat exposure while cooking...use one hand over the grate while lifting and inverting the two pieces...place centered over the ash catcher and adjust intake full open until heavy smoke stops, meat is on and lid is closed...then adjust so coals just stay hot enough to keep the smoke coming...my grill runs about 110-120* grate temp with 180-200* just inside the vent about 2":
All the meat is placed towards the outside of the grate for the least amount of heat exposure, no flipping or rotating, just let it ride...TBS wisping out from the top/left of the can on both following pics:
40 minutes into the cold smoke, and juices are begining to surface, so the meat is heating through very slowly...now you want a very hot bed of coals for a super-quick sear or else they will be well-done before they are browned:
As my charcoal chimnet was about heated up, I dumped the remaining coals from the smoke can onto a large coal grate to let them get burning a bit hotter again before I put them all together:
A quick close-up look at a Tony's rubbed T-bone before they hit the fire:
And, the Weber's Burgundy Beef rubbed:
Here's the original coals (about 2/3lb were left out of about 1lb) along with another half of a chinmey all set to go...nice even bed of very hot and evenly burning coals...this shot is with my body blocking the 300 watt halogen lamp in my outdoor kitchen...dark shadow, no flash, so you can see the glow of the hot coals:
Just on, with the largest one directly over the center of the coals:
After the first one over the coals got a flip, I put it on top of another which I put in place of it...the whole time I was rotating all the out steaks about 90* every 1-2 minutes to even out the cooking process...one flip only, as always...I never flip meat more than once while cooking wether smoking, grilling or both, as is the case here...ever:
Mmm, getting closer to dinner...only two left to catch a bit more sear:
They got about a 10 minute rest before plating while I grabbed all the hot coals out of the elcheapo uniflame and pitched 'em into my weber so I could choke out the fire with the lid and ash catcher vents fully closed...the Weber is pretty darn air-tight, so it will kill a fire, even if you don't want it to...gotta watch that intake control is all:
Med/rare, just the way I like 'em!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And that, my friends, is a very tasty way to end a day at work...and a great way to bring this evening's chapter from my kitchen to a close...
Fire up those grills! (uh, don't neglect your smoker though...LOL!!!!!!!)
Thanks for lookin'...hope you enjoyed it!!!
Eric
