Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Best tasting steak?

Great post on a topic near and dear to my heart!

We use choice or select cuts, but I'm not partial to the cut. I find a smoked top sirloin prepared and grilled correctly can give any other cut a run for it's money. My butcher cuts everything for me at least 1.5", if not up to 2". My favorite on the grill is a reverse seared tenderloin [fillet] roast, but I'll tackle any roast or steak and accept the challenge. Some just require much lower and slower cooking times if they are especially lean.

I use a dry rub and do not add any salt as it will dry out the surface of the steak. I allow to rest in fridge for 12-24 hrs.

An hour prior to grilling, I allow steaks to reach room temperature which ensures it cooks evenly - no hot or cold spots which can mess with internal temps and level of done-ness.

I grill everything on homemade lump oak charcoal on my Green Egg - which is generally a very inconvenient way to cook food, but for someone who loves messing with fire it's fun, and I've never tasted anything that can rival the flavor of natural oak or hickory lump.

I employ the reverse sear process on steaks at my place in order to achieve a hint of smoke flavor into the meat. I get the egg up to 650, then add whatever wood chunks I am in the mood for and shut it down to 300. A favorite is Mesquite and Cherry, but Hickory or Pecan and Sugar Maple also is good. When I get a good smoke rolling, I'll place steaks to smoke on 300-325 for 10-15 min per side, depending on thickness. I'm getting internal temps up towards the 110-120 temps here [do this by feel, don't pierce meat with temp probes!], and allowing the smoke to penetrate the meat, which one can't do if you sear first. This is the logic behind the reverse sear.

After "roasting" for 10-15 min per side up to around that 110-120 degree mark, I remove the steaks, open up the vents, and get cast iron grate up to 600+. Replace the steaks and sear crosshatch pattern about 30 - 45 seconds per direction, moving to hottest part of the grate as I flip. I flip a total of 4 times, 30-45 seconds each. Internal temps reach around 135-140 by this time, and I remove. Internal temp will continue to increase off the grill to get to the magic 145 medium rare temp I want.

The end result is a super juicy, lightly smoked, medium rare steak with a nice thin crust that's not overwhelming. I rest the steak for at least 5 minutes in order to allow the juices to distribute back through the steak. Consider the reverse sear next time you are grilling and adding some smoke flavor. It's a bit more complex, but I think you'll elevate to another taste universe.