Cold Off the Grill

[bobmac]

Got a Weber kettle grill the other day, foregoing the convenience gas for the smokiness and heat of real charcoal. (Never could really sear a steak on a gas grill.)

The first night as shakedown cruise, I tried a Rick Bayless recipe for grilled lobster for Jasper White's Lobster at Home. It was July 4th, and lobsters, as the Redcoats were called, seemed appropriate. There was even some fireworks as the small particles of charcoal went off in the starter chimney thingee. The lobsters turned out great, with just enough smokiness, even though I clumsily burned some of the garlic through sheer stupidity.

Next night I tried steak, plopped it on the grill over red/white coals. No sizzle, no searing. I wanted black on the outside, rare inside. I finally removed the cooking grate and put the meat right on the coals, as I do in the fireplace in the winter.

So what did I do wrong? Or was I expecting too much? I suppose I can continue to to grill right on the coals.

[chefdg]

The very first thing I bought for my grill after getting it were cast iron grates. I beleive you will never get that char you are looking for without them.

[bobmac]

Thanks, that makes sense, and I do like using a cast-iron pan on the stove for that reason, but wouldn't it just char lines on it?

[chefdg]

but wouldn't it just char lines on it?

Yeah, thats what it is supposed to do. I read your post again and my question is, are you looking for something more along the lines of "pittsburg" or "black and blue" steak? If so, the coals are where its at. Sometimes I put a cast iron pan directly on the coals and do it that way.

[bobmac]

Yeah, that's pretty much it. Providence, RI, restaurant calls it a "dirty steak." Guess what I wanted was a grilling surface closer to the coals, but, then again, that would ruin the lobster.

[ScooterQ]

bobmac,

I've found using a charcoal basket helps to get the coals up close to the grate. I get a much better sear that way. And of course, start with dry steaks and leave the cover off. Not sure if you did these things but they do make a big difference.

[bobmac]

bobmac,

I've found using a charcoal basket helps to get the coals up close to the grate.

Aha! Close to the grate is what I want, but I'm not familiar with a charcoal basket.

[bleachboy]

Have you considered cooking the steaks (on a pan/grate of some sort) directly atop the chimney thingee? I think I've seen Alton Brown do that. It gets SUPER MEGA hot.

[ScooterQ]

Hi bobmac,

Per your PM request, Weber makes charcoal baskets that can be used to concentrate the heat and get the coals closer to the grate. Here's a pic:

These are actually used for indirect cooking, to separate the coals and put them on the outside of the firegrate. You can put them together however, and they will give you a great sear. I think they're about fourteen bucks.

A better charcoal basket is made by the Kamado company. It's called a "lumpsaver" and looks like this:

Kind of pricey at $39, but it works better than Weber's solution. It's easy to make an even, very hot bed of coals with this basket. You want the version made for the #7. It's available on Kamado.com. If anyone is interested in one of these I'll sell you mine (I don't really need it since getting the HB). Good luck

[ghostrider]

Is the height of the cooking grate adjustable? WHen I was buying a grill 14 yrs ago I looked at those Weber kettles & that was the problem with them.

I bought something called The Swinger Mark II instead. I forget who makes it , it's more rectangular, the grill has 3 height settings, works brilliantly.