Pittsburg Style Steak

BBQBluesStringer

Anyone have a recipe for what is commonly known as a Pittsburg Style steak? From my own experience it seems to be a heavily seasoned piece of meat with a heavy char on the outside, and cool in the center. Am I close? Any ideas?[p]I did three 10-oz prime fillets last night, using the char and dwell method, and they came close, but not quite the right amount of char. Also I didn't know what to do with the seasoning, so I hit it with salt, pepper and some olive oil. Not quite the right combo...[p]Thanks![p]BBS

WessB

BBQBluesStringer,
Nature Boy will be strollin along with those mouthwatering pics of his anytime now....also Kenny G has some tips, and I believe pics, of what you are looking for, I believe he did them in the 1100° range...stay tuned..[p]Wess

Tim M

<p />BBQBluesStringer,[p]You're talking my language now! I love the Pittsburg steak and I do almost all filets. I can't quite eat a 10 oz one but I can get through a 6 oz. The key is thickness and you want ones that are 2" or so. Thin meat will ovr cook. One trick is to just partially thaw them so the centers are still cold when you toss them on the fire. You want a hot fire too - like 700-800°. I don't like the raw center, but that is what a true Pittsburg has. I like mine pink in the middle, my wife likes hers rare but we both want a heavy sear on the outside. [p]Salt them well and add pepper to taste. Salt them more than you would think you should - it'll be fine. I gave up the dwelling stuff 3+ years ago and have never looked back. I just sear until done to the doness I want and a good (really good) thermometer is important. I use the Thermapen. I will sear for about 5-6 min per side and flip and sear another 5 min and flip and sear a couple min and flip and check the temp. I keep searing and flipping until done to my liking. The outsides will be pretty black. AHHHHHHHH - yummy! Mine will go maybe 12-14 min sometimes. Don't watch the clock as much as watch the meat thermometer.[p]Mine is on the right. [p]Tim

BBQfan1

Tim M,
Read the post above and then did a 'google' search on this.... Doesn't come up with a lot, but one from a line cook at a steakhouse mentioned that a Pittsburg style steak incorporated pouring melted butter over it as it seared at super-high heat. Would certainly 'help' with that char, wouldn't it?
Another on a restaurant owners' forum said that the Pittsburg style had to be hard seared in a dry pan or skillet rather than in a grill or Salamander oven.
Innarestin' stuff.
Close to my tastes, but the meat has to be past that 'shiny red' stage for me at the very least.
Qfan

Tim M

BBQfan1,[p]The main idea is to burn the outside and leave the center rare. I like a medium Pittsburg myself. A local friend made up some steak "rub" for me to try and after years of saying that all you need on a good steak is salt and pepper I have started to like this stuff. It obviously has salt and pepper and a little garlic and I am guessing it also has sugar that aids in the blackening along with who knows what else. I don't have any of your steak seasoning or I would compare it to that.[p]I don't have any real good Pittsburg pictures, seems like as soon as they are done I eat it and I don't get the camera out quick enough. I have to work on that since some of the steak pics I have are 3-4 years old and I used the small egg that never got hot enough (550 max). That new Viking sure does get hot enough - !! Wowsers.[p]Tim

BBQfan1

Tim M,
I was just looking to see if there is a 'definitive' method to qualify as a 'Pittsburg' style. It seems to be the super-high heat is the qualifier, not anything to do with seasoning or equipment (although that one chef did say it had to be done in a pan or skillet to 'qualify'). There was that one note about butter-basting but that seemed isolated.
A hard crust is the consistent. Some even said they order steak 'Pittsburg well', which would indicate the raw center isn't necessary to qualify either!
Innarestin' stuff...
Qfan

Cornfed

BBQfan1,[p]I thought I heard once that true Pittsburg style steaks were thrown right on the coals, caveman style. I never did try that method. I've been really hungry for steak in the past, but was always able to find time for the 3 seconds necessary to lift the grid onto my Egg...[p]Later,
Cornfed

Chef Wil

BBQBluesStringer,
if you need more crust, try brushing your steak with olive oil or butter, then season heavy and grill at high heat like Tim M suggest. In my book you would also be considered blackening the steak whether you use a skillet or just a hot grill. Works well with Catfish also.

BBQBluesStringer

Tim M,[p]Thanks buddy! That's what I thought was going on, though I still clung to the dwell idea. The sear wasn't as "crunchy" as the one I had in a restaurant last week, so maybe cooking it fully at 800+ degrees will get me there. I like the idea of using a rub... I think I'll try some of Ken's Witchy Red on a 2" thick prime sirloin I have in the freezer. You say it should only be partially thawed to start? Sounds good to me, but MrsBBQBluesStringer is going to want her chunk cut off and to spend a little more time near the fire.[p]I don't know for sure how hot the egg was when I seared the fillets. The thermometer was almost verticle, way past the 750 degree line. I let it run for half an hour with no top, bottom vent fully open, with a full load of lump and pecan. Pretty blue-green flame blasting like a jet engine out the top. Next time I'll get some pictures.[p]Oh, just a hint... get your camera out and set up for photography before you load the egg. You'll get more food pix that way.