NY Strip advice.

[prestonk08]

Dad always gets a big batch of strips for the last day of our local county fair, which has been his vacation for about 30 years. So, it is my job to cook 40 steaks to perfectly medium rare. I ALWAYS reverse sear my steaks but I have 2 problems. Never can fit them all on at once, and 2, they are always a little on the thin side. My go to is usually just grill them and serve. So, any suggestions for Saturday's steak action?

 

[bmudd14474]

Short of getting a second grill to use you could smoke them whole for a while then cut and sear really quick.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Thin steaks 1" or less need a screaming hot fire and multiple turns, every thirty seconds, till done. 40 Steaks? You gonna need a BIG grill and help or do what you can handle, 10 to 20 at a time and serve folks in 2 to 4 rounds. Any other way and by the time you finish the first 20 steaks will be cold or overcooked from holding warm...JJ

 

[worktogthr]

I second the idea of smoking or indirect grilling a whole strip and then slicing it up like you would a prime rib.  I submitted one for a bbq competition and did very well with it.  The other benefit is that if it is done early, you can hold it to keep it warm easier than you could steaks and even let you roll some around on the grill for those who like it a little more well done.

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• worktogthr
• Sep 17, 2016

 

[prestonk08]

Thanks chef jimmy, that's kinda what I've been doing over the years and your exactly right some are ready some are over done. Dad gets the steaks already cut from the butcher so they are all ready when o get them. Could I just smoke them the whole way? I can fit all of them at once that way.

 

[chef jimmyj]

You can smoke them but the short cook time at low temp, <600°F, will not give that tasty Maillard Brown Sear on the surface. The steaks will be med/rare but only pale gray on the outside, not very appetizing. Feeding large crowds, 40 steaks at one sitting, takes large equipment, about a 36X24 inch grill min, 48X24 would be better. You can work with what you got and serve as they are done and in waves. Or accept the limitations, make the first round of steaks more rare than usual and hope they finish cooking as they sit in a pile and the second batch is on. This latter technique is the least reliable and some may be too rare or too done. Any chance of borrowing a second or renting a larger grill? Personally, I would rather wait my turn for perfection than eat overcooked beef just so I can sit with everybody at the same time...JJ

 

[browneyesvictim]

Totally agree. If it were me, I would probably try to pull off a Sous Vide ahead of time and hold in a large cooler that you can maintain temps by adding hot water when needed. You would finish sear quickly on a hot grill like you have (but hotter). This would be similar to your reverse sear, but ultimately save you time produce a better steak with what you've got. There is a reason why restaurants are doing this, The consistency and the quality would certainly improve!

If you wanted you could smoke them for a short while before you vac-sealed and put in the water bath.

 

[prestonk08]

Thanks everyone for the advice! I'm picking up the meat on Friday so I'll see how thick the butcher cut the steaks and then make a decision. I hope they're thicker than the last batch we got.

 

[b-one]

Thanks everyone for the advice! I'm picking up the meat on Friday so I'll see how thick the butcher cut the steaks and then make a decision. I hope they're thicker than the last batch we got.

Can you call and ask them to cut how you want them? If you had them cut nice and thick and serve half steaks it would seem like a win win scenario.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Not practical outdoors but tonight the Mrs brought home 1" Sirloin Steaks. Not enough room to do at one time. Did a 3 minute per side sear, 2 at a time, and placed on a sheet pan on the counter. When all were seared, 5 minutes in a 400°F Oven and Med/Rare perfection across the board...JJ

 

[prestonk08]

You got it b-one, the meat is up to my dad and the cooking is up to me. With that said I asked him before if they could cut them a little thicker to make them a little better and I think he said they were going to now. We'll see in a few hours how they did when I pick it up.

 

[prestonk08]

Thanks guys for all your help. Picked up the steaks on Friday and they were a little thicker than they usually are, the butcher listened to my dad thank goodness. So, I did a little bit of both for cooking them. Got a good wood fire going on my side firebox with oak and stuck those bad dogs in for some smoke. About 40 minutes or so worth. Because my smoker can be a grill as well, I took all of Them out of the smoker while I had a full chimney of charcoal ready to go. Moved my tuning plates, and whipped that charcoal in the belly of my smoker with, a couple of shovels of oak coals. Threw them on 6 at a time and cooked them all close to medium rare. Some a little under some a little over. Worked great!

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• prestonk08
• Sep 26, 2016

. Thanks again for all your help.

 

[prestonk08]

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• prestonk08
• Sep 26, 2016