Ever cooked a STEAK so delicous...

KiterTodd

...that you forgot to actually taste it until you found yourself picking the last bits of meat out of the fat you discarded at the beginning of your meal?  



Okay, I actually did remember to slow down and taste the steak... halfway through. 
It was good. 


This was my first cook on Royal Oak, by the way.   I started with BGE lump (liked it), bought some FOGO (lasts a long time, harder to light) and decided to try the Royal Oak mainly because everyone said it is the BGE lump at half the price AND I could get it on Amazon Prime.  Seems to be what I experienced as well.  I love how easily it lights and I think I like the flavor better.  But that FOGO will definitely give you significantly more hours of cooking per lbs.of lump...not that the RO/BGE burns fast, though.

Philly35

Nice cook. Nothin wrong with RO!

MrCookingNurse

Nice looking food man. Dude I had a ribeye Saturday that was amazing. We used a new butcher this year and he had them a little thicker than last years guys. Perfect steak. And I think this steer was very high grade.

KiterTodd

MrCookingNurse said:

Nice looking food man. Dude I had a ribeye Saturday that was amazing. We used a new butcher this year and he had them a little thicker than last years guys. Perfect steak. And I think this steer was very high grade.

Thanks.  I haven't cooked a RibEye on the BGE yet...  NEXT UP!

westernbbq

The best steak I ever cooked was NY strips on BGE using cast iron grid and cowboy charcoal. Also threw a couple of handfuls of cherry chips (unsoaked) on fire right before the meat went on. Incredible flavor- med rare with perfect char crust. Absolutely best I ever made

nolaegghead

Nice lookin' steak.  I'm not ashamed to say I will go back work on the fat scraps when I'm done....seared fat is the bomb.

I try to explain to all the lump brand Prima donnas that the brand of lump doesn't make much difference on a hot cook.  People hate B&B and Cowboy.   I've not had any problems with it.  Now I have had problems with bad fire - as a matter of fact you can buy the fancy-pants gourmet lump and get bad smoke (for example if you lit an entire huge pile then dialed it back down to 250F).

KiterTodd

nolaegghead said:

I try to explain to all the lump brand Prima donnas that the brand of lump doesn't make much difference on a hot cook.  People hate B&B and Cowboy.   I've not had any problems with it.  Now I have had problems with bad fire - as a matter of fact you can buy the fancy-pants gourmet lump and get bad smoke (for example if you lit an entire huge pile then dialed it back down to 250F).

Nola... first I've heard of this.  Should you burn it at a higher temp first before dialing it back?   Or is this an entire pile light caution?
I don't light the entire pile, I use a chimney (which lights about 2/3 of what is in the chimney) and then dump it on whatever is in the fire ring.  If I'm cooking L&S, I'll immediately dial in the temp and then let it sit for a while.

SmokeyPitt

Steak looks great!  Just curious- how much did you pay for Royal Oak on Amazon?  I just checked and it is like $30 for a 17# bag (which is really pricey for Royal Oak). 

nolaegghead

Depends on what you're doing.  You want to light just enough lump to make the heat you need.  So if you're cooking low, light just a little lump.  Hot, light a lot of lump.  You get bad smoke with a smoldering fire.  I always light the top and let it burn down and out. 

I was telling you, when I said light the entire pile, how to get BAD smoke for a low and slow.  The quality can have a significant impact on the quality of a low and slow cook depending on the fire.  For hot cooks, like pizza, you could almost burn green wood (but let it ash over first).  Doesn't make much difference - the food isn't in the smoke for very long, and the hot fire burns the VOCs much more effectively.

pasoegg

Royal Oak at Tractor Supply is currently $11.99 for 17 lbs....carry it through the summer only

RRP

You got me back at "found yourself picking the last bits of meat out of the fat you discarded"  Ever hear the term of know fat, know flavor but no fat, no flavor? The more marbled a piece is the more flavorful and like @nolaegghead said seared fat is the bomb! That fat tip of a NY strip for instance is the first thing I wolf down! BTW your steak looked mighty fine!

KiterTodd

SmokeyPitt said:

Steak looks great!  Just curious- how much did you pay for Royal Oak on Amazon?  I just checked and it is like $30 for a 17# bag (which is really pricey for Royal Oak). 

$28, shipped.  Seemed fine for me to give it a try as I don't know where to get it around here and didn't have to put gas in my car and pick it up! 
I do have a Wegman's near me and I heard their lump is good.  May try that next.

henapple

Nola is extremely intelligent. ..except for lump. There is a difference.