Grilling steaks on the Big Green Egg is not much different than on a regular grill. The only real difference is that you have to get the grill temperature to about 500 to 750 degrees. I like to choose the middle point: which is around 600 degrees. You can’t do that with most standard grills out there.
I had some time testing and working on the Big Green Egg grill. While I must say it’s a bit expensive, it’s an all-rounder. It’s ideal for cooks who make slow-grilled steaks today, direct cooking tomorrow, and fast grilling the day after. In today’s article, we will see how to grill steaks on the Big Green Egg, from the steak preparation to grill setup, and the actual grilling.
Basically, what you need to do first is get your favorite steak of choice. My favorite is the fillet mignon.
And why do I like it?
It’s the most juicy and tender cut of beef, great for grilling the perfect steak. It has about 227 nutrition calories and just 6 grams of saturated fat.
Rib eye steaks, New York strips, and T-bones are other top choices you may want to try. The ribeye steaks are Whatever strikes your fancy!
My prep process is really easy. One key ingredient is olive oil. So, first, I take my steaks and apply a little olive oil evenly around the steaks.
What this does is it essentially creates a layer where it starts to close the pores on the steak. To cook the perfect steak, the key is to keep the flavor in the steak fibers.
So coating with olive oil basically seals the pores.
After coating with oil, take the steaks and apply whatever rub and seasoning you like.
I’ve tried lots of different things, but the McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning is one of the perfect steak rub I have tried.
It’s got garlic and pepper in it. Continue by applying the seasoning to the steaks liberally. Some also like to apply soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. However, I personally love the flavor of steak, so I don’t want to overdo it.
This seasoning gives it a good blend, but you can also choose your favorite steak rub to end up with your perfect steak
I like to apply the seasoning for about two hours before putting the steaks on the actual grill. The seasoning is not like a traditional rub on a brisket. So, season the steak for just a couple of hours before grilling. Put the steaks in a bowl, cover them up, and put them in the fridge.
Then you’re going to place it in the refrigerator for about an hour. After that, take them out for at least an hour before you put them on the grill. You want to have your steaks at room temperature before grilling.
Then 20 minutes before grilling, prep up the grill so it can preheat and get super hot. The hotter the grill temperature is, the quicker the spores will close on the steak.
Pour some Big Green Egg quality charcoal on the hearth grate to fill the hearth without reaching the ceramic ring. I recommend the Big Green Egg Charcoal. It is made from natural oak and hickory with a clever mix of big and smaller pieces.
I strongly discourage using briquettes in a kamado grill like the Big Green Egg. These generate too much ash and can clog the air holes, reducing the performance of the kamado.
Simply light three firelighters or any natural charcoal starter at equal distances over the charcoals (and not under them). The firelighters used are made of compressed wood fibers. Again, I strongly advise not to use chemical or paraffin-based firelighters because the ceramic could absorb these products.
It is important to leave the lid, and the bottom vent open until the firelighters are completely consumed to create a supply of oxygen which will stir up the coals.
The rEGGulator vent cap allows you to adjust the temperature inside the Egg. After 15 minutes, close the bottom vent to have it open by two-thirds. Now place the lid and open the rEGGulator (regulator cover at the top of the Egg).
The temperature of the Big Egg rises at a very sustained rate:
500 degrees is the optimal starting temperature for direct steak grilling.
Another important advantage of the Big Green Egg compared to other outdoor cooking appliances is that its temperature can be adjusted to the nearest degree.
It is easy to raise it, lower it or keep it constant for a long time by playing with both the door on the base and the vented plug (rEGGulator) located at the top.
To increase the temperature, you have to let more air in, so open the lid to 3/4 and gradually open the window.
To reduce the heat, open the lid for about one inch.
To maintain a constant temperature, have the lid closed, leaving its openings open. Remember, when you’re trying to get the Egg very hot, the less charcoal in there, the more airflow, and the more temp you’ll get.
Put those steaks directly in the middle of the heat on the grill.
When cooking directly, I like to do 3 to 5 minutes on one side and the same on the other side.
Get the timer on your phone, and set it for 4 minutes. Since we are using the reverse sear method, after cooking for 4 minutes on the first side, crank up the heat to about 650 degrees and flip it.
Sear for another 4 minutes on the other side. After flipping, some also like to apply some herb butter mixture so the steak can keep searing.
The fire is so hot at 600 degrees, so you’re getting those pours on the steak to close up immediately and savor all the flavor inside.
I like medium to medium rare steaks. So they don’t have to be grilled on each side for that long. But if you are grilling a filet, ribeye steaks, or any other thick steak, it will take around 5 minutes on each side.
Next, you should have a feel of how well it’s cooked. Some pros don’t use a meat thermometer for steaks. They could just wiggle it around, use the thumb test, and know when it’s done.
If you’re not sure of your skill level, use your meat thermometer. The internal temperature has to measure around 130 degrees for medium-rare. If not (or if you don’t like medium rare), you may do another minute or two of searing if you like well-done steaks. For medium cooking, it should be about 135 to 145 degrees.
If it’s done to your taste, take the steaks down on a wood platter or in a small bowl. Then rest them with a lid or openly on for 5 to 10 minutes if you want them to remain warm or you don’t mind them getting cool.
When you let the meat rest, the juice will return to the meat fibers, and the meat will retain its flavor. That’s how you cook delicious steaks.
The Big Green Egg is a Kamado grill. It’s a kind of ceramic oven used by the Japanese for thousands of years. What’s spectacular about it is how long it can retain temperature and how high the heat can get. So this is your go-to for slow-cooking steaks, grilling pizzas, or searing steaks in high heat.
You’ll find that the meat is incredibly juicy and does not dry out. With the V rib rack, you can prepare beer can chicken, or spare ribs with guaranteed success.
Big Green Egg recommends cooking steak on the Big Green Egg at around 500 to 750 degrees Fahrenheit. Not a lot of grills can cook at that high temperature, and it’s great for fast cooking on direct heat.
You can grill steak to get tender and juicy using the reverse sear method. Simply set the Egg with the convEGGtor at 250 degrees for an indirect cooking method.
I had the pleasure of trying the ceramic barbecue grill called the Big Green Egg. So, I have shared with you everything you need to know about these famous “Eggs.” Since I had only worked with “normal” grills before, a lot of the Big Green Egg’s functions were new when I first used it. However, you quickly get used to the luxury that this device combines.
In addition to grilling, you can also bake (especially pizzas and tarte flambée), smoke, and cook in it. Grilling steaks on it in direct heat is super fast and a pleasure. So they have my blessings. Go get one and give it a try!
