Protein Pros: SCA Steak
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Protein Pros: SCA Steak
Learn how to make Steak Cookoff Association competition steak with Walton's, Meatgistics and James Richard, 2019 Walton's Steak Cookoff Champion. Watch the video, read the guide, and then post your questions or comments below.
Ingredients:
Ribeye Steak
SCA World Champion Steak Rub
SCA World Champion Texas RubEquipment:
PK-TX Grill
Grill Grates for PK-TX GrillThe Cut
The ribeye comes from the upper rib section of the cow. It is a fatty, flavorful cut of beef. Two muscles make up the ribeye steak: the spinalis Dorsi and the longissimus Dorsi. The longissimus Dorsi is the meaty part of the ribeye. The spinalis Dorsi houses the fat cap.
How to Pick a Quality Ribeye
Look for a bright red cut with a wide ribbon of fat that collects towards the center. There should also be a layer of fat on the edge of the ribeye. To check for freshness, look for white fat marbling.
Presentation
Select a good cut of meat. Trim the fat and shape the ribeye. Trimming the fat should take a decent amount of time! You’re going to want to take your time and shape up your steak properly. Once you’ve gone around the outside with your favorite butcher’s knife, tie a string around the perimeter of the ribeye.
Pull a decent amount of string out, you can always trim it later. Tie it snug, but not tight. Go around twice. Use a knot to identify location once on the grill for consistency. Next add toothpicks to keep string in place. James likes to use 8 toothpicks. Using one on top of the string, and once below at the same spot around the steak. Be sure to have someone else look over your steak if you’re the forgetful type. Any steaks with strings or toothpicks will be an instant DQ!
Seasoning the Steak
Start with the SCA World Champion Texas Rub. Start with the sides and work around the edge covering the steak with seasoning. Then, move to the top and bottom of the steak and cover the surface while gently pressing the seasoning into the meat. Use the SCA World Champion Steak Rub. Cover the sides and edges, then move to the top and bottom. James recommends seasoning a good amount. Judges only take the smallest of bites. You want to stand out while following certain guidelines already set in place. Don’t be afraid to mix it up! Allowing for subtle uniqueness might be just the thing the judges are looking for.
Grilling the Steak
Spray the PK-TX Grill with Duck Fat, covering the grill surface. Also, use a spray on the ribeye with Duck Fat lightly. This will help set those lines and add that char to the outer steak we like. Set the knot in the fixed location on your grill grates. In the video, you can see James sets his steak’s knot location at the same marks purposefully on his PK. This is to ensure the diamond pattern sear marks.
Press the steak gently, close the lid and cook for 1:10. Rotate the steak, clean the grill area and place the knot to make a diamond pattern, and cook for 1:10. Flip the steak and repeat. Be sure to be lightly spraying the steak between flips. You will work your way into your own rhythm with this, trust me. Don’t be afraid to handle the steak, gently of course! Cooking times between cooks will vary! But we are looking for the perfect medium temperature. That’s what SCA judges look for.
Once nice grill marks have been made, take the temperature of the steak. If the steak is not up to 129-140 degrees Fahrenheit, set the steak on the cool zone, away from the middle of the grill, to warm it up.
Post Grill
Pull the toothpicks from the ribeye. Then remove the string. When boxing, place the spinalis towards the end the judge will open on the box. are the cap of the Ribeye. It’s the most flavorful, most marbled, and most tender part of a ribeye. Once the judge cuts the steak in half it should reveal a nice, medium, pink center.
Shop waltonsinc.com for Grill Grates
Shop waltonsinc.com for SCA World Champion Rubs
Shop waltonsinc.com for PK-TX Grill
Check out Interview with James!
Watch James Richard at Noob’s BBQ and More YouTube
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Anyone think they can take the defending champion?! You have until August 14th to perfect your technique!
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What is the purpose of the string around the steak. Is it simply to give a orientation knot or to hold the steak in a round shape or something else
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Tex_77 Team Blue Power User Traeger Primo Grills PK Grills Canning Sous Vide Community Moderator Kansasreplied to Jonathon on last edited by
Jonathon I’ll take a raincheck on this challenge.
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I’ll pass. Trim a ribeye?? Get in my belly.
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bocephus Team Orange Power User Canning Masterbuilt Regular Contributors Veteran New Mexico Sous Vide Gardening
Sounds like way to much work for me, throw on the grill with steak and roast rub.
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Almost fail!
Already had a ribeye in the fridge for tonight. Thought I’d try the seasoning part he did with letting it sit. Fired up the Weber. Set up for reverse sear. Didn’t take into account that the steak had almost reached room temp.
After a couple of minutes indirect, checked temp, 129, argh. Did a quick minute direct heat each side. Ended up up 148.
Although more done than I prefer the taste was great. Will have to adjust the cook time if I do this again. 60+ and still learning. No pics this time… Happened pretty fast.
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Jonathon eh…no problem
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cdavis Masterbuilt Canning Kamado Joes Regular Contributors Power User Sous Vide Oklahoma Team Camoreplied to Jonathon on last edited by
Jonathon I’ll have to pass. I don’t trim fat off of ribeyes either. But his steak did look awesome.
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PapaSop I cooked another pair of porterhouse the other night and butchered it, no pink what so ever. Complete disappointment
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glen Regular Contributors Team Grey Sous Vide Canning Dry Cured Sausage Masterbuilt Power User Meat Hack Winner Veteran Kansas
We both like rare steak but want the crisp fat and slight bark on the meat.
The solution was to cook partially frozen on a screaming hot charcoal grill
Works great for grocery meat counter steaks, about 3/4 to 1 inch thick -
kyle said in Protein Pros: SCA Steak:
He cut the best part of the steak off! I guess thats why I could never cook competition…or be skinny
Agreed, guess that’s why we aren’t judges either
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He lost me at trim a ribeye! I don’t cook for competition. I cook for comfort and get in my belly!
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Ridley Acres but I think I could be a 'judge in training. Where do I sign up?
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Jonesy yeah how do we get that job?
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bocephus Team Orange Power User Canning Masterbuilt Regular Contributors Veteran New Mexico Sous Vide Gardeningreplied to Jonesy on last edited by
Jonesy I think it would be fun to go and sample all the foods at a competition and judge them and then be able to look at the judges sheets and see how you would compare to what they are looking at.
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glen Regular Contributors Team Grey Sous Vide Canning Dry Cured Sausage Masterbuilt Power User Meat Hack Winner Veteran Kansasreplied to bocephus on last edited by
bocephus Yeah, no training, just judge by your own instinct
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kyle Regular Contributors Veteran Canning Team Blue Power User Sous Vide Wisconsin Gardeningreplied to bocephus on last edited by
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bocephus Team Orange Power User Canning Masterbuilt Regular Contributors Veteran New Mexico Sous Vide Gardeningreplied to kyle on last edited by
kyle I agree, taste should be the most important thing not presentation.
