Ultimate Charcoal-Grilled Steaks
The secret to delivering a charcoal-grilled steak with a killer crust and perfectly cooked meat from edge to edge? Keep the coals in the chimney.
A cookbook recipe exclusively for ATK Essential members from Master of the GrillGather Your Ingredients
Key Equipment
Before You Begin
Rib-eye steaks of a similar thickness can be substituted for strip steaks, although they may produce more flare-ups. You will need a charcoal chimney starter with a 7 1/2-inch diameter and four 12-inch metal skewers for this recipe. If your chimney starter has a smaller diameter, skewer each steak individually and cook in four batches. It is important to remove the fat caps on the steaks to limit flare-ups during grilling. During cooking the lit chimney can be placed on the grill grates of your grill or set on top of bricks.
Instructions
1.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Cut each steak in half crosswise to create four 8-ounce steaks. Cut 1/16-inch-deep slits on both sides of steaks, spaced 1/4 inch apart, in crosshatch pattern. Sprinkle both sides of each steak with 1/2 teaspoon salt (2 teaspoons total). Lay steak halves with tapered ends flat on counter and pass two 12-inch metal skewers, spaced 1 1/2 inches apart, horizontally through steaks, making sure to keep 1/4-inch space between steak halves. Repeat skewering with remaining steak halves.
2.
Place skewered steaks on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet, transfer to oven, and cook until centers of steaks register 120 degrees, flipping steaks over halfway through cooking and removing them as they come to temperature, 1 1/2 hours to 1 hour 50 minutes. Tent skewered steaks (still on rack) with aluminum foil.
3.
Light large chimney starter filled halfway with charcoal briquettes (3 quarts). When top coals are completely covered in ash, uncover steaks (reserving foil) and pat dry with paper towels. Using tongs, place 1 set of steaks directly over chimney so skewers rest on rim of chimney (meat will be suspended over coals). Cook until both sides are well browned and charred, about 1 minute per side. Using tongs, return first set of steaks to wire rack in sheet, season with pepper, and tent with reserved foil. Repeat with second set of skewered steaks. Remove skewers from steaks and serve.
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