I actually came across the idea of cooking a steak over a charcoal chimney in a recent issue of Cook’s Illustrated magazine. There are variations of the idea of a chimney-fired strip steak on the web, but most of them use a small charcoal grate over a lit chimney of charcoal. This approach uses skewers, which I found to be a little less precarious and actually kind of fun. And the end result was absolutely fantastic.
Do you need to cook a steak this way? Nope. Heck, I could’ve just dumped the charcoal out into my grill and done things my ‘usual’ way. But the charcoal in the chimney gets screaming hot. The heat is much more intense, more focused than if I’d spread the coals out in my grill.
Grab A Charcoal Chimney And Get To It
I lit up a large Weber charcoal chimney full about 3/4ths of the way with charcoal. I seasoned a boneless strip steak with salt and pepper while I was waiting for the charcoal to get going. You could easily do several steaks while the charcoal is still lit, or do what I did and just use the charcoal in your smoker. It’s a great way to make use of all that great heat while the chimney is getting going.
Skewer The Steaks
I skewered the steak and over the fire it went. It cooked fast, as you would expect. I had a few flare ups, but I dealt with those by temporarily lifting the steak (using a set of long barbecue gloves) away from the flames.
Flip And Rest
I flipped the steak after a few minutes and cooked it until the internal temperature hit about 120 F, and actually a little higher. Then I removed the steak from the skewers and let it rest 10 minutes before slicing. It came out great. Perfect flavor with a bit of char.
- Includes spatula, fork, and locking tongs
- Soft-touch handles offer comfortable, non-slip…
If you want a little kick to your steak, try marinating it first. For more of a kick try my Cajun steak marinade. My favorite side dish for a great steak? My copycat of Outback Steakhouse’s green beans.
Chimney-Fired Strip Steak
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 strip steaks
- kosher salt
- ground black pepper
Instructions
- Fill a charcoal chimney 3/4ths of the way with charcoal and light.
- While you’re waiting for the charcoal to start, remove the steak from the fridge and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
- Once the charcoal is fully lit, skewer a steak and place on top of the chimney.
- Sear the steak for 3-4 minutes per side, watching for any flare-ups.
- Flip the steak and continue cooking until the desired doneness is reached.
- Let steak rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
- Set of 3 includes Spatula, Locking Tongs, and Cold…
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- Designed for heavy-duty grill cleaning
- Contoured handle offers a firm, comfortable grip
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