The Biggest Mistake People Make When Cooking Caveman-Style Steak

There are many mistakes that people make when grilling steak, from flipping the meat too frequently to choosing the wrong cuts of steak. When you're cooking a steak caveman-style, by placing it directly on the coals rather than atop a grill grate over your gas or charcoal BBQ, there's one major mistake you want to avoid and it has to do with the heat level. According to Silvio Correa, personal chef and catering director at the Gardena, California-based Tropicali Brazilian Kitchen, the biggest mistake people make with caveman-style cooking is not getting the coals to a high enough temperature. "To achieve that perfect sear and prevent the steak from sticking to the coals, the coals need to be incredibly hot," explains Correa. "This means a thick bed of coals, with a good layer of ash on top."

If you're more used to operating a gas grill, you might assume you'll be heating your coals to about the same temperature as you would get your grill to reach. That's not exactly the case. The difference between gas and charcoal grills is the heat potential. You'll be able to get to higher temperatures with charcoal than gas, provided you've set your coals up properly. And, since failing to control the moisture levels is a big reason that some steaks won't sear properly, make sure you're taking a few extra minutes to pat your cuts of meat dry in order to obtain that delicious crust on the exterior.

In order to avoid the mistake of not getting your coals hot enough to properly cook your caveman-style steak, there are three things to keep in mind, according to Silvio Correa. First of all, patience is key — "allow ample time for the coals to reach their peak temperature," advises Correa. While the exact time will vary, on average it takes anywhere from five to 10 minutes for coals to reach the high heat you want for caveman-style cooking, so factor that into your prep time. You might worry you're building too aggressive a fire and that your steaks will just char to a crisp, but that's not likely to happen as Correa specifically suggests aiming "for a blazing hot fire" when cooking caveman-style steaks.

If you want a visual cue for the best time to place your steaks on the coals, keep an eye on the exterior of the coals as they shifts color. They should start at a darker hue, become that glowing red as they heat up, and eventually you'll notice the red paling to a grayish-white color — that's the ash forming on the exterior of your coals, which is exactly what you want to see. "Ensure there's a good layer of ash on the coals before placing the steak," says Correa. This means your steaks will have a much better chance of cooking evenly, because the coals are as hot as possible and can maintain a steady temperature.