PERFECT CAMPFIRE STEAK

The perfect campfire steak is pretty simple. You only need two ingredients! Great quality meat and a fire.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED FOR PERFECT CAMPFIRE STEAK

• Meat– Two rules: Fat and thick. A nice ribeye beef steak with bone with a lot of marbling (fat). At least 2 inches thick.
• Salt – Coarse salt is best. Try not to use table salt.
• Fire – You want to go for a nice thick layer of ambers. See BUILDING A FIRE.

I lied! I said you only need two ingredients to cook the perfect campfire steak but you actually need three!

QUALITY OF THE MEAT IS IMPORTANT

You can take 2 routes for your camfire steak. You can go ahead and buy the meat that’s on special that’s only 1 inch thick but I guarantee that it won’t be great.

You got to treat yourself! A good, thick, perfectly marbled ribeye on the bone will set you back at least 50$ but you will definitely have a better experience, actually scratch that you will never forget that steak. I prefer spending money on a good steak once in a while then a bad steak every week!

RELAXED MEAT IS HAPPY MEAT

There are of course several ways to cook a steak, but on the campfire it will require very little beautification other than the aromatic flavor of wood and good salt. It is essential that the steak is left at room temperature before cooking to allow the fat in the meat to relax!

Of course if you are camping and it’s 100℉ don’t leave your meat outside for 2 hours, it might get nasty. Just use your head!

MEAT THERMOMETER OR NOT?

Unless you are a grill master, the best way to cook your steak to perfection is to use a cooking thermometer which will protect your steak from errors related to the thickness of your piece of meat and the number of cocktails you had before hand!

My ideal internal temperature is 120℉. I go for this temperature because I know that the temp. will go up a few degrees in the resting phase.

THINGS TO KNOW

You must first start your fire at least 2 hours in advance and feed it to have a bed of hyper hot and active embers.

You know how wonderful your fire is at the end of the evening, super hot, very red, with a nice layer of embers? That is what we are looking for.

The magic will happen with the quality of the meat and its marbling. The fat of the beef, at very high heat will give a golden and tasty crust to your steak. Sirloin steak (t-bone), rib steak, ideally with bone.

What you don’t want is filet mignon. Filet mignon is cute but way not fatty enough for the task. The legendary steak should be at least 2 inches thick.

As a general rule: if your steak is cheap, the result will be the same. A good butcher is your best friend. You want to see his eyes sparkle with jealousy when he gives you your piece of meat wrapped in waxed brown paper.

RULES FOR COOKING MEAT

Even if all the experts tell you otherwise, I give you permission to take a look under your steak to prevent any burning. But I am begging you please not to turn it over again and again. We’re not in a teppanyaki restaurant!

If you use a cooking thermometer because your steak is thicker, go for an internal temperature of 120F, it will continue to cook a little during the rest period.

YI suggest you don’t go any higher than 125℉. Beyond this temperature not only will you be ruining an awesome piece of meat but might as well be eating your hiking boots!

If you see that the steak has a nice crust that is starting to turn black move your that meat to your indirect heat zone on your grill! You will thank me later!