BBQ kings/queens, need your help (charcoal grill)

If you want to get some recipes check this site out.

http://primalgrill.com/index.asp

This guy has a couple of PBS shows I highly recommend for the Grill lover
 
SubRosa said:
I am a dyed in the wool charcoal griller. Your grill is similar in design to the Big Green Egg that I use. For steaks I start early and get a REALLY hot fire. If you want more heat from a grill don't use regular charcoal briquets. Pick up some lump-style charcoal, which is made the old fashioned way and burns a good bit hotter. Anyway I get the fire up to about 650-700 and then quickly sear the steaks for a min per side. Pull them off and close down the vents to get the temp down to about 325-350. When the the temp drops finish your steaks at the lower temp to your desired doneness. The backets shouldn't be necessary at all for something like a steak, just build up a good thick layer of coals and direct cook them. The indirect would be more for smoking a turkey breast or a roasting a thicker piece of meat. You're right about the use of the vents. You'll just have to play around with them to learn how to achieve a specific temp. One word of warning! DO NOT OPEN THE TOP OF THE GRILL IF BOTH VENTS ARE CLOSED OR ALMOST SO! The sudden inrush of air can cause a major flash that cost me the hair on my arm when I made the mistake myself!
Click to expand...
You put the steak back on after this? Aren't they like way overcooked?

Something I've wanted to try but since I rarely eat beef anymore (gout problems) is to cook it right on the coals themselves. Saw Alton Brown doing it and it made sense. No flare ups. And since I don't believe in cooking it more than 1 -2 minutes it should be about a perfect sear.

As mentioned above Steven Raichlen is probably the premier BBQ guru. Here's another of his sites.
http://www.bbqu.net/
 
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I do things a lot like jeff (excuzzzzme). When I prepare my steaks, I apply my steak rub (which includes salt) to both sides of the steak. I then let the steaks sit on the counter and let them come up to room temp. I always use charcoal for grilling, oak and pecan for smoking (oak coals and pecan chips). For steaks I want a well-marbled cut between 3/4" and 1" thick and I don't trim any fat off. My favorites are Porterhouse and Ribeye.

I have a large briquet chimney that I had a welder-buddy make for me. Make sure the coals are fully lit before cooking, but like jeff said, very little or no flame, just a light dusting of ash over the surface. I typically have the coals about 4" under the steaks.

Prep the grill with oil before placing the steaks on it. This is done much like seasoning a cast iron skillet with layers of oil. I place the steaks directly over the coals. After 90 seconds to two minutes I turn the steak 60 degrees or so... this gives the meat that nice crosshatch. Another minute and a half to two minutes after turning and I flip the steaks over; again, over the coals. After two minutes turn 60 degrees again. This is when I start checking for doneness. I use the four finger touch test. You never want to cut into the steak to check for doneness. During steak grilling I never close the top of the grill.

FOUR-FINGER TOUCH TEST:
Touch the tip of your left index finger to the tip of your left thumb... don't press, just touch. With the index finger of your right hand, press on the "ham" of your left thumb. It feels soft and presses in easily. This is the same feel of a rare steak. Next, touch your middle finger of the left hand to the tip of the left thumb. Press the ham of the thumb again...slightly firmer; this is medium-rare. The ring finger touched to the thumb is medium and the pinky touched to the thumb is medium-well.

After the steaks are removed from the grill I set aside and let rest for around five minutes. This allows the juices to distribute evenly through the steak.

Don't be afraid to experiment with different cuts and different rubs. And keep cookin'. Experience with you equipment is goin' to be your best teacher.

Mark
 
GraphicGr8s said:
You put the steak back on after this? Aren't they like way overcooked?

Something I've wanted to try but since I rarely eat beef anymore (gout problems) is to cook it right on the coals themselves. Saw Alton Brown doing it and it made sense. No flare ups. And since I don't believe in cooking it more than 1 -2 minutes it should be about a perfect sear.

As mentioned above Steven Raichlen is probably the premier BBQ guru. Here's another of his sites.
http://www.bbqu.net/
Click to expand...

I suppose that would depend on the thickness of the steak. For a typical 1"thick cut I normally eat mine right after searing, and they're bloody rare just like I like them. For a well-done steak that my wife will eat it takes a few mins of finishing up at the lower temp. Here's another really good little snack: Take cleaned squid tubes and slice them so the lay flat one layer thick. Little salt, little pepper, lemon juice if you like and then 30 seconds to a side on a really hot grill. Pull quickly. They have a texture like a grape. You bite down a little and it springs back. Bite down hard and it goes POP and fills your mouth with juicy goodness!
 
I'll have to try that.

We always cook our veggies on the BBQ. sliced about 3/16" thick and usually marinated with olive oil and balsamic vinigar. Zucchinis, eggplants, carrote, portobello mushrooms, asparagus, etc.

Another thing we love to cook on the bbq are shrimps. We marinate them for a couple of hours in garlic, lemon, and olive oil, then place on the grill till they're slightly seared on either side.
 
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