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First Steaks in Cast Iron

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BuckeyeBob
BuckeyeBob Posts: 673
in EggHead Forum
Inspired by a recent post by@BigGreenCraigdotcom, I decided to do some steaks in a cast iron skillet on the Egg. I followed Craig's blog post here:

http://www.biggreencraig.com/cast-iron-filet-mignon.html

I seasoned them with DizzyPig Raising the Steaks and let them sit for a while. I wanted the Egg around 500 and heated up the pan for about 20 minutes. I put the steaks in and I think my fire was a little hot as they smoked like crazy. I flipped after about 2 minutes and cooked the other side same amount of time.

Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos

After flipping the second time, I added some butter and garlic to the pan and closed off the vents to create an oven effect. After another minute or two they were done. I let them sit for a little while, while I cooked some asparagus on the Egg.

Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos

The crust on the steaks when you do this way is unbelievable. I'm not sure why the steaks look so red as that wasn't the case. The flavor was outstanding and big thumbs up from the family. Next time, I will probably use more rub and take them off of the Egg a little sooner because they were probably a little past Medium which is where I like it. I am definitely doing this again.
Clarendon Hills, IL
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Comments

  • BuckeyeBob
    BuckeyeBob Posts: 673
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    @hapster, I was thinking the same thing!
    Clarendon Hills, IL
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  • Randy1
    Randy1 Posts: 379
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    Looks great to me
    Maumelle, Arkansas
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  • fence0407
    fence0407 Posts: 2,236
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    =D> Nice Job!
    Large - Mini - Blackstone 17", 28", 36"
    Cumming, GA  

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  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
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    Ooh that's hot! Literally ;-). Love love love using my c.i. on steaks, scallops etc. Excellent flavor hands down.
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
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  • Texansurf
    Texansurf Posts: 507
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    Try holding off on the butter until after you pull them from the heat, butter scorches at a much lower temp than your cooking...
    Corpus Christi, Texas.  LBGE x 2, Weber Smoky Joe, and Aussie Walk-About
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  • bo31210
    bo31210 Posts: 715
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    Talk about some food porn.
    In the middle of Georgia!    Geaux Tigers!!!!!
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  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    edited April 2014
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    That's the only way I cook my steak.  I butter baste after I flip the first time.

    Next time, don't rest on a plate.  Hands down, the best way to rest a steak is on a cooling rack.  Also, don't wait 5 minutes, then ring the dinner bell.  Pull them off, put them on a rack and call the peeps to the table to get their sides and what not ready.  The timing always works perfect for me when I do that.  It could be 10-15 minutes before they take their first bite if you do a timed rest.
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
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  • PNWFoodie
    PNWFoodie Posts: 1,046
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    So cast iron is better than directly on the grill? Newbie here....
    XL, JR, and more accessories than anyone would ever need near Olympia, WA
    Sandy
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  • yzzi
    yzzi Posts: 1,843
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    Yep, best way to sear steaks. The first time I used cast iron was searing steak for fajitas indoors, and I had no idea what I was doing. Let's just say the apartment was billowing with smoke and my new wife at the time wasn't too happy. "why don't you figure out how to use that thing before you use it again."

    Now I have me some nicely seasoned pieces that I love using to sear and blacken on the egg. Best way to do fish, too.
    Dunedin, FL
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  • GeorgeS
    GeorgeS Posts: 955
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    That first picture is sexy with the smoke billowing out of the pan!
    Bristow Virginia XL&Mini One of the best feelings in life is watching other people enjoy the food I cooked!
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  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    edited April 2014
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    PNWFoodie said:
    So cast iron is better than directly on the grill? Newbie here....
    Have you ever been to a really good steak house?  If you have, you likely didn't see grill marks on your steak, you saw a nice even mahogany colored crust.  That crust on any cut of steak really elevates the flavor of the meat if properly done.  To accomplish this, you can use a hot cast iron pan like bob did or even a stainless steel pan.  I use a Lodge cast iron pan for searing and it works perfectly.  
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
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  • demo
    demo Posts: 163
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    That's the only way I cook steaks.
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  • Hungry Joe
    Hungry Joe Posts: 1,567
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    I did steaks on a 500 degree salt block last week and they were the best I have done yet. Which got me thinking that maybe I should be doing a cast iron sear rather then the Trex method which is what I normally do. They were cooked evenly through out.

    When I get over this salt block phase I think I am going cast iron after seeing this. Great job.

    Do you have any idea what the temperature of the cast iron was?

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  • Hungry Joe
    Hungry Joe Posts: 1,567
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    Texansurf said:
    Try holding off on the butter until after you pull them from the heat, butter scorches at a much lower temp than your cooking...
    The same goes for the seasonings, they pretty much just burn off at those thempeatures.
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  • oakdaleegger
    oakdaleegger Posts: 56
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    What kind of cut is that? Flank?

    Looks ridiculously good.
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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    edited April 2014
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    Hungry Joe said:

    Do you have any idea what the temperature of the cast iron was?

    White CI like that, just under 1000 for starters.  With my IR gun, discovered that 700 is plenty hot for a good sear.  There is a line between Malliard and burnt.  Raised direct gives a little bit of a cushion using this method.  You can easily adjust things to your liking. 
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

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  • KiterTodd
    KiterTodd Posts: 2,466
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    Do you still get any of the charcoal taste from the BGE when you cook this way?  

    I'd be concerned that the pan buffers the steak from some of that charcoal smoke goodness.   If that's the case, is the main benefit that you keep all the smoke and mess outside?


    Looks darn good though.  I have plenty of cast iron so will give this a try some time.

    I was also thinking of buying the cast iron grill grates that BGE sells.  I like a nice thick grate like that and they must hold heat well and spread it around evenly.
    LBGE/Maryland
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  • AlbertaEgger
    AlbertaEgger Posts: 1,387
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    did you trim your handel back, or is that a small skillet on an XL?
    County of Parkland, Alberta, Canada
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  • BuckeyeBob
    BuckeyeBob Posts: 673
    edited April 2014
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    Thanks to everyone for all the comments. I wanted to answer some of the questions you threw out.

    @HungryJoe - I was heating the Egg at 550 but I'm not sure how hot the pan was. I heated it for about 30 minutes.

    @oakdaleegger‌ - These were actually Choice New York Strips but hey weren't real thick. My thought is with this method, you do better with a thicker cut.

    @Focker‌ - I think I will do Raised Direct next time for just the cushion you mentioned.

    @KiterTodd‌ - Definitely had a good smoke flavor. Especially when you close the vents for the last couple of minutes. And yes, by doing outside, it keeps my smoke detectors from going off.

    @AlbertaEgger‌ - I didn't trim back the handle and it was on my Large. It's your basic 12-inch Lodge CI Skillet.
    Clarendon Hills, IL
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  • BigGreenCraigdotcom
    BigGreenCraigdotcom Posts: 246
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    I am glad you like it! A great crust is unbeatable! I picked up 2 filets for dinner tonight!  
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  • BigGreenCraigdotcom
    BigGreenCraigdotcom Posts: 246
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    Here is my Cast Iron Filet Mignon  from tonight's dinner!imageimageimage
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  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,482
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    Craig, did you do the mushrooms in the skillet too? I may have to a CI skillet now.
    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.
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  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,482
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    I should have looked at the link first, sorry. Pretty cool.
    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.
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  • BigGreenCraigdotcom
    BigGreenCraigdotcom Posts: 246
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    Ladeback69 said:
    Craig, did you do the mushrooms in the skillet too? I may have to a CI skillet now.
    I actually did them in a separate, smaller cast iron. I have a couple pats of butter, a squeeze of canola oil, salt, pepper and a couple splashes of soy sauce on top of the shrooms. I staged it so it was ready to hit the heat as soon as I removed the steaks. 

    Cast iron is awesome on the Egg and it is fairly cheap! You should pick up a couple decent skillets. I just use Lodge Brand. 
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