So Butcher Box keeps pitching me these curve balls in the form of their flat iron steaks. Each "unit" is four pieces of meat - two roughly 4" x 2-1/2" pieces that are, on average, a little less than 1" thick and two 4" long chunks that are about 1-1/2" on a side (i.e. as thick as they are wide). I'm always on the fence about how to cook these steaks. They seem a little on the thin side for a reverse sear but they seem a little on the thick side to just crank the heat and flip, flip, flip. I've tried the later and had okay results but, as everyone in this site seams to agree, "okay" isn't what we're after.
Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?
Last edited by gilbertpilz; September 5, 2020, 09:13 AM.
Welcome from Maryland. These cuts might be a candidate for front searing in a cast iron skillet. Front sear and then place skillet in a low oven (200-225) til internal is a a few degrees lower than desired final temp. Just a thought but we get good results this way when faced with a not so perfect cut of steak.
My first problem is I don't have a cast iron skillet. I gave up on cast iron years ago in frustration over trying to keep it properly seasoned and the attendant sticking issues.
Leaving that aside, I'm also ignorant about "front searing". I get that you heat the skillet to the point where it will sear the meat but what do you do after the meat is seared? Do you take it out and allow the skillet to cool down before putting it in the oven?
Skillet straight from the stove into the oven. Check with an instant read thermometer to determine when to pull. Pull before your desired finished temp to account for carryover cooking.
Smokin-It 3D
Weber Kettle with an SNS
Masterbuilt kettle that I call the $30 wonder grill
Bullet by Bull Grills gasser
Anova WiFi sous vide machine
Thermoworks Thermapen and Chef Alarm
Welcome to the pit.....to help you with your dilemma, I suggest you send them to me
but, the flat iron cut is my favorite. I go low and slow and bring them to about 15-20* below my target temp then sear like you mentioned, flip, flip flip flip..... until I’m at my target temp.
I really like Oak Ridge BBQ’s Carne Crosta rub on flat iron cuts. Really good!
I just cook em in my cast iron. You want them rare. I pull them at about 117f then let them rest. (Not long before I eat em straight off the cutting board). They are not thick so no use messing with them any other way.
I love FI’s. Like Ahumadora I do them hot and fast either in a cast iron skillet, my blazing hot mini gasser, or now my 17†flat top. Cook to rare-medium rare. Only takes a few minutes per side. Then tacos, fajita, or just by itself. Yum.
My toys:
Weber Summit Charcoal Grilling Center (WSCGC) aka Mr. Fancypants
Pit Barrel Cooker (which rocks), named Pretty Baby
Weber Summit S650 Gas Grill, named Hot 'n Fast (used mostly for searing and griddling)
Weber Kettle Premium 22" named Kettle Kid, eager to horn in with more cooks in the future
Camp Chef Somerset IV 4-burner outdoor gas range named AfterBurner due to its 30kBTU burners
Adrenaline BBQ Company Gear:
SnS Low Profile, DnG, and Large Charcoal Basket, for WSCGC
SnS Deluxe for 22" Kettle
Elevated SS Rack for WSCGC
SS Rack for DnG
Cast Iron Griddle
Grill Grate for SnS
Grill Grates: five 17.375 sections (retired to storage)
Grill Grates: six 19.25 panels for exact fit for Summit S650
gasser
Grill Grates for 22" Kettle
2 Grill Grate Griddles
Steelmade Griddle for Summit gas grill
Fireboard Gear:
Extreme BBQ Thermometer Package
Additional control unit
Additional probes: Competition Probes 1" (3) and 4" (1), 3 additional Ambient Probes. 1 additional Food Probe
2 Driver Cables
Pit Viper Fan (to pair with Fireboard Fan Driver Cable)
Pit Viper Fan new design (to pair with Fireboard Fan Driver Cable)
Thermoworks Gear:
Thermapen MK4 (pink)
Thermapen Classic (pink too)
Thermoworks MK4 orange
Temp Test 2 Smart Thermometer
Extra Big and Loud Timer
Timestick Trio
Maverick ET 73 a little workhorse with limited range
Maverick ET 733
Maverick (Ivation) ET 732
Grill Pinz
Vortex (two of them)
18" drip pan for WSCGC
Ceramic Spacers for WSCGC in Kamado Mode: 2 sets each 1/2", 1", 2". The 2" spacers work best with the 18" drip pan. The 1+1/2 inch spacers work best with the 14 inch cake pan.
Two Joule Sous Vide devices
3 Lipavi Sous Vide Tubs with Lids: 12, 18 and 26 quarts
Avid Armor Ultra Pro V32 Chamber Sealer
Instant Pot 6 Quart Electric Pressure Cooker
Instant Pot 10 Quart Electric Pressure Cooker
Charcoal Companion TurboQue
A-Maze-N tube 12 inch tube smoker accessory for use with pellets
BBQ Dragon and Dragon Chimney
Shun Classic Series:
8" Chef Knife
6" Chef's Knife
Gokujo Boning and Fillet Knife
3 1/2 inch Paring Knife
Sous vide. 131 for 1.5 hours followed by drying off with paper towel, oiling up with avocado oil, sprinkling with a bit of tasty steak rub and flash searing.
My new favorite steak. I let them sit in a puddle of Worcestershire sauce while the coals get hot. The Weber kettle is set up with a SnS topped with Grill Grates flat side up. When the the griddle is rippin hot, I put the steaks on - listen to that sizzle - flip, flip, flip 30 sec between. They're in the low 130's after about 3-4 minutes and that's done. Slice thinly across the grain onto a crusty sub roll with fresh tomatoes. Yum.
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