Grilling with Driftwood

[MacEggs]

There is lots of driftwood on the south-east shores of Lake Huron.

I picked up these pieces when we visited @Hank from Franks a few weeks back.  Cut them into chunks.






Loaded up a chimney. 
As expected, there was a fair bit of smoke initially, but once it died down and I saw flames, then I dumped it.










I went with the 18" weathered warrior that @MrHoss rescued for me awhile back.




There was still plenty of flames.
I waited for them to die-down some before grilling. 
Wanted a nice bed of glowing embers .... Then on went the steaks.

NOTE:  This time, I never put the lid on while grilling.










After removing the steaks for a rest, there was still plenty of heat remaining ...










The steak was delicious!  Rare to medium rare ....

No charcoal was harmed in the cooking of this meat.

[addicted-to-smoke]

Do you know what kind of wood it is? I know nothing about cooking with non-charcoal. If I did I'd start looking around the yards here.

For some reason I never remember to try the WSM's charcoal basket for high heat cooks like this. I have the one my older 18 WSM came with, and a smaller one I cobbled together for my mini WSM, although I dob't think that one holds much more than 2 charcoal baskets anyway.

[MrHoss]

NOTE:  This time, I never put the lid on while grilling.

That's why getting the cook on the steaks was easy.

Grilling with the lid on is BAKING your food. Great for controlling flare ups but for a normal thickness steak it means it finishes way before your crust is correct. High end steak restaurants never put lids or hats on steaks while cooking......Weber Kettle aficionados need to learn the same thing. The lid on while low and slow just makes sense but for grilling?

[addicted-to-smoke]

Hoss why are you just now telling me this? Clearly, my lack of knowledge is somehow your fault.

[MrHoss]

...........I was baked.

[MacEggs]

Do you know what kind of wood it is?

@addicted-to-smoke
Honestly, I don't know.  But, I also don't really care.
The wood may have originated from the great state of Michigan, and who knows how long it was on the water ??
In the end, it wasn't a big factor for me.  All I know is that they were not pieces of pressure-treated lumber. 


@MrHoss , yeah I recall you telling me about the whole "no lid" thing for grilling.  Gave it a try.  Works grate!  Thanks.

[SMOKE FREAK]

Well that beats the heck out of paying for charcoal...

Beautiful steaks...Great cook...

[MrHoss]

@MrHoss , yeah I recall you telling me about the whole "no lid" thing for grilling.  Gave it a try.  Works grate!  Thanks.

Great just grate. I am surprised you remember much from our last get together....I'm still recovering on this end.....your liver must be made of iron and titanium dude.

[HoosierKettle]

Those look perfect!  I'll use real wood from time to time particularly when I already have a fire going in the fire pit.


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

[chasnasty5943]

What's the basket you dumped them into, not sure I've seen that before. 

[TheKevman]

This is so cool! Did the smoke from the wood affect the flavor of the steaks at all? Or was their flavor the same as if you cooked them over charcoal?

Steak looks PERFECT, by the way.


Sent from my iPad using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

[JEBIV]

you drifted right into a perfect steak

[MacEggs]

What's the basket you dumped them into, not sure I've seen that before.

@chasnasty5943 , it is a homemade charcoal basket that I made using EM.
It is the same diameter as a SJ charcoal grate.

[MacEggs]

This is so cool! Did the smoke from the wood affect the flavor of the steaks at all?
Or was their flavor the same as if you cooked them over charcoal?

Steak looks PERFECT, by the way.

you drifted right into a perfect steak

@TheKevman , No, the smoke did not affect the flavour at all.  The lid was off the entire time.
Much the same as cooking them over charcoal.

@JEBIV , you also mention "perfect" steak ... I fully agree, it was perfect ... However, my wife would disagree.


It was fun cooking with only wood, and the wood was free!

[JEBIV]

@MacEggs luckily for me my wive prefers hers erroring on the rare side, actually Pittsburgh rare