Steak Contests

[CandySueQ]

Ever participate in a steak cookoff? I cooked the Magnolia, Arkansas contest last year. It was hot and hard. Harder than cooking a BBQ contest. I held my own -- 29th out of 84 teams.

There's one less than an hour away next Saturday. Going to try it again. Have to cook about 30 pre-cut rib eyes supplied by the contest organizer. Not going to forget the jacquard and meat tenderizer! Steaks have to be cooked to medium.

Thinking of doing a reverse sear on a hot charcoal grill and Grill Grates after a low temp smoke in the 22" WSM.

Any and all suggestions appreciated!

[_Keith]

Medium!? Those bastards!

[Huskee]

Lol .

[Jerod Broussard]

They might be requiring medium in case someone does use a Jaccard, and jams some pathogens into the meat. Course you would hope they are dealing out clean stuff. I don't Jaccard anything that isn't getting to well done.

Got time to dry brine at least one hour??

Low and slow to about 125 internal, then coat with some beef tallow and reverse sear after drying off excess moisture with a paper towel.

Sprinkle a little black pepper on them immediately after reverse searing. Leave all the others spices at home for the brisket.

That will guarantee a top 28 out of 83.

Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Huskee]

I always thought that'd be fun. I do a mean steak, of course we all do don't we?. It be interesting to see how your own would hold up in a contest.

[Jerod Broussard]

I do a mean steak, of course we all do don't we?.

I wish I did more.....

[Huskee]

Me too JB, me too. Dave Parrish buys them all. I wish he would share with the rest of the USA.

[Jerod Broussard]

No doubt. His "roughing it" is New York Strip and Wine.

Last time I had THAT steak on a regular basis was in the 90's.....

[David Parrish]

OK perhaps I had a poor word choice. That was months ago! lol

[Jon Solberg]

Whats is this steak you speak of?

[Jerod Broussard]

Me?? New York Strip

Not me?? She is cooking Rib Eyes

Someone else?? Who knows...

[jmeier64]

I would love to try a steak comp. I think I would fare better than with KCBS BBQ. I would agree with JB on the dry brine and then pepper on pull. I have used reverse sear even before finding all of the great info here. But now using the info here I have more followed the MH guide and even improved what I was doing before. I use a tad bit of oak chips during the low slow part, but I go a little closer to the 250 mark for the low

[CandySueQ]

After I posted this -- THEN -- I read the tips for thin steaks! Typically these Rib Eyes are skinny. Hard to cook medium. I'm thinking I'll have about an hour to dry brine. My big concern is grill space. I'm taking 2 smaller charcoal grills. One I'll set up for the top and the other to griddle the bottom. I think I have to cook about 20-30 steaks (not counting the turn in ones), so I'll have to hold. I have a cambro, so I thought I'd pan and stash to get these cooked. Got about 6 pounds of snake river brisket fat to render down to "Beef Love." Thanks! I'll take some pictures and let you know how I do.

[CandySueQ]

Oh, as of yesterday only 12 teams. Got a good shot at coming in above 28th!!!

[Huskee]

Oh, as of yesterday only 12 teams. Got a good shot at coming in above 28th!!!

You'll nail it! (Thin steaks? Cooked medium? To echo Keith- those bas***ds!)

[CandySueQ]

Agree! Worse than that is steaks that are cut crooked (thicker on one end). Now that's a challenge to cook.

[David Parrish]

This is exciting stuff! I hope pics are involved

I personally like Meathead's approach for both thick and thin steaks. When you say skinny, just how skinny are they?

[David Parrish]

and can you link/post the contest rules? I want to help stragetize

[boftx]

I bet you could use ground up pot along with the pepper for a finishing rub and maybe pick up an edge with at least one judge at the table.

[Huskee]

These steaks are like....killer mannnn.....woahh....dude.....I just wanna, eat more, hahahahahaha......