I constantly search for steakhouse and steak grilling recipes. Not because the ones I use aren’t delicious, it is always neat to try different methods other grill masters and chefs have used to flavor their steak. At the end of the day, whatever method you used to cook should be about flavor.
Flavor with meats, steaks, and chops can come from an array of sources. We have gone over many of them in this blog. They include temperature, variations in heat during cooking, marinades, prime beef, types of beef, marbling, dry aging, and more. One area where you can also add flavor is smoke.
A steakhouse generally does not depend on smoke because the cut of meat is the highest quality and the method involves locking in those juices and marbling by searing it on high heat. This is great if you have a commercial oven that can get up to a thousand degrees. Unfortunately, this may not be practical.
Grilling at home in Williamsburg, Virginia or Beyond
You may find yourself at a backyard cookout, using un-aged choice burgers that come from the sirloin with little marinade or marbling. Your only allies? Your grill and the miracle of smoke, or more specifically the flavor of letting smoke seep into a steak or cut of beef.
Different woods carry an aroma. When put on the grill and allowed to give off their scent, they impart this flavor into the food. The smoke becomes a layer of taste adding to the meat. It is an aroma that is heavenly and can take average meat and make it pretty spectacular. (add the right marinade with the right smoke and it will be out of this world)
A few thoughts on Smoking meat or adding smoke flavor to meat on the grill
Smoke isn’t like a sauce. You cannot just dump it for instant flavor. Smoke is the byproduct of time. You have to let the smoke from the wood to slowly marinate in the food. More specifically, the smoke vapors permeate the meat. Though slow, the attention to this key detail will pay off.
Different Types Of Wood For Your Steak
Not all woods are created equal either. Some impart a stronger flavor than others. This is something you want to consider when grilling or smoking beef. Three really good woods for beef are:
- Mesquite
- Hickory
- Oak
These give a strong flavor for something complex like steak. They are potent which is a good match for steaks, sirloins, and burgers on the grill.
Check out our other steakhouse articles
Pairing the right wine at the steakhouse