Caveman vs Cowboy
Big Green Egg is an incredibly versatile and efficient method of cooking. It offers both a time-honored way of preparing food, called Caveman style grilling, and a modern approach that is known as Cowboy style grilling. No matter which is your favorite, both end up over live-fire charcoal and deliver that one of a kind flavor!
Caveman Style Grilling
Embrace the primal method of grilling with Caveman-style cooking, where you place your meat directly onto charcoal to quickly seal in that live-fire charcoal flavor. This grilling technique is not for the faint of heart – it involves cooking your steak directly in hot coals! Tomahawk steaks are ideal due to their thickness and rib attachment, which provides a ‘handle’ for tongs when flipping or positioning. One Tomahawk will easily provide four generous servings (or more!) depending on portion size – making this method perfect for feeding large groups.
For the best results, start with the reverse sear method. Set the EGG for indirect cooking with the convEGGtor at 250°F/121°C and roast the steak to an internal temperature of 110°. To begin direct grilling, take out the convEGGtor and cooking grid, then bring your EGG up to 500°+. Then before you throw your steaks directly on the fire—literally—fan off any excess ash from the surface of the coals. When you put the moist, oxygen-impermeable steak on the coals, the part that is touching the meat gets extinguished, and can’t reignite. It produces no ash during the cooking. All the heat in the coals will be generated within the coal itself, not on the exterior.
Mastering this method requires the control of temperature, time and thickness of the steak. The thicker the steak the longer it is able to be left in the coals. As a rule of thumb, one minute per side in the coals usually creates the perfect medium rare steak. Be sure to use heat resistant gloves during this cooking process.
Cowboy Style Grilling
This method incorporates indirect heat, meaning that you place the food away from the direct flame or coals. It also could involve using a combination of charcoal and wood chips to create smoke – this adds an extra layer of flavor and aroma to your dishes.Â
Similar to the traditional reverse sear method, this method starts off by roasting the steak. The difference comes with the finishing the steak on a cooking grid directly over the coals creating more roasted, nutty flavor. Flipping the EGGspander Multi-Level Rack over so the grid is directly over the coals is the easiest way to accomplish the cowboy finish. Don’t forget to sear the fat on the sides.
No matter whether you prefer Caveman or Cowboy style Big Green Egg grilling, there are plenty of delicious recipes that can be made using these techniques. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced griller, Big Green Egg is the perfect way to create mouthwatering meals for your family and friends. Enjoy!Â