Steak is always good. And, because I want you to always be able to enjoy a delicious steak, I thought I would tell you how to prepare one on all kinds of BBQ.
The techniques are pretty similar, but I'm going to show you how to sear this beautiful piece of meat on a gas BBQ, a charcoal BBQ, a pellet BBQ, and a Capt'n Cook. A Capt'n Cook? Yes, it's a portable propane BBQ that's also a pizza oven, among other things. I'll explain all that further down. 😉
Before I give you the details, however, it is important that I tell you to bring your meat to room temperature before grilling it on the BBQ. I recommend letting it sit out of the refrigerator for about 45 minutes to 1 hour before you start cooking.
Once that's done, all you have to do is preheat your BBQ and you'll be on your way to glory! (Note that some steps are the same from one BBQ to another, I repeated them in case you only read the part that interested you. 😉)
Gas BBQ (eg: Napoleon Rogue with side burner )
The first thing you do when using a gas BBQ (after, of course, turning on the propane) is to let the infrared burner preheat. It's very quick, you press the button and after about 1 to 2 minutes, the burner will be ready. The way it works is that the gas will pass through the holes above the burner and will heat up the ceramic. As it builds up more heat, it then gets hotter and hotter and heats up really quickly. When it's hot enough (an infrared burner can go up to 1800°F), it's ready to heat the meat, sear it and caramelize it so that it keeps its juices and juices inside.
While your burner is preheating, you can take the opportunity to season your steak. I recommend covering 1 side of the steak with Appalaches BBQ Québec X La ferme Monette dry marinade to give it a little sweetness (and a nice caramelization when searing), then add a little Tex-Max BBQ Québec to give it a "boost" of "spiciness".
Once that's done and your grill over the infrared burner is nice and hot, place the steak on the grill, seasoned side down. While it sears, for about 1 minute 30 seconds/2 minutes, add equal amounts of the same dry rubs to the top of the meat. When the time is up and the meat is easily released from the grill, flip the steak over and sear on the other side. You don't need to add oil to the grill before searing your meat or rotate your meat at a 45° angle because the sear will already mark the entire meat.
When both sides of your steak are seared and they come away from the grill, place it inside your BBQ, in the indirect cooking zone, over a burner turned on at minimum. After putting the meat in a "state of shock", you let it soften and "rest" over a low heat source.
Let it cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 125°F (depending on the cut you're using; here, for example, it's for a rib steak; 115-120°F is OK for a sirloin), then wrap it in butcher paper, foil, or place it in a ceramic baking dish in the oven for 3-5 minutes to rest. (If you prefer a rare steak, you can cook it to an internal temperature of 110-115°F, but if your cut has fat, I don't recommend cooking it that way because the fat won't render. A steak with fat versus a steak with rendered fat is a different story.)
Slice your steak against the grain to tenderize it, then serve and enjoy a god-like steak!
Charcoal BBQ (e.g.: Weber Master-Touch )
To sear a steak on a charcoal grill, you first want to position your charcoal so that you have a direct and an indirect cooking zone. Next, you want to preheat your grill to the highest temperature (aim for around 2000°F) , so to "boost" the heat, you can leave the lid open, fully open the bottom air inlet and blow on the charcoal.
While waiting for the BBQ to preheat, season 1 side of your steak with a little Appalaches BBQ Québec X La ferme Monette dry marinade to give it a little sweetness (and a nice caramelization when searing), then add a little Tex-Max BBQ Québec to give it a “boost” of “spiciness”.
When the BBQ is hot enough, sear your steak on the grill, seasoned side down, in the direct cooking zone. When working with a charcoal BBQ, it is important to stay close to your grill while it is cooking. You need to stay close to your steak and watch it, because as the fat melts, it will fan the fire and create large flames. You can also turn the steak while searing to give it nice 90° angle sear lines, but usually the charcoal gets so hot that your sear lines may no longer be visible.
While the seasoned side of the meat is searing for about 1-2 minutes, sprinkle the same amount of the same dry rubs over the top of the meat. Once the sear is complete and the meat doesn't resist when you pick it up with your tongs, flip it over and let it sear on the other side. Also, start reducing the amount of air entering the bottom of the grill so that the temperature inside the grill drops.
Once that's done, transfer the steak to an indirect cooking zone and cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 125°F (depending on the cut you're using; here, for example, that's for a rib steak; 115 to 120°F, otherwise, is OK for a sirloin). If the heat still seems too intense, you can leave the steak uncovered to prevent the meat from drying out.
Be aware, however, that you could have seared your steak directly over the fire, but I recommend doing so only if you are using a thick piece, such as a tomahawk, for example.
When the steak has reached the right temperature, wrap it in butcher paper, foil, or place it in the oven in a ceramic baking dish for 3 to 5 minutes to rest. (If you prefer a rare steak, you can cook it to 110-115°F internal, but if your steak has fat, I don't recommend cooking it this way because the fat won't render. A steak with fat versus a steak with rendered fat is a different story.)
Finally, slice your steak against the grain to tenderize it, then serve it all and enjoy a god-like steak!
Pellet BBQ (eg: Camp Chef Woodwind )
When it comes to searing meat on a pellet grill, Grill Grate panels are wonderful. To leave beautiful sear lines on your meats and to give them a look worthy of a competition piece, above all, it is really a "must".
Once your panels are installed, preheat your BBQ to maximum and pull the Slide and Grill on your appliance to activate it and sear your steak directly over the fire.
While the BBQ is doing its job, season your steak with a little Appalaches BBQ Québec X La ferme Monette dry marinade to give it a little sweetness (and a nice caramelization when searing), then add a little Tex-Max BBQ Québec to give it a "boost" of "spiciness".
Then place your steak on a Grill Grate, seasoned side down, and let it sear for about 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the top of the steak the same way you did the other side, then when it releases easily from the grate, sear it on the other side.
When your meat has sublime cooking marks and it lifts without sticking to the panel, close the Slide and Grill, then place it on the top grill of your BBQ. Turn off your BBQ (put it in "shutdown" mode), then let the meat cook quietly with the heat inside the appliance.
When the meat has an internal temperature of 125°F (depending on the cut you're using; here, for example, it's for a rib steak; 115-120°F, otherwise, is OK for a sirloin), then wrap it in butcher paper, foil, or place it in the oven in a ceramic baking dish for 3-5 minutes to rest. (If you prefer a rare steak, you can cook it to an internal temperature of 110-115°F, but if your cut has fat, I don't recommend cooking it that way because the fat won't render. A steak with fat versus a steak with rendered fat is a different story.)
Once the waiting time is over, slice your steak against the grain to tenderize it, serve it all and enjoy a delicious steak!
BBQ Capt'n Cook
If you want to enjoy a steakhouse-quality steak, the Capt'n Cook is the BBQ for you! A BBQ, pizza oven, stove and conventional oven all in one, this portable machine is truly impressive.
The Capt'n Cook has, yes, a "pizza oven" area, but it also has a salamander grill. What this kind of grill does is push the heat down. The cast iron grates, which are under this grill, absorb the heat, which means that your steak will be seared on both sides directly. Effectively, the burner of the salamander grill pushes the heat down and sears/seals the top of the meat while the cast iron grate sears the bottom. I'm telling you, you'll always have perfect caramelization with this.
Before you sear your steak, however, you need to preheat your appliance. So preheat your Capt'n Cook to 750°F, then season your meat.
Unlike a "normal" BBQ, the Capt'n Cook sears on both sides at the same time, so it's best to season both sides of your steak right away. So sprinkle your steak with a little Appalaches BBQ Québec X La ferme Monette dry marinade to give it a little sweetness (and a nice caramelization during the sear), then add a little Tex-Max BBQ Québec to give it a "boost" of "spiciness".
Pull out the Capt'n Cook drawer, then drop your steak in (you should hear it crackle a little just as you put it on the grill, a beautiful melody for the ears!). Close the drawer and let the BBQ do its magic. In a few minutes, your steak will be ready; you won't even have to turn it while cooking. (Of course, if you want to treat your eyes, you can turn it over to get gorgeous sear lines too. 😉 You can even brown a slice of cheese on top of your steak after you flip it. "OMG!!!" 🤤)
If you want to cook it a little in the indirect cooking zone after searing, you can do so, but it is not mandatory. What I recommend you do for this is to use 2 stainless steel bowls. Pour a little water in the bottom of one bowl, then place the 2nd on top. Put the meat in the top bowl, then place it all in the "pizza oven" section (remove the pizza stone first). Then let the meat cook for a while until it reaches the desired temperature.
When the meat is at the proper internal temperature (whether it's been seared or seared and then cooked over indirect heat), which is 125°F (depending on the cut you're using; here, for example, it's for a rib steak; 115°F to 120°F, otherwise, is OK for a sirloin), wrap it in butcher paper, foil, or place it in the oven in a ceramic baking dish for 3 to 5 minutes to rest. (If you prefer a rare steak, you can cook it to an internal temperature of 110°F to 115°F, but if your cut has fat, I don't recommend cooking it that way because the fat won't render. A steak with fat versus a steak with rendered fat is a different story.)
Finally, slice your steak against the grain to tenderize it, then serve it all up and enjoy a god-like steak!
There you have it, now you know how to cook a steak on each type of BBQ!
Which BBQ is best for you?
Not sure what type of BBQ is best for you?
A propane gas BBQ is perfect if you are looking for simple cooking without the hassle. It is efficient, reliable and easy to clean.
A charcoal BBQ is really practical and affordable. If you have a chimney starter or an Allumax BBQ Québec , it lights up very quickly. You can also “pimp” your device with lots of accessories to transform it into a pizza oven, a smoker… several things!
A pellet grill is great if you're looking to use something like an oven. You press "on/off" and "that's it". You can even check the temperature of your grill via WiFi on your smartphone. You can sear and smoke with it too.
A Capt'n Cook is like a gadget that does everything. There's a pizza oven, you just have to click "on/off" to use it... It's a machine that's practical and "fun".
How do you know if your steak is successful?
Back to the steaks, to know if you've done yours right, you should only see 2 colors when you slice it. Each piece should have a brownish edge of about 1 millimeter and a red/pink or brown/white center, depending on how you like your steak. In other words, you shouldn't have a brown edge, then gray, then white, then pink, then red.
Before enjoying each of your slices, you can also add a little Booster BBQ Québec flavor enhancer on top to taste more and salivate more. 😜
Happy BBQ!