A little help please!

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Fire-n-Smoke

Fire Starter
Original poster
Jul 18, 2015
40
10
Houston,TX
My wife and I really enjoy eating a good rib eye. Most or pretty much all the time we eat out when we crave a nice juicy steak. Reason being that she really don't like the way they taste when I grill one from time to time. I can't quite nail down how to grill a steak. I season and leave over night bring to room temp. grill to medium well and let sit and yet the meat flavor is still a bit over powering. Not quite sure how else to explain but if anyone reading this has encountered a similar problem please help! Any other tips and suggestions would be much appreciated
 
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I see you're in Texas. Many like their  steak medium rare up my way. However if you like you steak Med Well you'd cook it to an internal temperature of  about 145 then cover it with foil for 5 to 10 minutes for a rest. The rest is an important step tag allows juices to redistribute into the meat. 

We do not season our steaks over night.  Our seasoning is simple mix of Lowery's and corse pepper.  Like you we let the meat warm up a bit on the counter before grilling.  When we take the steak off the grill I usually place a pat of butter on top of them and cover with foil for a 10 minute rest. 

b
 
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Houston that is. I too like mine medium rare but the wifey prefers no pink. I will be sure to give your method a try thanks
 
More important to flavor is not what IT you go to but...Grilling on what? With what fuel? And, how is that fuel started? Your like a Hard Char crunchy bark or a nice sear but not burnt tasting? 

Most Restaurants use one of two cooking methods. Natural Wood Charcoal, some use Wood, that was lit without petrolium starter and allowed to burn down to the point that you can only hold your hand at grate level for 2-3 seconds. However they maintain two heat zones. The hottest, 2-3 seconds, to Sear and Mark the steaks and then move to a cooler cook zone, 5-6 count, to get a uniform doneness. The other style of steak cooking is Screaming Hot, 1000 to 1600°F, Infrared Broilers that put a hard char on the steak then move to an Oven or other method to finish the cook to the desired doneness.

If you use a Gas Grill, light 2 zones, one side Full Blast the other on Low. Sear the steaks to the desired color on the hot side then move to the cool side to finish cooking, turning every few minutes, to the desired IT. Guideline...If the meat is the thickness of your hand or less, cook Grill Open. If thicker than your hand, cook Grill Covered. Took me 10 years of gradual less cooking to get my Mrs. from demanding Well Done steak to enjoying Med/Rare Beef. It can be done!

There is no issue with seasoning and resting the meat overnight but find what your Lady likes. Just Salt and Pepper or a full blown Rub. 

Good Luck...JJ
 
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My wife didn't even like red meat when I met her. Seasoning and cooking methods make a difference but to me the quality of the meat is key. A "select", "choice" or "prime" cut are different from different stores. Most grocery stores don't even sell "prime". A good quality steak can make you look like the best chef ever. This is true mostly with red meat. Find a "go to" place then stick with it. For me, Costco sells the best, most affordable product I can buy without going over $15 per pound. The local butcher is good but you'll pay ~$19-20 per pound. I've been married for 21 years and my better half not only likes red meat now but takes it Med/rare.
 
You already had some good suggestions, but I'll throw in my two bits and see if it helps.  As someone else said, what are you grilling on?  Gas is convenient, but I believe charcoal produces more flavor.  Can you list what is better about the steaks you get out?  Are they juicier?  Are they cooked more evenly?  I don't think you need to change how she likes her steaks, I like mine well done and can barely tolerate medium well, but you still can have a good steak that way.  I've had some problem with steaks continuing to cook after I take them off the grill and ending up more done than I want, so now I try to pull them earlier.

There is no reason this shouldn't be a solvable problem if you are willing to do some experimenting.  First we need to get some examples to look at, so go cook some rib eyes and take pictures.  Then lets cook one different, if the first one was cooked over gas, cook this one over charcoal.  I like steak cooked on the stove in a pan, it has a nice sear and tends to be juicy, try one that way.  Next try a marinade, or if you usually marinade go without it and try a dry rub like Montreal Steak Seasoning.  Then there is the grade of meat, cook one you normally buy, then buy a steak from another store, maybe a higher grade, can you tell a difference?  Maybe it just comes down to steaks from one store tasting better than those form another store.  If you are willing to try cooking steaks a bunch of different ways, I'm betting you'll find one you like.  This may result in lots of left over steak, well they are great chopped up for chili or slice and make Philly cheesesteak sandwiches.     
 
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Fire is Kingsford charcoal with hickory or mesquite chips, I buy my steaks from krogers and heb. I've been experimenting many different ways for a good while now, one steak at a time that is, but yet the flavor is still of that of raw bloody meat, and not that of the flavor of a steak house. I usually pull them while med rare and let them sit.
 
Fire is Kingsford charcoal with hickory or mesquite chips, I buy my steaks from krogers and heb. I've been experimenting many different ways for a good while now, one steak at a time that is, but yet the flavor is still of that of raw bloody meat, and not that of the flavor of a steak house. I usually pull them while med rare and let them sit.
HEB has got good meat.  So you're using good stuff.  I shop there a lot.  On thing I forgot to tell you. I usually rub a few shakes of Worcestershire on both sides of the steak before seasoning. 

Some like the flavor. Some don't. B
 
Yeah HEB has good meat, and Kingsford is good charcoal.  Not sure why it would taste like raw bloody meat, is it under cooked?  If you are pulling them at medium rare, cook them to medium or even more before you take them off.  I've never been very good judging the doneness of a steak or brisket so I bought a nice meat thermometer and it has really helped me with brisket, should work just as well with steaks too.
 
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Fire is Kingsford charcoal with hickory or mesquite chips, I buy my steaks from krogers and heb. I've been experimenting many different ways for a good while now, one steak at a time that is, but yet the flavor is still of that of raw bloody meat, and not that of the flavor of a steak house. I usually pull them while med rare and let them sit.
Build a Two Zone Fire. Pile hot coals to one side and none on the other. Get the steaks, 1 1/4 - 1 1/2" thick is best. Season well with Salt, Pepper, Onion and Garlic Powder (SPOG). Sear hard over the coals 4 minutes per side, open grill, then move to the cold side. Insert a meat therm, from one side near but not touching the Bone or Center in a boneless steak, cover the grill and let cook 4 minutes. Check your temp. You are looking for 140°F for Medium or 150°F for Med/Well so repeat cooking, covered until you reach the desired IT. If you cook to 140-150°F, there is No Way that meat will taste bloody but will still be juicy...JJ
 
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