Smoked Flat Iron Steaks
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These smoked flat iron steaks have gained in popularity over the last few years and some even say they rival the sirloin, tri-tip and tenderloin in flavor and tenderness.
I usually get these as large steaks about ¾ inch thick, 4 inches wide and about 12 inches long but I found some for this article that are already cut into individual portion sizes.
These go great with my smoked twice baked potatoes and a nice green salad.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Dry Brine Time: 2-4 hours
- Marinate time: 6-8 hours
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Smoker Temp: 225°F
- Meat Finish Temp: 130°F (medium rare)
- Recommended Wood: Mesquite or pecan
- About 3-4 lbs of flat iron steak
- Coarse kosher salt (Morton's blue box)
- Jeff's original rub
- Olive oil
Rinse the steaks under cold water then pat them dry with a paper towel.
Please note that I did not dry brine these however, you certainly could and it only makes them better if you want to take the time to do this.
To dry brine, sprinkle about ¼ teaspoon of coarse kosher salt on the top of each one and place it into the fridge for 2-4 hours before adding the olive oil and rub marinade below.
No need to rinse the steaks after dry brining.
Brush olive oil onto the steaks then sprinkle my rub onto the steaks. Flip them over and do the same on the back side.
Place the steaks into a plastic or glass bowl with a lid and place in the fridge overnight or for 6-8 hours
I used my XL Big Green Egg for cooking these and it does a great job but I can't help thinking that these would also be an excellent thing to do on the Woodwind WiFi by Camp Chef. You could get some good smoke on these and then throw them over some hot coals for a minute or two.. oh my! Read my review on that thing.. it's pretty sweet for cooking meat– I'm a poet!
Back to Earth, Jeff.. back to Earth!
Set up your smoker for cooking at about 225°F with plenty of smoking wood to last about 1 hour. I recommend using mesquite for great smoke flavor that marries well with these beefy wonders but make sure you have good airflow into and out of your smoker. Pecan is a safer choice and also tastes great.
Note: In colder weather, it is advisable to preheat the smoker at least an hour or more before you are wanting to use it. Keep the door closed as much as possible and even skip basting if necessary to maintain proper smoking temperatures.
Place the steaks directly on the grate
Depending on how thick your steaks are, they should take about 45 minutes or so to reach 130°F in the center. If you want them more or less rare, adjust the time accordingly.
I recommend using a trusty thermapen thermometer or a remote digital probe meat thermometer like the Smoke (which I am quite fond of) and staying close by the smoker so you don't overcook these and ruin them.
If you want to sear these or lay down some grill marks, simply remove the steaks from the smoker when they reach about 100°F and throw them onto an already hot grill or a very hot pan.
Continue to watch the temperature and be sure to pull them when they reach your desired doneness.
Let the steaks rest for about 15 minutes then serve with my smoked twice baked potatoes.
Smoked Flat Iron Steaks
Ingredients
- About 3-4 lbs of flat iron steak
- Coarse kosher salt (Morton's blue box)
- Jeff's original rub
- Olive oil
Instructions
Prepare and Marinate Steaks
- Rinse steaks under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel
- Sprinkle about 1/4 tsp of coarse kosher salt onto the top of each steak and place in the fridge uncovered for 2-4 hours. No need to rinse when finished.
- Coat steaks with olive oil
- Sprinkle Jeff's original rub generously on both sides to cover meat
- Place steaks in glass or plastic bowl with lid
- Marinate in fridge for 6-8 hours or overnight
Smoke Flat Iron Steaks
- Place steaks directly on the grate of smoker
- Smoke at 225°F for about 45 minutes or until they reach 130℉ or desired doneness
- Let steaks rest for 15-20 minutes before serving
- Serve with smoked twice baked potatoes
A great marinade for steak includes
1 cup olive oil
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup worchestershire
1/2 cup soy sauce
T liquid smoke
T lemon juice
T dry mustard
T crushed garlic
T Cavender’s Greek seasoning
2 T parsley flakes
Place steak in a ziplock bag pour mixture in seal and marinate overnight. Turn bag once during marinade process . Remove from refrigerator and bring to room temp before grilling or smoking. Mixture will tenderize and add tons of flavor. Especially good with 2+# Flat Iron steaks. I cook them whole and slice 3 or 4 inches wide to serve.
Wow! This was perfection! Completely made up for my previous steak mishap!
the individual steaks you showed are not flat iron steaks they are top blade steaks! the center grizzle is in there. The flat iron coming from the whole top blade muscle is cut horizontally thus removing the grizzle! and providing a better steak!!
Bob,I’m not a butcher by any means so you could fool me pretty easy on some of the lesser known meats. Incidentally, this happens to be what all of our flat irons around here look like and I have purchased them in multiple places. Interesting for sure.
If you have a Kroger nearby you can buy Flat Iron individually cryovaced in 2 to 21/2 # . Before COVID they sold for $6.88 per pound they are now around $12.88 . The flat iron was developed in 2002 by the University of Florida and Nebraska to improve the carcass value of beef. It comes from the front shoulder of the steer and is part of the chuck primal . It is said to be the 2nd most tender cut of beef next to the filet. There is no waste to this cut of meat
I made 3 pounds of these over the weekend in the Bradley. Took the IT to 138. Sauteed some mushrooms and onions in butter, worcestershire, and some cab wine and spooned it over the top. Filet-tender and excellent taste. This summer, I can see me throwing them on a hot grill for a minute a side to crisp up, but no complaints about going from smoker to table. I might make some fajitas out of the leftovers.
Another winner, Jeff. Tried this today and my oldest daughter, who loves the steaks I grill (usually rib eye or T-bone) and she loved this. Said it was probably the best thing I’ve ever smoked (in the entire 8 months since I started smoking!).
Jeff
3lbs – 4lbs of meat is a lot of meat for empty nesters, unless cooking for a big group. Recognizing that smoking larger quantities of meat is a more efficient use of time and smoking materials, how will a smoked flat iron hold up in the freezer?. Do you under-cook just a hair, to allow for some additional cooking when you thaw?