# 1st Smoked Flank Steak and Smoked Mozzarella Cheese



## smokin in ga (Sep 2, 2015)

Hello all,

Today, I attempted to smoke my first flank steak and soft mozzarella cheese.

Set up the smoker to preheat. The flank steak marinated in a recipe I found here on the SMF.

The mozzarella cheese was coated in EVOO, salt, pepper and garlic also, Italian seasoning.

I let the steak rest to come up to 40*F or so. Inserted probe into the thickest part of the steak and set the temp to 235*F as recommended by the marinade recipe.

Watching the remote which has a digital readout like on the smoker, I checked the steak when the IT was at 130*F according to the probe. I checked this with my normal quick temp meat thermometer, and the IT was not at 130*F. So, I placed the steak back in the smoker and let it go until the IT showed 150*F. It appears that the probe is about 20*F off. In the future I will adjust for this.

The meat had some nice char, but not as great as I have seen on this forum by other smokers here.

I believe I will have to learn how to reverse sear by smoking until the IT is about right, then finishing on a charcoal or gas grill to get the wonderful, dark charring I would love to have.

Here are some pics:

Well, it appears I cannot upload the pics at this time, shucks.

Anyway, the meat was moist, rare in the center, and just getting crispy on the outside. The cheese had lost about half of the moisture, but the flavor became concentrated, especially with the EVOO and seasonings.

I will try to upload the photos again...looks like it worked.

Anyway, learning so much from being here. Any help or suggestions are appreciated. I will look for answers in the rest of the forum.

Regards,

Smokin' in GA

RG Ackerman

Duluth, GA













1st Smoked Flank Steak (2).jpg



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1st Smoked Flank Steak 2.jpg



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1st Smoked Mozzarella.jpg



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## sfprankster (Sep 2, 2015)

The mozz looks great!!

I've never done flank steak on my WSM. I prefer using my kettle for a fast sear. The higher temperatures(500-700) on my kettle give me much better caramelized exterior and the rare flank steak I prefer, in a minimal amount of time.


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## mike5051 (Sep 2, 2015)

I too grill flank steak vs. smoking.  Hot and fast, I'm not a smoked cheese fan, but yours looks tasty.  

Mike


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## smokin in ga (Sep 2, 2015)

Thanks, sfprankster.

First attempts are nerve racking to say the least. The mozzarella tightened up when it lost about half of its' moisture. But, the taste was compact and rich with the flavor of EVOO and spices. Going to use it on focaccia pizza with home dried roma tomatoes, fresh basil and some more EVOO.

Looking forward to more smoking adventures with my new smoker. Really like this forum, so much info here.

Regards,

Smokin' in GA

RG Ackerman

Duluth, GA


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## smokin in ga (Sep 2, 2015)

Mike 5051,

This I saw on TV and thought I would try it. It turned out well. The cheese lost about 50% of its' original moisture, but the flavors compacted and made the smoked cheese even more tasty.

I did not realize when I bought this new smoker that the ultimate high temp of 275*F  might not give me the results I look for in a smoked meat. It is all a learning process, for sure.

Next smoker challenges:

--smoking fish, specifically salmon

--learning to reverse sear, which I believe would have given me the char on the steak, but imparted the smokiness, still keeping the meat rare to medium rare and beautifully moist.

--a whole pork butt

--ribs, oh man...looking forward to this one. I have a dry rub I want to use that is sweet heat...yummy and ouch at the same time. Not too hot, just enough to get your attention.

So much to learn, so many experiments....

Regards,

Smokin' in GA

RG Ackerman

Duluth, GA


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## sfprankster (Sep 2, 2015)

Have you tried to reverse sear the flank steak?

I've had good results with other steaks/cuts using this method.

Just before I reach my desired internal temperature(5-10 degrees), I rest the meat for 10-15 minutes. Then I place it over direct heat(500+) on my kettle, for a couple of minutes per side, to caramelize the exterior. I use this technique for steaks, pork bellies and chicken. 

For flank steaks, I have always used a high, direct heat for best results.

Here's a link to a flank steak I grilled the other day >>HERE<<

All about having fun and making good food...


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## ivanstein (Sep 3, 2015)

What temp did you smoke the mozzarella?


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