I guess it's because I'm a Texan and we mostly don't like to put much on our steaks. Last night I used 2 1/2 bisquettes and cold smoked my ribeye, then wrapped it in Saran Wrap and put it in the fridge. I grilled it today (rare, naturally) and enjoyed the fruits of my labor. HOWEVER, though it was very tasty, I think I'll stick with my normal way of grilling it. It had nice flavor, but there's just something about a prime ribeye that's grilled with little or no seasoning.
That being said, we continue to enjoy our brisket, ribs (pork and beef), sausage, and chicken that we made earlier this week. Smoking sure does enhance the flavor! I sure wish I had "discovered" the Bradley long before now.
"Texan" and "rare?" Used to be you couldn't use those words together. Times seem to have changed for the better.
Yes, it is strange, isn't it? My MIL used to hate to eat at the table with me because she would only have her beef cooked to the consistency of an old boot. I would have to say that many Texans still would rather have their beef well done than rare. I like mine still bellowing and flopping on the plate!
QuoteI like mine still bellowing and flopping on the plate!
Or as my daddy used to say "I've seen cows hurt worse then that get up and walk away". I too am a fan of rare meat.
Thanks to this post I've now tried this method... albeit without the overnight "rest" in the fridge. I bought 4 nice thick ribeyes last Saturday, cut in front of me to my desired thickness, but my wife and I only ate 2 of them and put the other 2 in the fridge. When I spotted this post I decided to try it out for my dinner last night. I use 3 mesquite briquettes and cold-smoked for roughly an hour. I say roughly because at one point I noticed the smoke seemed to have stopped, and upon investigation realised a briquette had dropped down in an odd way and prevented the advance of the remaining ones.... so I remedied it and carried on. I must admit it felt a *little* wasteful :-[ using 3 briquettes for only 2 steaks.... but hey, it's my new toy, so I've got more enthusiasm than sense at the moment :D !!
Anyway, rather than wrap and refrigerate, I transferred them straight onto my preheated Weber and gave the a light coating of a homemade Kansas City BBQ sauce (http://www.smoker-cooking.com/kansascitystyle.html (http://www.smoker-cooking.com/kansascitystyle.html)).
Well, of course the flavour was out of this world.... and in spite of planning to have a cold steak sandwich today with the second one, they were so good I ate BOTH steaks last night. (Who needs vegetables, right? The wife's away, I can be a PURE carnivore for a week!
Next time I'll try the refrigeration stage to see what difference that makes. Thanks!
Quote from: tdcooper on April 03, 2009, 05:36:04 AM
Well, of course the flavour was out of this world.... and in spite of planning to have a cold steak sandwich today with the second one, they were so good I ate BOTH steaks last night. (Who needs vegetables, right? The wife's away, I can be a PURE carnivore for a week!
:D :D :D ;D
Ahhhh... Your just like me! ;)
Congrats on the ribeyes!
Mike
I got two 1 1/2" cut Strip Steaks in the fridge for Sunday, also hand cut and trimmed at the butcher, nice dry aged choice steaks. They will get 40 minutes with mesquite cold then straight to the grill with another puck on that smoldering. OH yeah, I am salivating already...
I cold-smoked steaks for the first time this past weekend. I did a couple of Ribeyes and a couple of T-bones. I smoked them all for 40 minutes with Crown Royal Oak then put them in the fridge and Grilled them the next day.
I was impressed on how much better they tasted with the addition of a bit of smoke! I doubt I will ever grill steaks again without smoking them first!
I've never smoked with Oak before so I can't say whether the Whisky made any difference. Next Time I will try with Jim Beam pucks, they're both aged in White Oak so if the Whisky did change the flavour then it should make a difference...
If you cold-smoke something, do you close the vent top completely, since there's no heat/moisture worries?
JimmyD,
The answer to your question is no. Standard rule of thumb is you never close the vent for pretty much any reason unless I'm badly mistaken. Others will come along to advise as well. I will certainly yield to their expertise.
KyNola
I agree with KyNola. You don't want smoke residue to backup inside your generator.
I agree with Habs and Kynola, never run the smoker with the vent closed, in addition to backing up into the generator and possibly killing it, you run the risk of causing a creosote taste to the foods you are smoking. I've found no matter what kind of smoker I'm using its always best to keep the smoke circulating rather than becoming stagnent.
1000 thanks for the fast answers!! :)
Pens hit it, other than just getting moisture out, if you close the vent down too far, you impair combustion (starve if of oxygen, and you get a "dirty" smoke - smoke with lots of nasty tastes in it. Goes with any smoker. You are looking for a thin, blue smoke rather than a puffy white or gray smoke.
Another saying is "wipe it's bottom and walk it past the fire"
Ever since WTS made his cold smoked steaks and then grilled them, I have been meaning to do it. Now I know I have to.
I also agree with Caneyscud, pens, Hab and Ky on the vent issue.
HR
to properly cook a steak take it out of the frig, lay it on a platter, and walk slowly through a hot kitchen, done!
Me too, me too ......
2 steaks sitting in the fridge defrosting now. They are going to get 40 mins in the DBS and then straight to the grill.
I have done this before and the results were amazing.
One time I will have to be patient enough to let them age over night in the fridge
Can't resist chiming in... The sayings at our house are that a good steak might still have a pulse, and the vet should be able to save it.
Have done a biscuit or two of mesquite on mine, with just a very light sprinkle of ribrub on each side. Ice in the pan, vent wide open, steaks on very top rack. yum!
Cooked mine last night and was not disappointed !
How could I be.
3 pucks of mesquite and then a quick trip to the fire that was more like a glancing blow.
The slab of beef did make a mooooooo sound when the knife sliced into it.
About 15 years ago I was on a business trip that took me to DelFrescos in Dallas
I ordered a 28oz rib eye with a cold centre. It was delivered with a butter knife and a fork.
Maybe the best steak I have ever eaten in my life.
Thank god for the gold card... that was one expensive piece of meat but I still talk about it today.
It was affectionately referred to as the colon buster for many years following but I would do it again in heart beat