Hand Cut Hickory Smoked Ribeye Steaks

Hand-cut hickory smoked ribeye steaks are delicious and can be affordable! Here’s why; we stock up on bone-in ribeye roasts during the holiday sales, then cut the roasts into steaks! Grab my tips and a sharp knife; it’s time to eat affordable hickory smoked steaks. Hand Cut Hickory Smoked Ribeye Steaks

This post was sponsored by Western Premium BBQ Products ~ all words are my own! Because you all know, I love telling you all about my smoky creations!

WHY YOU WANT TO CUT YOUR OWN STEAKS

As prices go up in the market, we are all reaching for alternative methods to meet our food budget. But let’s face it; a choice ribeye steak will cost $14.99 a pound or more $$$. That’s a wallet digger! A solution is to cut steaks from a holiday ribeye roast! 

The least expensive way to buy a roast for steaks is to purchase a holiday sale bone-in ribeye roast or bone-in prime rib roast, or bone-in New York strip roast. 

Economics are not the only plus when hand-cutting ribeye steaks! I love choosing the thickness of the steak. Generally, I choose to cut steaks 1-inch to 1 1/2-inches thick. Consequently, the thicker cut steak allows for a longer smoke penetration and gives added time to develop a delicious outer crust. 

Those little grocery store 1/2-inch steaks just give me enough time to smoke and develop the outer crust. 

WHEN TO BUY A RIBEYE ROAST

There are three times of year that bone-in and boneless ribeye roasts are slashed in price; Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. And the savings are substantial! During last year’s Christmas sale, bone-in ribeye roast at my local grocery store sold for $4.98 a pound. Basically, that is a $10 per pound saving! In fact, that makes for $4.98 ribeye steaks $. Heck, the savings allows me to eat steak three times a month instead of once.

HOW TO WRAP RIBEYE ROASTS FOR THE FREEZER

So, of course, when the price drops, I buy 2 roasts. Once home, the roasts are taken out of the styrofoam tray and plastic wrap. The whole goal is to prevent freezer air from changing the structure of the meat, also known as freezer burn. Freezer burn will result in dry meat. 

Determine How Many Steaks Per Serving!

How many individual steaks do you generally serve at one dinner? And how many ounces in a scrumptious hickory smoked ribeye steak do you like? Your answers to those two questions will be the factor for determining what to do next! For example, when a roast is 4 pounds or less, I leave it whole because I will want to serve 6 steaks at a later date. However, if the roast is 8 pounds, I will cut it in half and prepare two freezer bundles.  What I don’t want to do is freeze an 8-pound roast and then have 16 steaks to deal with for a family of 5.

But wait, weren’t we talking hand-cut steaks? So what’s up with freezing a roast? To retain moisture for optimal flavor and quality of fat, it is best to freeze the roast, then thaw before hand cutting the steaks.

Double Wrap Your Roast! 

Method 1:

The most efficient way to prepare meat for the freezer is to vacuum seal it. Vacuum-sealing bags specifically designed with thicker, impermeable plastic for long-term freezing are superior to standard plastic wrap. If you don’t own a vacuum sealer, Method 2 is how the generation before us froze their meat! Mindful, the mission is to seal the meat with a tight protective layer. 

Grilling Grandma Pro Note: If your butcher wraps a hand-selected roast for you and wraps it in butcher wrap, don’t toss it into the freezer as is. Wrap the butcher-wrapped bundle in foil, securely tape it, and mark it. 

Method 2:

Tightly wrap the meat in butcher, freezer paper, or parchment paper. If the paper has a waxy side, it should go toward the meat, then tape shut. Then for added protection, wrap the bundle in an airtight layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil or freezer plastic wrap or a freezer bag that has excess air has been squeezed out of. Note: Wax paper is not moisture-vapor resistant.

Method 3:

Wrap tightly in freezer plastic wrap, then tightly in foil. For added protection, place the foil bundle in a resealable freezer plastic bag. The last time I stocked up on ribeye roasts, they were already vacuum-packed. All I had to do then was wrap in heavy-duty foil, seal it with tape, and mark it. 

Mark the Package! 

On the outside of the package, mark the specific type of roast, size of the roast, how many steaks can be cut, and the date.

HOW TO THAW A RIBEYE ROAST 

A bone-in ribeye roast can be frozen for a year as long as you keep it at 0° degrees. Two days before cutting the steaks, uncover at least one of the protective layers. It is okay to thaw with cheesecloth over it if that’s your preference. Be sure to place the roast on a plate to catch the liquids that will be released. After the roast has thawed, cut it into steaks. 

It is easier to cut steaks from a partially thawed roast than a room-temperature roast. 

HOW TO HAND-CUT A RIBEYE ROAST 

Step 1:

Decide how thick you want each steak; my favorite thickness is 1 1/2 inches. If you love to gnaw on the rib bone, leave the bone in. By the way, when a ribeye has been cut with the bone intact, it is officially called a “rib steak”. When serving a proper dinner, and bone gnawing isn’t allowed, remove the bone for a  “ribeye steak”. 

Even after removing the bone, I still smoke and grill them alongside the steaks. The next day, when no one is watching, I reheat the rib bone and gnaw away.

The rib bones, raw or cooked, make excellent soup broth.

Step 2:

Place the roast on a secure cutting board. Trim the fat down to 1/4-inch or less but don’t remove it all. Fat means flavor, but fat means flare up too. The fat scraps and rib bones can be placed in an electric pressure cooker with onions and garlic for a delicious soup broth. 

Step 3:

Remove the bones if that is your desire. Many holiday roasts have the bones barely intact so it is super easy to remove. 

Step 4:

Determine how thick you want your steak. I suggest 1-inch or thicker. With the fat facing down, place a chef’s knife at the top of the eye and cut downward.

If you are a perfectionist, tie the roast every 1 1/2-inches with butcher twine.

Maybe you don’t have a chef’s knife, don’t worry, use your carving knife. 

Step 5:

After the steaks have been cut, I like to pat the edges of the steaks in a round shape. Then horizontally tie the ribeye steaks with butcher twine to secure them. If your bone-in rib steak is secure on the bone, you won’t have to tie it!    

HICKORY SMOKED RIBEYE STEAK TIPS

SMOKING CHIPS:

• Make sure to get your wood chips smoking before beginning to cook. Hickory Smoked Ribeye Steaks cook fast! 
• Use Western BBQ Hickory Smoking Chips for a bold, slightly sweet flavor. Use Mesquite Smoking Chips for a tangy bold flavor. Use Post Oak Smoking Chips for a mild smoky flavor. No matter what smoking chips you use, Western BBQ Products has you covered. 

SEASONING:

• Bring the steaks to room temperature for about 1 hour.
• Season the steaks on all sides with Jack Daniel’s Steak Rub Seasoning an hour before cooking.
• For every pound of meat, use 1 teaspoon of rub.

SMOKE:

• Place a smoker box filled with smoking chips, and place it over the hottest area of a gas grill.
• Heat your grill or smoker for indirect cooking at about 300 degrees F.
• If you use a digital probe thermometer, insert it now.

COOK:

• Smoke at a low 300°F indirect heat for 10 minutes, flipping once, to allow the smoky flavor to set in. At this point, the steak will have an internal temperature of 110F to 120°F.
• Remove the steaks, and increase the heat of the grill to 425°F. Place the steaks back on the hot grill for a delicious sear! You can even make those fancy grill marks. 
• If you prefer to sear over direct high heat at first, then be prepared to transfer the steaks to indirect, low heat after the sear. 

MAKE AHEAD:

• Steaks can be taken off the grill for as long as 20 minutes.
• When you are ready to cook, increase the grill temperature to 425°F.  Sear the steaks, on both sides, directly on the grill or in a hot cast iron skillet until the desired temperature has been reached.
• I like to take the steaks off a few degrees before they reach my desired cooking temperature to guarantee not overcooking.