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Need Help with Steak on a Weber Kettle

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    Need Help with Steak on a Weber Kettle

    I'm still figuring out how to navigate older posts, so I apologize if this has been covered elsewhere. I have a pretty honed technique for cooking my steak in the kitchen. My wife and I are really happy with the results. I usually stick with Ribeyes or Strips. I season really well all over with salt and pepper and let them come to room temp. I sear them in a blazing hot cast iron pan for a couple of minutes. Then I flip them, throw a cube of butter, some sprigs of thyme and a couple of whole cloves of garlic on top of each one. Finally, I throw them in a hot oven (about 450-475) until they get to the right temp. It's simple and the hint of thyme in the flavor is amazing, in my opinion.

    Last summer and the beginning of this warm season, I've been trying to cook my steaks on my Weber Kettle using the reverse sear I learned about here. Last night, I cooked a couple of strips and (now that I finally have been following the meat temps closer) did a pretty good job of cooking some nice medium-rare steaks. They tasted good, but I felt like something was still missing. I realized I had not incorporated any butter, thyme or garlic in the cooking process.

    Since I'm essentially cooking my steaks the opposite of how I cook them inside, I am not sure where I should incorporate these fats & flavors in the process. It seems like the best time would be in the beginning, while they are slow cooking. But I thought I'd see if anyone here has a good system or recipe for adding herbs & whatnot while following the reverse sear procedure.

    On a side note, I've not bought the SnS but it is on my wishlist. I'm just waiting to pay off some bills first.

    #2
    I had this same dilemma myself when I began reverse-searing my steaks.
    First, I will say that if you're not already, you should try tossing a hunk of wood on the coals while you're bringing the meat up to to temperature, so you essentially get a "smoked" steak every time you reverse sear. I use jack daniels barrel staves, hickory, and/or some fruitwood, whatever is on hand. Nom nom.
    Second, to my taste, the flavor that the thyme/butter/garlic imparts to the steak is skin deep. In other words, I can finish the steak with those flavors on the plate, and it imparts the same flavor as finishing with them in the skillet. So, there are two methods I use.
    A) I make a compound butter. I roast a head of garlic separately, then incorporate it into a compound butter with thyme or rosemary. When my steak is hot off the grill-grate following a reverse sear, I finish it with salt, pepper, and a disc of compound butter, which promptly melts and bastes the steak with superb-ness.
    B) While your steak is coming up to temperature on the grill, heat up a fat chunk of butter in a small skillet. Toss in some chopped garlic and your herb of choice, and saute until the garlic is fragrant and the herb flavor is sufficiently infused. When your steak is ready for the sear on the grill, bring said small skillet and a basting brush to the grill, and every time you flip your steak to get that real nice crust, brush the opposite side with your butter. This aides in forming the crust as well as putting a bit of flavor on it. When your steak(s) is/are done, just dribble whatever remains over the top, and finish with salt and pepper.

    I'm sure if you search you will find that many of the people on here and all over the internet follow some form of methods. Good luck!

    Comment


    • Flavorsavor
      Flavorsavor commented
      Editing a comment
      My pleasure, and as others have already mentioned, dry brining is gospel in this forum so give it a shot if you haven't been. Don't worry about bringing the steak up to room temperature, and make sure if you use "finishing salt" it is kosher-style, so just a little gives a good flavor burst.

    • JDenver
      JDenver commented
      Editing a comment
      @Flavorsaver, last night I cooked some pork tenderloin on my Weber using the reverse sear method and used your butter/garlic/herb saute when I seared it. It was the best pork tenderloin I've ever made!

    • Flavorsavor
      Flavorsavor commented
      Editing a comment
      I saw your post, it got me hungry this morning. I definitely recommend playing around with the flavors and types of fats. Even try finishing with board sauces or reductions! There is a wonderland of knowledge here thank to Meathead and the forum members.

    #3
    I second what @Flavorsaver said. Just make sure that do your your butter until it quits foaming, so that you have gotten the water out of it. The water in the butter will actually inhibit the sear.

    Comment


      #4
      I cooked two big Ribeyes last week using the reverse sear. Bring the "cold" steaks up to 120ish on the indirect side then throw them on the direct side for sear to your desired doneness. I put a pat of butter on each side as I was searing. They turned out fantastic.

      Comment


        #5
        JDenver, I do a slight variation on what @Flavorsaver and Thunder77 are doing! First I dry brine the Steak with Kosher Salt in the Refridgerator for up to 24 Hrs! While the Coals are getting started, I rub a Liberal Coating of Fresh Coarse Grd Pepper, Minced Garlic (from a jar) into the Steak and follow with a light coat of Olive Oil! Turn Steak over and repeat on the opposite side! Note: I use the back side of a Tea Spoon to Rub the Steak! Eat Well and Prosper, From Fargo ND, Dan

        Comment


          #6
          I will share a tip from my butcher. I have not tried this on the Weber yet but will soon. I have only used this method with a gasser. Crank your grill up to Mach 10. Throw a frozen ribeye (light coat of EVO) on the grill, flip frequently to keep it from burning-get a good sear. Next turn your gasser on its lowest setting. Expect to wait for 45 minutes or so to have a medium rare to rare steak and an hour for well done. This retains all the moisture in the meat during the cook and works well.

          Comment


            #7
            We all do it a little different and that's a good thing. The Pit is an incubator of ideas, techniques and methods.

            I dry brine my steaks overnight with just salt. If you want to give it some thyme flavor lay a couple of branches in during the brining process.

            On my 26" kettle with the SnS I only light about 20 briquettes so I can easily control the cooking temperature at 225°/240°. I do fill the rest of the SnS with unlite briquettes. Once the fire is stable I put the steaks on right out of the refrigerator. I don't sit them on the counter to let them come to room temp.

            I don't like the taste of smoke on a steak so I skip that process.

            Once the steaks are at 115° I hit the SnS with the BBQ Dragon to get the fire to Warp 10 heat and then move the steaks over for the searing process.

            AFTER I remove the steaks and put them on the serving platter I put on freshly ground pepper and I add the compound butter.

            Meathead taught me to add the pepper after the searing process because he says the pepper will burn off at that high of temperature.

            Comment


              #8
              How thick are these steaks on the weber? Sometimes I use duckfat. I love prime dry-aged steaks 2" thick. Not cheap I know, but well worth it for a special occasion.

              Comment


              • JDenver
                JDenver commented
                Editing a comment
                I try to use sreaks that are about 1 1/2 - 2 In thick. One day, I want to try dry-aged steak. But want to wait until I get my technique down better.

              #9
              can't comment on the other additions, but i'll say that you can easily reverse sear in the kitchen, too. We put our steaks on a rack and start them in the oven at 225 until they hit around 90-100° and then pull them out and into the smoking-hot cast iron skillet until they come to temp.

              I'm working on my SnS technique now, though, as the wife prefers charcoal and it keeps the house from getting so smoky.

              Comment


              • JDenver
                JDenver commented
                Editing a comment
                That's a big reason why I'm getting outside too. When I sear those steaks in the kitchen, the whole house knows it and my kids start coughing!

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