Chewy steak

[Corn 1]

Dear All,

 

I need your help. I'm desperate to succeed in grilling steak. Pork seems to work every time. Today I remembered why I haven't tried to grill steak for loong time. I just bought ceramic kamado grill and have successfully grilled pork with it. Ok, today bought 1" thick pre seasoned steak and had the egg to 500°F. Put the steak inside and had it for 4 minutes, turn the steak around and another 4 minutes. Turn it around once more and close the damper top and draft door and let another 4 minutes. Wrap the steak inside foil for few minutes.

 

Steak was well done but very chewy. So disappointing. What am I doing wrong?

 

Your help is greatly appreciated.

[KismetKamado 4,795]

Let's start off with this - what temperature do you like your steak cooked to and what type of cut are you using?

 

[5698k 3,254]

My guess, other than the fact it was well done, is that the pre seasoned steak was select or choice. What cut was the steak? This makes a difference too. Try buying a prime ribeye, strip, or filet, whichever is your favorite. If you’re unsure, the filet will be the most tender, the strip and ribeye more flavor. What ever you get, make sure it’s prime. Consider cooking less, much less than well done too. 

[KismetKamado 4,795]

And welcome, by the way!  You may want to stop by the Introductions section and put up a post introducing yourself.  Sounds like you have had some great success with your kamado but might be looking for some help in some areas - and there are a lot of people around here that are awesome at helping.

 

[Corn 1]

I had to google the temperature for well done, so I'd say 150-165°F. Cut was somewhere between Shank and round.

 

Should I read between the lines that without probing the meat inner temperature I can't succeed?

 

Edit: Cut

[5698k 3,254]

I regularly cook steaks without a meat thermometer, I don’t think that’s your issue. The cut, and quality of steak is what’s important. 

[KismetKamado 4,795]

So I think most of us here are going to prefer a steak in the rare to mid rare temperature range. Is your preference for a steak to be cooked to a “well done” temperature?  

[Corn 1]

For me mid rare would be ok, but my wife can't eat it if it were rare or even reddish. Is it so that if I were to grill it shorter time for it to be mid rare it wouldn't be chewy? Is that bottom round part harder to grill? What steak cut would be the most forgiving for well done temperature?

[fbov 329]

Overcooking is your enemy! Try sneaking up on it. 

 

I'll suggest a sous vide water bath cooker. It allows you to set your food's internal cook temperature, without exceeding it. You'd cook the steak sous vide to where it just barely loses color, 150-160F, then let it cool a little while before finishing it on a screaming hot grill for a minute a side. 

 

And while a thermometer isn't mandatory for rare-to-medium, it is absolutely necessary if you're going to sneak up on well-done if you want to avoid the oxymoron. It's more like you're cooking chicken.

 

Have fun,

Frank

[5698k 3,254]

What cut, grade of beef was the steak?!

[bosco 13,033]

Yeah we can address temps and all that after.  Between shank and round sounds lean to me.  Did you cut with grain or against grain?

 

how was the fat content?

marbling?

grade?

 

people

tend to buy cheap meat and think the grill will always make a perfect steak.  

 

Pull out put the label and let us know what it is you were cooking.   

 

 

[Corn 1]

52 minutes ago, 5698k said:

What cut, grade of beef was the steak?!

Bottom round steak cut, but grade I dont know

 

There were no fat. Also no marbling what I can tell if that refers to the white intramuscular fats.

[5698k 3,254]

Well, that’s your problem. If you don’t have a good quality steak in the first place, it really doesn’t matter how you cook it. Since it was pre seasoned, I’ll bet it was select, strike two. 

 

Go go buy a prime ribeye, season it with salt and pepper,  and cook it (shudder) well done, my guess is you’ll be happy. 

 

 

[KismetKamado 4,795]

There are a few members here with significant others that prefer their steak / beef cooked to a temperature warmer than lends itself well to the end product most of us desire.  They have found a way to make it work and I'm guessing that you will as well.

 

20 some years ago I used to be one of those people before my husband educated and enlightened me on the matter.  LOL.

 

[Corn 1]

Thank you all for your replies. This has been an eye opener and really just makes me realize how ignorant I am in this area. So please bear with me.

 

I should start seasoning myself the meat. One more variable to handle in this equation.

Should I be looking for meat with or without marbling? Fats help to keep the meat moist, right?