Ribeye mistake??

jdavidm · July 2011

Hello all...I need some advice as to what went wrong with my ribeye on the BGE....

First of all, I have been using my BGE for a year now, but this is the first high temperature cooking I have done on it......here goes....

2" thick bone-in ribeye. I let it sit out for about 45 minutes to come to room temperature.
Started coals with 2 paraffin blocks.
BGE up to 650 degrees for about 20 minutes.
Used grill grate that came with BGE.
Seasoned steak with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Seared on one side for 3 minutes, other side for 3 minutes, flipped again and closed all vents and let the steak sit for 5 minutes on the BGE, then removed it and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Besides the steak still being very rare, which wasn't the problem, the steak tasted like plastic or a bit rubbery.

So, any suggestions as to what that weird taste was???

Thanks in advance!

David

Little Steven · July 2011

jdavidm,

Lose the paraffin starters for one. They always leave a snuffed candle flavour IMHO. Second, don't go so high next time. Fatty meats do better at lower temps. If you want a black sear do it at the end. Don't use oil on a marbled meat either.

Steve

doubleA · July 2011

your taste of plastic might be the starters you are using... for a steak like that a restaurant would sear it real hot like you are and then put it in the oven to get the right temp. I personally like steaks to be med rare except for rib-eyes... i like them at the high side of medium because there is so much fat that i like it all to render and taste yummy!

chocdoc · July 2011

Also wondering if you let the VOCs burn off long enough? Was the smoke from the egg smelling good before you put the steak on?

FSM-Meatball · July 2011

Taste is likely from the starters. You should try one of the other methods. I personally use a chimney starter with an oiled paper towel to get the fire going.

As for method, you are OK searing at the temp you had, but during the rest you should let the temp come down to around 400, then put them back on. Don't shut the vents, just let them go until the meast is the temp you want them at. USE A THERMOMETER!. Cook by temp not time.

This is th definitive method for steak around here-
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/trexsteak.htm

jdavidm · July 2011

Thanks for the advice everyone. I didn't check the smoke for strange smells before I put the steak on the BGE. I'll give it another try without the starters...and try the naked whiz method...with a thermometer!

David

Dave in Florida · July 2011

I cook my ribeyes the same way but do not use the paraffin blocks. Get the coals burning clean, Dome at 600 to 650, sear, close vents down and cook on each side for 5 mins. I like medium to medium well and the ribeyes, knock on wood, have come out great every time.

Hoss · July 2011

What Steven said.The starters are bad(funky).Like lighter fluid!

Austin Egghead · July 2011

Not sure where the plastic flavor came from. How many fire starters did you use and IMHO 20 minutes is too short time for starters to burn off completely.
I use 1 fire starter dead center and pile both used and new lump into pyramid around the starter. I leave top up and let her smoke. I don't even put any food on until the smoke is gone and all i see it heat radiating from grill.
Steak goes on when there is a good fire in the coals and temp is between 550- 650.

Steak goes on for 3 min, rotate 90 degrees cook for another 3 min. Turn season and repeat to get grill marks. At second 3 min rotation close top and vents and cook to 135 internal temp. Foil and let rest 15 minutes.
Rubbery...well that could have been just the luck of the draw (or a dairy cow well passed her prime)

Photo Egg · July 2011

Hey David.
Try it the same way again w/o the olive oil.
Did you spray your grid with any cooking spray?
20 minutes at 650 should have cleared your Egg of any remaining starter fumes.

NibbleMeThis · July 2011

For a 2" ribeye I would definitely use a reverse sear.

Cook it at 250-275f until it hits an internal temp about 5 degrees less than your desired final temp.

Then open up your Egg, get it up to 500f and sear for 1 minute per side.

You will end up with a steak that is more evenly cooked. Plus it takes less time to get a 250f egg up to 500F than it does to get a 650F egg down to 400f.

markjanes · July 2011

That steak is too thick to cook at such a high temp for the entire time... a high temp is fine for the sear but not for the rest of cooking that beast... either sear in a pan then go to the egg at 400ish to finish or sear on the egg and go to the oven at 400 to finish... I find the former superior to the latter as at searing temp I seem to get too much smoke taste in the meat for my taste...

Ripnem · July 2011

Something that I don't think has been mentioned above is with the 'Dwell' part of method you used. With a Ribeye and being as fatty as they are, you don't want that stuff dripping on a snuffed out fire. Being snuffed out it is already burning very poorly and kicking out excess smoke, now you're introducing fat dripping and that will add to the nasty smoke from the inefficient fire. It's a bad method for Ribeyes specifically. IMO.

Keep trying different methods and you will know which one you like soon enough.

a nice rolling 400º fire can make a killer steak, so can hot tubbing, the reverse sear, front end sear and then roast to finish, etc. The key is to cook to temperature, not so much by time at all. A thicker steak and high quality thermometer make the task pretty simple and really a fun cook once it becomes second nature.

Bordello · July 2011

I'm with you, I use the weber starter cubes, usually one but have used up to 3. Light em, cover with lump (I have used both new and used lump) leave the dome up till the cubes are out and the lump is glowing.

Never had a problem with smell or taste from them, but hey, maybe my taster is worn out.

:laugh:

Regards,
Bordello

crghc98 · July 2011

What adam said, and try hot tubbing....

I hate the method of leaving it in while shutting down the vents, I don't like the flavor it leaves.

At the very least reverse sear, roasting first and then searing.

Also the 45 minutes on the counter did nothing for you except make the outside of the steak warm, but you won't find it brings the internal temp more in line, which is what you want to get an even cook...this is better done through hot tubbing.

Braumiester · July 2011

Ripnem wrote:

Something that I don't think has been mentioned above is with the 'Dwell' part of method you used. With a Ribeye and being as fatty as they are, you don't want that stuff dripping on a snuffed out fire. Being snuffed out it is already burning very poorly and kicking out excess smoke, now you're introducing fat dripping and that will add to the nasty smoke from the inefficient fire. It's a bad method for Ribeyes specifically. IMO.

Imho this was u r problem, a snuffed out fire releases some nasty smoke. I think a reverse sear is the way to go on a Egg

Ribeye mistake??

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