New York steaks

[TJ]

Have two steaks that are about 1 1/8 thick and weigh about 14 ounces each. Would like to try them out on the smoker.
How should I go about it? We both prefer medium rare.

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[Pork Belly]

Smoke them at a low temp 120 or with an auber 130 for about an hour. Pull the steaks season and sear them on a screaming hot fire. A charcoal chimney starter full of white hot coals with a grate on top would be ideal. The will only need a few minutes per side at the most.

[DivotMaker]

TJ,

We had a pretty good discussion about steaks awhile back:

http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=123.0

From the consensus, if you're going for medium-rare, you want to pull out of the smoker no higher than 110 internal temp, then sear on the hot grill, with a short foiled rest after.  Check out the previous discussion, and see if you think differently.  I like steak right at the top edge of medium-rare (just barely medium), and pull them off the grill no higher than 130.  So, to account for the extra temp, during the sear, 110 seems reasonable to me.

[TJ]

Smoking process went well but both wife and I decided we prefer the steaks unsmoked.
But hey, at least we gave it a go:)

[swthorpe]

I think smoking beef produces a different taste, unlike pork or poultry.  I have tried hamburgers a couple of times and really did not like the taste or texture.    So for me, the beef stays on the grill!

[DivotMaker]

I, personally, love a smoked steak, but I don't do them in the smoker.  I get some wood smoking on the ol' Weber gasser, and just let the smoke kiss the steaks while grilling.  Perfect - just a hint of smoke, and much easier than getting the smoker dirty for a few steaks!  Hickory or mesquite is my preference.

[swthorpe]

I agree Tony!   I have a small wood box on my weber grill so everything that I grill gets a hint of smoke!

[DivotMaker]

I'm lazy, Steve - I just throw a couple of chunks on top of the flavorizer bars!

[swthorpe]

My post may be misleading...I have a (brinkman, I think) cast iron box that I got from HD that sits on the flavorizer bars and I put wood chips in it for smoke.     I have not tried putting a wood chunk on the bars...could be on to something there!

[DivotMaker]

I had a box like that, Steve, and just couldn't ever seem to get it to smoke enough (but I may not have been giving it enough time).  I just throw them on the bars, and if they flame, I give 'em a shot of water with my squirt bottle!  I always keep it handy for flare-ups!

[swthorpe]

I agree, it does take a while to get the smoke rolling, typically when the grill is really heating up (400F+).   I haven't figured out why a wood chunk can smoke in the SI at 80F, but on the grill the chips need 400+ degrees to smoke!   And I have the cast iron box sitting right on the bars.    I'll have to try eliminating the box and just putting the wood on the bar.  Thanks!

[DivotMaker]

I agree, it does take a while to get the smoke rolling, typically when the grill is really heating up (400F+).   I haven't figured out why a wood chunk can smoke in the SI at 80F, but on the grill the chips need 400+ degrees to smoke!   And I have the cast iron box sitting right on the bars.    I'll have to try eliminating the box and just putting the wood on the bar.  Thanks!

It's a little more mess, for cleaning, but not that bad.  By the time the grill is hot, smoke is rolling.

[swthorpe]

I tried a chunk of hickory last night on the grill, "boated" in a foil pouch.  The smoke finally did arrive (and fire), but it seemed like it took a while to get it going.   Maybe I should bypass the foil, but I wasn't sure how to balance the wood chunk on the flavorizer triangle bar.

[DivotMaker]

I just drop it in the valley between the bars - a good-size chunk won't fall through.  Seems that one it catches fire, and I give it a bath with the squirt bottle, it doesn't do it again.