The True and Definitive Story of Making Blackened Steak in a Small Egg

Judy Mayberry

<p />My first attempt to char the steak now that I have all the right equipment: the GrateMate ring, a cast iron griddle (the handle was cut off), a 1-1/2-inch ribeye, and a laser thermometer. I used the lump from the last cook, stirred to sift out the ash, did not add any fresh lump, and the lump was just below the top of the firebox. [p]Lit it in three places with the Mapp torch, put on the GrateMate ring and the flat griddle. The griddle left just a sliver of room around the rim for airflow. I knew it would take longer for the dome temp to rise because of the restricted airflow. In about 20 minutes the dome temp reached about 500¼ and wouldn't go higher.[p]I waited till the griddle looked gray (it was night and the electric light is dim). The dome was still close to 500¼, and the laser thermometer pointed at the griddle read 715¼!!! I plopped on a pat of butter, then the steak. I charred both sides for a minute or two, then took it off for a 15-minute rest. I used pliers to lift of the griddle and put it down on the concrete floor. Then I closed down the Egg till it reached 400¼ and finished the steak.[p]The point is, as it might have been Stike who pointed it out, that in the Small the 1100¼ coals are so close to the food that food is really cooking at higher temps than the dome thermometer indicates. I think if I'd left it going even longer the griddle would have been hotter--but that may not be true. The steak was GREAT![p][p]Any remarks from the knowledgeable ones? Would the griddle have gotten hotter?

gdenby

Judy Mayberry,[p]I can't offer anything but a note of admiration. Your griddle seared ribeye looks a lot better than my plain grill seared ribeye from Monday.[p]congrats,
gdenby

Big'un

Judy Mayberry,
Great looking steak.... a job well(rare) done.LOL.