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  • When slow cooked over indirect heat, Bone-in rib-eye steaks can be seasoned simply with salt and pepper for an outstanding flavor.

    Rib-eye

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August 11, 2010

Dave Lobeck: Simple seasonings, slow cooking all that's needed

By Dave Lobeck Globe Columnist

JOPLIN, Mo. — Editor’s note: Dave Lobeck has been grilling for 32 years, since he was 14. In addition to owning a Southern-style, brick barbecue pit in his backyard, he is a trained judge for the Kansas City Barbecue Society. He writes a weekly column for CNHI News and will appear weekly in The Joplin Globe.

People assume that really hot weather is a bad time to barbecue or grill, but actually the worst place to cook this time of the year is in the kitchen.

Fire up the oven or stove and watch your central air kick on, and it won’t stop. You are going to sweat either way, so go outside and deliver a great meal with some smoky goodness.

In this column, we are going to prepare some meat that is totally different, a “Smoked Bone-In Ribeye Steak.”

I know, it sounds sexy. Trust me, it is. This steak needs no flavoring other than salt and pepper.

Most steaks are flash-grilled over high direct heat. That’s how I typically grill a steak, and you probably do too. But, I decided to try something different, and the result was absolutely spectacular.

Here’s what we do: Set up the grill with indirect heat. That is done by placing charcoal on the far ends of the grill and leaving the middle of the grill totally open. I place hickory chips on each side of the hot charcoal. After the hickory flames out, you are ready to cook.

Place the seasoned steaks (I used bone-in rib-eyes cut to 11Ú2 inches thick seasoned with salt and pepper) in the middle of the grill where there is no direct heat. Put the lid on the grill and let them smoke for 20 minutes or so.

Then, move the steaks directly over the hot coals and grill them as you would a normal steak. By doing this, you finish the cooking process and add texture to the steak.

But, remember Ñ these steaks are almost already fully cooked. Do not grill them as long as you would grill a steak right out of the fridge. Again, you are grilling now for texture, not to totally cook them.

Take the steaks off the grill when they hit 130 degrees (I like them medium-rare) and cover them in aluminum foil for 10 minutes or so. Remember, the steak’s temperature will gain another 10 degrees while resting.

This “resting time” will allow the juices to stop pulsating through the meat. If you cut into the steak immediately after it is taken off the grill, a lot of the juices will spill out, causing the steak to be dry. This drives true barbecuers and grill masters crazy.

Try this method of grilling and barbecuing a steak. You will love it.



Dave Lobeck is a barbecue chef from Sellersburg, Ind., who writes a weekly column for CNHI News Service. Contact him at www.BBQMyWay.com.

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