How to Grill Frozen
Steak On A Portable Kamado Grill?
How
to grill frozen steak on a portable kamado grill? You can pat
those frozen steaks directly on the grill and still get a perfect medium rare
steak in about 40 minutes. This is a quick and delicious way to keep your
steaks safely wrapped in the back of the refrigerator, but you don’t have time
to thaw.
Is
it difficult to grill frozen steak?
The short answer: No!
You need to modify your cooking technique, which will take longer, but it is entirely possible to cook a juicy, tender and perfect crispy crust from frozen steak.
Surprisingly, frozen steak may actually give you better results.
The extremely low temperature of frozen meat prevents the inside of the steak from becoming hot when it is scorched.
This
prevents the dreaded gray band of overcooked meat from appearing on the edges
of the steak and makes you more likely to get the perfect pink color from
corner to corner.
Tips
for Frozen Steak Grilling
Although
it is perfectly possible to cook frozen steaks, using specific cutting and
techniques will achieve better results. Here are our tips for getting the best
flavor from frozen steak:
Use indirect heating
The best way to cook frozen steaks is to use the two-zone cooking technique.
Basically, you need to set up your grill so that you have a hot side and a cold side.
If you use a charcoal kamado grill, you need to pile the charcoal on one side of the grill to increase the temperature.
When
you cook a frozen steak, you will use the hot side to make a good sear on the
surface, then move it to the cool side and let the indirect heat bring the
inside to temperature.
Use thick steak
Frozen
cooking takes longer than cooking thawed meat. If you are cooking frozen, we
recommend that you use steaks that are at least about 1 inch thick. Your best
choice is a thick steak like Ribeye, Porterhouse or New York Strip.
Track temperature with a meat thermometer
The best way to cook any steak is based on temperature.
There is only a 10°F difference between medium rare and medium, so you need to carry a meat thermometer with you to give you accurate readings at all times.
Remember,
when the temperature of the steak is about 5-10°F lower than the desired
temperature, remove the steak from the grill. This will prevent it from
overcooking due to overheating.
Sear then season
Generally, we recommend that you season the steaks 24 hours before you are ready to cook them or just before they are served.
However,
seasoning frozen steak will not achieve much effect, so you need to burn the
surface first, and then apply the seasoning before moving the steak to the
inside of the indirect heating cooking.
A
step-by-step guide to grilling frozen steak
1)
Heat your grill to temperature
Use
the two-zone cooking method mentioned earlier to heat up your grill. Charcoal
grills need about 10 to 15 minutes to reach the right temperature, gas grills
need about 5 minutes.
2)
Grill your frozen steak
When you reach the temperature, it’s time to start grilling!
Place your frozen steak on the grill for about 5 to 7 minutes on each side to get a good charring effect. Check the internal temperature when doing this, you don’t want it to rise above 90°F.
3)
Season the steak
After
the surface of the steak is seared, you need to season both sides with salt and
pepper. Kosher salt is the best choice for seasoning steaks because it adheres
better than table salt and dissolves faster.
4)
Use indirect heating to cook the inside
After seasoning the steak, move it to the cool side of the two-zone fire and let the indirect heat warm up the inside.
This is where a quality instant-reading thermometer is crucial, because good temperature control is essential to get the degree of accuracy you want.
Use
our maturity temperature guide below and remember to remove the steak from the
fire when the steak is about 5°F below the desired temperature.
• Rare
–120°F
• Medium Rare
— 130°F
• Medium
–140°F
• Medium
Well — 150°F
• Well Done —
160°F