Can any eggers in KC help me out? No flavor woes

well, like all things it'll be to taste...

heck. i salt before hand and at the table. hahaha

Mike,
By chance are the steaks at your local bar pan seared? Also, what cut are they using?

If they are pan seared, you could duplicate it on the egg by using a cast iron pan direct.

Also, some of the cheaper cuts of meat that local bars use have a different flavor. Some of the more expensive cuts of beef (tenderloin comes to mind) have a less "beefy" flavor, you end up paying more for a more tender steak.

I typically cook both Flat Irons and Rib Eye with Montreal Spicy Steak Seasoning and I promise you that lack of flavor not an issue. 'Course I normally eat mine on the rare side of medium rare as well, but everyone's tastes are different.

Just some thoughts...

Sorry but this is going to be looong!

Hello, I am the one with the similar complaint about some bland food off the egg. My complaint has been mainly with BBQ. As far as steaks, after I figured out how to use the Sear/rest/roast or 'Trex' method and not over char the meat my steaks came out very good. I agree that you may be under-salting the steak. Much of the seasoning will fall off during cooking so don't be afraid of a good coating. I use Montreal seasoning alot and nearly cover each side before cooking. I would never go past medium with any good steak and med rare will be more juicy, I am sure you know that.
As far a the Brisket being bland I had pretty much the exact experience.
I am a pretty experienced cook, I lived and worked with a head chef from Johnson & Wales Culinary academy who taught me a lot about the importance of seasoning and sauces so I feel like I am qualified to at least offer my opinion. (which I am sure will be ripped to pieces by the experts)
What I think is happening (to me anyway)is a compound problem, I.E. more than one issue.
I personally believe that brisket tastes best when cooked, at least for the first part of the cook, at a temperature closest to its target finish temp which is around 200. I think that often times the egg wants to run quite a bit hotter than that, more like 250.
My theory is that during the cooking process in the egg, the chimney is nearly closed to keep the temp down, trapping in water vapor that should be escaping and creating a very steamy environment inside the egg while the meat is giving up its water. Steam cooks much faster than dry heat and the brisket essentially steam cooks its way through the vital early hours of the BBQ process. A side effect of this steaming is that some seasoning might wash off and/or not get into the meat as well.
The second part of my theory is that because the egg is so efficient and is burning so little coal to maintain 250 degrees, very little wood is actually being combusted early on when I believe the meat takes on the most flavor as well as develops a smoke ring. Unless a piece of wood is sitting directly in the pool ball sized spot that might be burning you won't get any real smoke. I understand the theory of the smoke 'seasoning' the meat throughout the cook but personally believe that BBQ takes on more flavor early in the cooking process.
I relate back to my experience making brisket in the old offset. I kept the cooking chamber at about 210 degrees and constantly was feeding it a steady diet of coal and hardwood with the chimney wide open until the meat is done. Smoke was always rolling, heavy at times and light at others and I never once had a brisket come out anything less than stellar with a beautiful deep smoke ring. One of the rules of cooking on an offset is to NEVER close the chimney at all unless you need to lower the temp quickly. This lets out the steam as well as the excess smoke nasties. With the egg you have to keep the chimney closed to keep the temperature down enough to BBQ.

Let the attacks begin!!!

GulfCoastBBQ

Not to much of an argument from me on temps. I try to keep my temps around 200-225 dome for the frist 3 hours on my ribs, brisket, and pulled pork. As far as moisture, that is the great thing about an egg, it retains moisture so well. I have cooked on an offset for 20 years in the grocery business. We used logs not chunks of wood.
As far as dry heat, I have no opinion. I just know I have cooked on both for years. And prefer my eggs.

Mike