First time bbq with coals - 2x Cattlemans steaks

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balone
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2019 12:22 pm

First time bbq with coals - 2x Cattlemans steaks

Post by balone »

Hi Guys,

I've cooked a hand full of bbq's on gas and always struggled with steaks. I'd always go off time, and not off internal heat. Don't think I ever got a good medium-rare. Always medium, or too rare - but I digress.

Just wanted to share my experience using the Weber Original Kettle. Hopefully this isn't too long a post. I'll have some questions at the end.

I purchased the Weber yesterday and was keen to give it a crack.

Assembly fun: https://imgur.com/4YBTYyJ
Finished: https://imgur.com/ranRLyA (albeit a wonky tray that I fixed)

I was keen to try a thick steak. I went with 2 cattleman's steaks.

I seasoned them with Maldon salt and pepper, doing the edges too and then let them sit for half an hour or so. They were in the fridge for a little while and the top one squashed the bottom one a little.

Seasoned: https://imgur.com/ExDmSCi

the cooking prep was a little tricky. I'd read a tonne of stuff about various ways to cook so i went with the following:

Filled a chimney up with Heat Beads Original Briquettes as recommended by member 12x7 (thanks). I filled the chimney almost to the top and sat them on top of 4 Samba Natural Firelighters. I had the Samba's in the little grooves in the lower tray. I found that a couple would fall through as they shrunk, but it took about 25-30 minutes before the coals were ashing over.

Coals in Chimney: https://imgur.com/aMcTkmq

I then placed the coals in the 2 trays and moved them to 1 side of the kettle. I noticed the internal temp maxed out at 210c.

Coals in trays: https://imgur.com/rseBasH

I waited maybe 10 minutes and didn't notice the temps rise anymore. I put the 2 steaks over the direct heat for 5 minutes each side, putting in a twist after 2.5 mins.

After 10 minutes I moved them over to the indirect side above a drip tray that had butter, olive oil, rosemary, thyme and garlic in it. (got this from the HowToBBQRight youtube channel)

Forgetting about times, I used a meat thermometer instead and waited until it was about 55 Celsius in the thickest part of the steak. Once they hit that temp I took them off and let them rest for 10 minutes.

Final product cut open: https://imgur.com/UKpEElx

Thought it was the nicest steak I've ever cooked, and most evenly cooked steak.

next time i'll have to use a touch less salt during seasoning as it was a tiny bit salty. I personally didn't mind it but my dad said it was a touch too much. Maybe basting it with the butter, oil, garlic and meat drippings caused it to get a little salty? Should i use unsalted butter for something like this?

My searing was average. maybe the grates weren't hot enough? should I buy thicker grates?

I was a bit nervous about the internal temp as my thermometer says 64 celcius is medium rare, but a bunch of websites say 54c - 57c, another says 60c.

Is anyone able to offer any advice on this? or what temp they go off for med-rare on a 2 - 2.5cm thick steak?

Is there any other advice anyone can offer on the whole process? any hints or tips would be great.

Sorry for the wall of text, and the images were too high rez to upload so I posted as links.

Cheers
B
12x7
Posts: 772
Joined: Tue Jul 09, 2013 5:32 pm

Re: First time bbq with coals - 2x Cattlemans steaks

Post by 12x7 »

Great first effort.

You can upload the photos to the forum and insert. This will show the photos in the post.

For your next cook. Try this.

More head beads. Fill the chimney up to the top. This will help with the heat and searing.

A thick steak eg ribeye, about 4cm thick is good. It's easier to cook a thicker steak than a thinner one, eg 1cm.

Take out of fridge and let rest for about ten min, then season.

Keep the seasoning simple. You had a nice steak. Enjoy the natural flavour. Season with kosher salt or in-land salt not the sea stuff (too many bad chemicals) and crushed pepper. Season the ends as well as the sides. This will help draw out the moisture and help to create a nice crust. You can oil the steak. Something high temp.

It's about 40 min since you're taken the steak out of the fridge.

The heat beads are ashed.

Fill up the baskets. They should be filled to the top. Place together in the centre of the grill. Let the grill get good and hot. This makes nice grill marks.

You can drop some smoking wood chunks in now. They may catch fire.

Put the steak on the grill

When you turn the steak and how long depends on the thickness of the steak.

Use your meat probe to get the correct temp for how well you like your meat. Remember it still cooks while you're resting it.

Take your steak off and rest for a few minutes.

Enjoy an awesome steak.

Some people like to spread the heat beads evenly over the grate instead of in the basket. Try it and see how you like it.
A variation on this is caveman style where you spread the coals out evening on the grate and then drop the steaks directly on the hot coals like they used to do for thousands of years.

What to do with the coals? Try cooking some spuds in the coals. You will get a crust outside of the potatoes. Split open and serve with sour cream.

re: too salty. Don't forget butter adds salt. Like I mentioned before. Try the salt and pepper season. People get real surprised just how good meat can taste without complex seasoning on a charcoal bbq.

How salty is is pretty dependent on personal preference. What you drink with your meal affects it too. eg red wine, beer, water.
cs_rlewis
Posts: 31
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2018 2:30 pm

Re: First time bbq with coals - 2x Cattlemans steaks

Post by cs_rlewis »

Nice steak on a shiny new weber !

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

balone
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2019 12:22 pm

Re: First time bbq with coals - 2x Cattlemans steaks

Post by balone »

Cheers lads,

I'll definitely try more coals next time to get the heat up and a thicker steak.

The potatoes in the coals sounds good. Would like to get lots of use out of the cook next time. Not just a couple of steaks. bit of overkill?

Just a question in regards to the indirect cooking method; Once they are off the direct heat, and have been seared each side, do you need to flip the steak again or can you just leave it on the one side?
12x7
Posts: 772
Joined: Tue Jul 09, 2013 5:32 pm

Re: First time bbq with coals - 2x Cattlemans steaks

Post by 12x7 »

A bit of a debate whether direct or indirect is better.

Both can deliver great results.

Key for indirect is a thick steak.

As for how many time you flip. Some people say turn regularly, other say only once.

If you have a rub on flipping too often knocks all the rub off.

Dependent on the steak is whether you cook on the grill or plate.

Try both.

For a "cheap" steak maybe not worth the trouble.

Starting from $50kg, definitely worth it! Why spend all that money and not cook it properly,

What to do with the coals after cooking the steak?

Move the baskets to the side to set-up indirect and cook two chooks or a leg of lamb for dinner during the week. A great way to have something nice when you get home after work. Slice off some lamb, make some gravy and mash. Grab a beer. Dinner done!
GrabberZ
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2019 6:09 pm

Re: First time bbq with coals - 2x Cattlemans steaks

Post by GrabberZ »

Looks amazing man!
Reviewing stuffs here and there. Personal blog.
BBQ-Dad
Posts: 62
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2019 8:57 am

Re: First time bbq with coals - 2x Cattlemans steaks

Post by BBQ-Dad »

12x7 wrote: Wed Feb 20, 2019 10:32 pm ...

What to do with the coals after cooking the steak?

Move the baskets to the side to set-up indirect and cook two chooks or a leg of lamb for dinner during the week. A great way to have something nice when you get home after work. Slice off some lamb, make some gravy and mash. Grab a beer. Dinner done!
Great idea! Good use of the heat.

I'd never be organised enough though. The whole thinking ahead for food, cooking, etc. is not one of my strengths.
Davo
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Re: First time bbq with coals - 2x Cattlemans steaks

Post by Davo »

You can also close down all vents to the kettle and save the coals for next cook-up...I always do that. :)
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