Let's Talk BBQ
Outdoor Cooking Equipment => Grills & Smokers => Charcoal Grills => Topic started by: Old Dave on April 17, 2016, 04:17:13 AM
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Well...maybe. I think if set up right, a fellow could come pretty close to producing a competition quality steak. This is my attempt at this task with the little Cobb Cooker.
Those great folks at Grill Grates make their product for about any grill or cooker and sure enough, they had a pair of grates to fit the Cobb Grill so I did order a set for my grill.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/OldDave/Cobb%20Grill/DSC03545.jpg)
For my first try at a good competition steak, I started with a 16oz ribeye and got it out of the fridge about 45 minutes before the fire. Applied a great steak rub and set it aside to a cooling rack. I also had one of those nice big Indiana pork chops (1” thick) that weighed about a pound so I applied some salt and pepper to this chop as well for the wife. To complete the cook, I made up three of my homemade 1/3rd pound 60/40 fat burgers as these are always great on any cooker.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/OldDave/Cobb%20Grill/DSC03544.jpg)
Rather than using the standard lighting procedure for the Cobb Grill fire, I decided to use a small charcoal chimney to be sure I had all of the fuel hot at the start of the cook.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/OldDave/Cobb%20Grill/DSC03546.jpg)
Poured the lump into the grill and spread it out evenly and my fire was ready to cook.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/OldDave/Cobb%20Grill/DSC03547.jpg)
Placed the Grill Grates on the Cobb and waited for about 15 minutes to allow the grill to get up to about 600 degrees which is ideal steak cooking temperature and then placed the steak on the grid at the 10am to 4pm position for the first phase of the cook. Let it cook for 2-1/2 minutes and turned it 105 degrees to the 2pm to 8am position on the grill. After another 2-1/2 minutes I turned the steak over and cooked that side the same as the first and took the steak off of the grill after about 9-1/2 minutes at 135 internal which should come out to about a medium steak as the contest requires.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/OldDave/Cobb%20Grill/DSC03550.jpg)
This is the steak just before it came of of the Cobb Grill and I think it looks great. That answered my question and I do believe a competition quality steak can be cooked on the Cobb Grill.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/OldDave/Cobb%20Grill/DSC03557.jpg)
Here is the steak as I would present it at a SCA event.
Next up was my big Indiana pork chop.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/OldDave/Cobb%20Grill/DSC03549.jpg)
I used the same procedure as with the above steak as it was about the same thickness of the steak and I wanted it cooked to about 140 internal so I figured it would need about the same amount of time.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/OldDave/Cobb%20Grill/DSC03555.jpg)
Didn’t come out as pretty as the steak but did look good.
After the chop, I turned the Grill Grates over to the smooth side for my three fat burgers.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/OldDave/Cobb%20Grill/DSC03554.jpg)
About 600 degrees at the cooking surface on the backside of the Grill Grates is searing excellence at it’s finest for my fat burgers. Cooked the burgers to medium rare at about 3-4 minutes a side.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/OldDave/Cobb%20Grill/DSC03553.jpg)
The smoke pouring out of the cooker with the burgers on it kinda reminded me of an old steam locomotive climbing a hill many years ago.
Let’s eat...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/OldDave/Cobb%20Grill/DSC03560.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/OldDave/Cobb%20Grill/DSC03561.jpg)
Wife wanted the chop so I fixed her up with some peas and fruit and she had a nice meal although she couldn’t eat the whole chop.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/OldDave/Cobb%20Grill/DSC03558.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/OldDave/Cobb%20Grill/DSC03559.jpg)
While steak and chops are good, I live for my 60/40 fat burgers cooked to about medium rare as they are about my favorite meal coming off of a grill. I dressed the burger with a slice of tomato, a slice of cheese, a slice of onion, and some lettuce and then added some chips and a couple of deviled eggs and I was one satisfied old man.
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That's a winner for sure !
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Dave, this is a really interesting post. It gives us a glimpse at what a competition steak is and needs.
With a steak that looks that good I see no reason why that little Cobb grill couldn't be used for competitions.
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Dave, your doing it to me again..I now need grill grates for my Cobb. Thanks buddy. Pam .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.
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All 3 cooks look great Dave!!! I remember the old steam engines too Dave! Don
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Great post and results!
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Awesome Dave!
So when is your first contest?
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Boy oh boy that little grill with minimal fuel sure gets some high temps!
Very nice cooks Dave! It would be hard to pick between the three meats, all are winners!
After looking at your plates....I'm hungry!
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Boy oh boy that little grill with minimal fuel sure gets some high temps!
Very nice cooks Dave! It would be hard to pick between the three meats, all are winners!
After looking at your plates....I'm hungry!
What he said.
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Both look fantastic Dave!
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Awesome Dave!
So when is your first contest?
Mike, right now it looks like my first one will be late in the year in September or October unless I decide to drive over 600 miles to get to one. The SCA sanctioned contests are relatively new and started in the Texas area and are slowly moving out from that State. Just nothing very close to home at the present time.