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For those of you who liken grilling steak to a performance art, there are more methods than you might think to showcase your flamboyance. It’s not just theatrics though, as some of these simple to follow techniques can produce flavours that you cannot achieve with a normal grill.
For those who are ready to take a step outside their comfort zone, these five extreme methods for grilling steak are sure to make you the talk of your Sunday barbeque.
Directly in the Embers
Grilling steak directly in the embers of a fire is an ancient technique that creates a smokey flavour and charring that you cannot replicate. We recommend T-bone steak, seasoned generously in salt and cracked pepper for the best results.
Follow this recipe for ember-grilled T-bones with an unforgettable hot sauce made from jalapenos, garlic and cilantro.
Tenderloin in Cloth with a Salt Crust
This Colombian technique known as ‘Lomo al trapo’ couldn’t be easier to follow, and produces results you won’t forget. You simply wrap a beef tenderloin in a cotton cloth packed with salt and oregano, before placing it in the embers.
This recipe demonstrates how to cook your tenderloins in under 20 minutes – don’t be worried if the cloth catches fire; it’s supposed to!
Steak on a Shovel
Steak has been cooked with a shovel in the Australian outback for generations, but we don’t see it too often these days. Over an open fire, you’ll need to add a lot of wood to generate plenty of smoke, and make sure you preheat the shovel blade in the fire to clean and sterilise it.
Use this step-by-step guide to grilling with a shovel, substituting lamb for whatever cut of steak takes your fancy.
Take a Roll in the Hay
This one is a little bit out there, but bear with us. Basically, you soak a bucket of hay in beer, before proceeding to roll your steaks up in the hay. When directly grilled, the hay will catch fire, creating smoke that will flavour your steaks beautifully and impart a charred crust. There are a fair few steps to follow in this recipe, but the results are well worth the effort.
Pitch in for Pitchfork Grilling
Much like using a shovel, pitchforks can be used to great effect for grilling steak. Simply coat your steak with your favourite seasoning, before impaling them on the tines of a pitchfork and cooking over a campfire. Doing so produces a hard-to-beat smokey flavour. You can even use this recipe where you use a pitchfork to fry steaks in oil, but that option isn’t for everyone.
The information in this post is adapted from a Barbecue Bible article. For more information on grilling steak, check out some of our other blog posts on related subjects.
