This is cooking at its most basic and best – dirty grilling is when you cook directly on the coals. We do this on our BBQ Course with a good steak, but it works equally well for vegetables such as onions and beetroot, and even apples.
If you use a BBQ with a lid (such as the Big Green Egg or other kamado ovens) then it reduces flare ups. You also need natural charcoal that has no added chemicals or other nasties, as this will adversely affect the flavour. The charcoal needs to be white-hot (around 220˚C).
There are a few good reasons for trying this cooking method out, firstly the ingredients take on the smoky flavour of the charcoal. The heat sears the outside immediately, so it keeps the juices in. Any fat is crisped up beautifully and last but not least, there’s no washing up!
You would think there’s a danger that your steak tastes of ash, but because it is seared immediately, this doesn’t happen. You may get one or two pieces of charcaol sticking, but you just brush them off.
Make sure to season your steak with sea salt first, then add directly to the white hot coals, cooking on one side before flipping to the other. Cooking time depends on the thickness of the steak, but a meat probe will help.
Beef:
Rare 50°c 52°c
Medium Rare 57°c 57°c
Medium 63°c 66°c
Medium Well Done 68°c 72°c
Take the steak off the charcoals and allow to rest for up to 10 minutes.