Grilling an Awesome Steak on Your Charcoal Smoker and Grill

The best thing about the charcoal smoker and grill, is that it doubles as a charcoal grill when your not smoking your favorite meat. All you have to do on most models is place the fire pan where the water pan usually goes.

I have a nice propane grill that I use for most of my grilling. It's fast and easy, but it doesn't compare to grilling over hot charcoal. Especially when you are cooking a few steaks.

Follow these simple steps and you'll be well on your way to grilling and eating the best steak you've ever had.

• Just as with smoking meat, it all begins with the meat. When I'm cooking for the entire family, I'll generally go for the sirloin. It's inexpensive and goes a long way. My personal preference is ribeye. You will get the best results from a steak that is well marbled and about 1 1/2 inches thick. Stay away from anything thing has been manufactured or "flavor induced". Go to your local butcher and get the freshest piece of meat you can find.
• Fill your chimney starter with quality charcoal. Use a small amount of newspaper to get it started. In about 15 - 20 minutes, the coals will have ashed over and can be poured into the fire pan. At this point, put on the grill grate and clamp on the lid. You will want the charcoal smoker and grill to get very hot before putting on the steaks, so give it a good five minutes or so to heat up.
• There are all types of spices you can add to your steak before cooking. I'm a purist, so I like to stick to the basics; kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper, and garlic powder. In my opinion, a quality steak doesn't need a lot of extras. Less expensive cuts of meat might need a little more help.
• Allow your steaks to come to room temperature before placing them on the grill. If not, the temperature of the cold meat hitting the hot grill will prevent searing. After the steaks have been seasoned, add them to the grill and leave it uncovered.
• If you like your steak medium-rare, place them on the grill for two minutes. After two minutes, rotate each steak 45 degrees. This will sear in the x-marks like you see at the restaurants. Grill another 2-3 minutes and then flip. Follow the same procedure for the other side. These times are estimates, so you may need to adjust a little.
• Remove the steaks from the grill with a spatula or tongs. Do not use a fork to move the steaks. If you do, all of the juice will run out on the plate.
• Before serving and cutting the steaks, let them rest for three minutes. Heat causes the the steak juices to move to the center of the meat. The rest period will allow the juices to move back into the rest of the steak.

I hope you enjoy these tips. Remember, your charcoal smoker and grill is a multi-purpose piece of equipment. You may actually discover that you use it as a charcoal grill even more than as a water smoker. Best of Luck and Happy Grilling!

Posted via email from bbqwatersmoker's posterous