Steak on the griddle. What's your method?

TheToast

A neighbour has bought a load of tomahawk / rib eye steaks and invited himself round to try the Egg - which is fine by me!

My steaks are a little hit and miss when using the cast iron griddle. What's your method?

Temp? Time? Oil them / put on dry? 

They're thinner than I'd buy - he thinks just under an inch and 500g each. 

Theyre currently frozen - I was thinking to defrost in fridge then salt and leave overnight. But I've just seen this, which is probably just nonsense but thought I'd share. https://www.bustle.com/articles/34922-want-the-best-steak-of-your-life-dont-thaw-the-steaks-before-cooking-them

Thanks

TheToast

Worth saying that previously my best results have been non-raised (I don't have a means to raise it) griddle, 300c / 500f for a minute each side - perfect rare-medium on inside but not a great crust. If I hold on for a crust they cook through. Olive oil and salt has helped the crust but that feels like a hack. 

Stormbringer

For something that size, you could try this method:

https://www.thecooksdigest.co.uk/2016/07/30/rib-eye-steaks-with-smoked-garlic/



Personally though, I'd still go for reverse sear, I've done this with 1 inch ribeyes and it does give a better flavour for the steaks we get:

https://www.thecooksdigest.co.uk/2016/10/07/reverse-seared-rib-eye-steaks/

TheToast

@Stormbringer Thanks. The former looks like a good method. Although I fear the 1inch steaks will be a bit thin for that much time - may try 250c for a shorter amount of time than 8mins (maybe 4mins). 

I need to to get myself a nice thick steak and try a reverse sear on it - done it with picanha and the results are amazing. 

Thanks

Stormbringer

The steaks in the first method/picture above were just under an inch. But ... better to do for less time and check than overdo and say "doh!".

milesvdustin

Best steak I have made at home was from a redneck hot (cheap sous vide). Second best was reverse sear. 

Terrebandit

Those are mighty thin. If I was shooting for medium rare and wanted any kind of crust at all, I'd hit them at a very high heat in a lightly oiled cast iron pan and flip them after a couple minutes on each side.  Have your Thermopen handy and be ready to pull at 130 max. 

Fred19Flintstone

What I do for thin steaks is hot & fast over direct heat.  If crust matters to you, use cast iron.  Thick steaks I reverse sear.  Wilma likes the sear caveman style directly on the coals so that's how I usually do it.

TheToast

Thanks everyone. I've never tried Caveman style. @Fred19Flintstone Do you just finish your steaks off on the coals or cook them completely on the coals?

Fred19Flintstone

TheToast said:by

Thanks everyone. I've never tried Caveman style. @Fred19Flintstone Do you just finish your steaks off on the coals or cook them completely on the coals?

You just finish it on the coals.  In reverse sear method, I get the egg to 300F and cook indirect to IT of 120F.  Then pull them and rest about 10-15 minutes.  During that time, I pull everything out of the egg for finishing caveman style.

westernbbq

Go to youtube and look up americas test kitchen, cooking steaks frozen.....inhave not done this yet but it looks like itll work well

Good luck

TheToast

@westernbbq Thanks. I followed their pizza method and it did the business so I'll look this up too

westernbbq

ATK is my go to source. Try their cold oil french fries....even i cant screw it up.  Perfection every time attempted.

Mickey

Stormbringer

@Mickey what temp do you run at for searing like that? I just purchased a Lodge CI pancake pan, cut the handle off and now have a setup that looks very similar to what you have for searing.

Mickey

Stormbringer said:

@Mickey what temp do you run at for searing like that? I just purchased a Lodge CI pancake pan, cut the handle off and now have a setup that looks very similar to what you have for searing.

No temp as the top is not closed. Just hit as hell. 
Only way to cook a steak (imo). 

Stormbringer

Mickey said:

Stormbringer said:

@Mickey what temp do you run at for searing like that? I just purchased a Lodge CI pancake pan, cut the handle off and now have a setup that looks very similar to what you have for searing.

No temp as the top is not closed. Just hit as hell. 
Only way to cook a steak (imo). 

OK thanks. I was planning to do a reverse sear at the weekend and do the sear in the CI pan using a bath of melted bone marrow. I'll go for the "hot as hell" temperature and see what happens.

JohnEggGio

Mickey said:

Stormbringer said:

@Mickey what temp do you run at for searing like that? I just purchased a Lodge CI pancake pan, cut the handle off and now have a setup that looks very similar to what you have for searing.

No temp as the top is not closed. Just hit as hell. 
Only way to cook a steak (imo). 

When I did my finish sear Sunday night on a CI griddle, I closed the lid - will try leaving open next time - steaks were just a bit over-done.  

I'm new to the BGE - I'll admit, the heat coming outta there was a bit intimidating!  I'll need some longer tongs and some gloves.