One of the best ways to cook brisket is smoking the large cut of beef, because it’s a low-and-slow technique that allows the meat to turn out so tender that it nearly melts in your mouth. When it comes to other cuts of beef, like your go-to type of steak, you might be used to pan frying or grilling it quickly. However, Robbie Shoults, third-generation owner of Bear Creek Smokehouse and owner of Marshall Mercantile and High Horse 1898, suggests smoking your steaks, too.
“You can absolutely smoke steaks like a brisket, and my favorite cuts are a rib-eye roll or a beef tenderloin,” Shoults says. “I love to season them whole with Bear Rubz Grillin’ steak seasoning …” If you can’t snag the seasoning recommended by Shoults, make your own first-class steak rub and elevate it with extra ingredients like granulated garlic, thyme, or citrus zest. Regardless of what you season the steak with, the benefits of smoking any cut of steak include more tender meat and a delicious smoky flavor from the process.
As for those all-important techniques and temperatures for smoking the steak until perfect, Shoults says, “… cook them low and slow at 250 degrees Fahrenheit in the smoker …” He also monitors the temperature of the meat, saying, “I usually bring them up to about 135 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, pull them off, and let them rest in an ice chest for 20 or 30 minutes.”
More tips for smoking and serving brisket-style steaks
In addition to the tips from Shoults, there are other things you should consider when it comes to smoking a steak like brisket. The type of wood you use to smoke the steak is an important factor, for example. To keep the smoky flavor mellow, try pecan or maple wood chips. And if you really want to lean into the smokiness of it all, smoke the steaks with hickory or mesquite varieties instead. Then, there are the ideal cuts of steak that work well with the smoking method. In addition to Shoults’s preferences of rib-eye roll and beef tenderloin, other options include flank steak, top sirloin, and even filet mignon if you’re feeling fancy.
Like any other cooking method for steaks, allow the meat to rest for at least five minutes per inch of thickness before you dig in. “You can then slice them to whatever thickness you prefer,” Shoults says. Be sure to slice against the grain with a sharp knife to get the most precise cuts. Then, serve it alongside your favorite sides, or pair it with our best side dishes recipes for cookouts including carrot slaw and strawberry bruschetta to offset that smoky flavor in the steak.
