Man, meat, and fire have a basic bond that continues to this day, and there is nothing more primal than grilling a steak directly over roaring red-hot coals.
In this recipe, we’ll show you how to use the caveman approach to cook steaks to whatever degree you want (we suggest medium-rare).
Contents
What is caveman cooking?
Cooking meals directly on a bed of hot embers is referred to as caveman cooking. You may accomplish this simply using 100% lump charcoal, or you can use a burn barrel to manufacture your coals from wood.
Briquettes should not be used for primitive cookery. The chemicals in the briquettes will transfer to the surface of your meat, leaving an artificial aftertaste that lump charcoal does not.
Caveman cookery does not just refer to charred meat or steaks. Roast entire veggies such as carrots, corn cobs, or potatoes. Even more delicate vegetables, such as wedge salad, may be cooked for a brief sear on the top and given smoke taste.
Lets be honest, were here for the steak!
What steak is best for caveman cooking?
You may cook any steak caveman style, but your cut should be between 1 and 2 inches thick. This gives the surface time to form a lovely crust while without overcooking the interior.
In general, a fattier cut of beef will retain more juice than a thin cut, but steak width is more crucial when you want to keep this steak rare to medium-rare. When it comes to cooking caveman, a ribeye is more forgiving than a filet.
The quality of the meat is also important. Upper choice and above provide a highly juicy steak in any condition, even caveman cooking. Quality filets provide supple, juicy delicacy that would normally need large quantities of butter.
Today’s dish calls for grilling a ribeye and a NY strip steak directly over the coals.
How to make caveman steaks over lump charcoal
This dish is simple and requires few ingredients. You’ll want to opt for quality here and allow the beef’s inherent tastes show through. Local, humanely produced beef on pasture will have a richer, beefier taste than supermarket meat, which is often Select grade. If possible, go for premier grade. The moment has come.
What youll need:
- Ribeye and NY strip were used in 1 2 thick cut grade steak.
- Coarse ground pepper
- Kosher salt
- 100% natural lump charcoal
- A firebox or charcoal grill I’m cooking on a Weber Original Kettle 22 Grill.
Preparing the meat
There’s nothing to do here except bring the meat to room temperature. Allow it to come to room temperature on a plate or cutting board on the counter.
Prepare the coals
Meanwhile, light your coals in a chimney starter.
You may need to do two chimneys worth of coals to guarantee appropriate heat for caveman style cooking, depending on the size of your chimney starter.
orange, empty them onto the grill, and spread them out evenly. If you see any loose ash on the tops of the coals, fan or blow it off.When the coals have ashed over and become a bright crimson,
Cook the steak
When all of your coals have become white, it’s time to start cooking the steak. Season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper, then pat the seasoning into the flesh with your hand.
Coals that are orange in color. For medium-rare, a 1 steak should take 3-4 minutes each side. This is a rough estimate, so have your meat thermometer nearby. The ThermoPro TP15H was utilized.Place the meat immediately on top of the red sauce.
Turn the steak 90 degrees midway through scorching the first side to ensure that all sections come into contact with the embers. I’ve discovered that if some of the steak isn’t in direct contact with the embers, it won’t sear as nicely. This maneuver helps to avoid it.
Remove the steak from the coals after a crusty sear has developed on one side, then shuffle the coal bed so that new hot coals are facing up. Flip the steak over and return to the fire, repeating a half turn halfway through searing.
Remove the steak from the coals when an instant-read thermometer registers five degrees below your desired temperature. At 130°F, I removed the ribeye.
Rest the steak
Cover the steak loosely with foil and set aside for 5-10 minutes. The carryover heat will raise the interior temperature by around 5 degrees.
Cut and serve
Serve the steak immediately, sliced against the grain.
Caveman steaks are simple to make, delicious, and give a primeval flair to any dinner.
If you’re not convinced by this approach but still want a beautiful sear, try the after-burner method for cooking steak. Instead of dumping the lump charcoal into your grill, just lay a grill grate or cooking rate over the top of the chimney starter and cook the steaks straight on it.
