‘You don’t need an oven to get it all done.’
It’s the first episode of Camp Cooking with Cam – so the steaks are high.
If you’re into all the cheesy stuff as much as you love a good grilling – follow Cam’s kick-butt, robust, and full-bodied creation: black crusted rib eye steak, with butter-based brussels and potato bake.
For passion in your meat rations, and sprouts that seriously punch above their everyday-flavour weight, catch the full episode here – plus more on our YouTube channel, every Sunday from 6pm.
Cam’s kick-butt creation: black crusted rib eye steak, with butter-based brussels and potato bake.
Ingredients:
Steak
1 x rib eye steak (500g, or enough for two people)
Hardcore Carnivore Black Seasoning
Potato Bake
5 x large potatos
4 x cloves of garlic
150g of shredded cheese
500mL of chicken stock, OR 500mL of water + 1tbsp of chicken stock powder
200mL cream
Salt and pepper
Brussel Sprouts
20 x brussel sprouts
1tbsp of butter (to glaze)
Salt and pepper
To Serve
Blues Hog Smokey Mountain Barbecue Sauce
Cam’s Kit
Blacksmith Camping Supplies Clear Top Small Drawer Bag
Method:
1. Crank the Heat (00:19)
For this dish, Cam uses his Cobb portable grill – a kettle-style barbeque that operates with briquettes or heat beads.
First, add the paraffin wax-coated fire lighters to the pit and fill the wire basket with 8-10 briquettes or heat beads.
2. Prepare the Potatoes (01:30)
No, not the kids – the spuds bundled in your bag of ingredients!
Peel the potatoes and slice the garlic relatively thinly (note: while minced garlic works, fresh is recommended).
Once peeled, slice the potatoes to roughly 5mm thick and begin tiling on the base of the pan. Continue to layer the potato slices, scattering the garlic between.
Repeat until all segments are in the pan.
Once peeled, slice the potatoes to roughly 5mm thick.
Layer the potato slices in the pan, scattering the garlic between.
3. The Sauce (03:13)
In a bowl, add the liquid chicken stock (either as purchased, or by stirring chicken stock powder into water). Stir in the cream, season with pepper and salt, and mix thoroughly with a fork.
Douse the potatos and garlic with the sauce. This doesn’t need to cover every portion of potato, as the pan’s lid will encourage steam to further promote the cooking process.
Douse the potatoes and garlic with the sauce.
4. Check the Coals (03:56)
After half an hour, check up on the coals. Have they turned white (with fear)? Never mind the occassional black mark remaining – as long as they’re nice and smoked up, they’re ready to go!
5. Prepare the Sprouts (04:09)
Assemble the brussels, slice each in half, and begin to boil a pot of water. This will be used to blanch your sprouts later on, to ensure they’re tender before hitting the grill.
6. Check the Potatoes (04:33)
These should have reached the point of simmering. Leave to do so for another 15 minutes.
7. Apply the Grill Plate (04:45)
8. Blanch the Sprouts (04:56)
Add your sprouts to the boiling water, and leave for two minutes.
9. Reduce the Sauce (05:04)
You’ve kept a lid on your potatoes (again, not your kids who were once running amuck but are now sitting patiently by the campfire. The spuds in the pan). Now it’s time to take it off.
Pierce the potatoes with a knife – they should be tender at this point. Leave the pan open to allow the sauce to reduce.
10. Drain the Sprouts (05:16)
No, not with these consistently awful puns… with a colander.
Drain the sprouts with a colander.
11. Prepare the Steak (05:34)
While any cut is sufficient, a rib eye steak is recommended.
This next step is for the hands-on camp cooks who like to really rub it in.
Coat both sides of the steak with Hardcore Carnivore Black Seasoning rub. This will both create an unbeatable crust, and bring a kick-butt flavour! Leave for 10 minutes to allow the rub to infuse into the meat.
Cam uses Hardcore Carnivore Black Beef Seasoning to season his steak.
Coat both sides of the steak with Hardcore Carnivore Black Beef Seasoning.
This seasoning will create an unbeatable crust and bring a kick-butt flavour to the steak.
12. Get Cheesey (06:33)
Turn the heat off your potatoes, and scatter a decent handful of grated cheese on top.
Replace the lid to encourage melting.
Scatter a decent handful of grated cheese on top of your potatoes.
13. Grill the Steak (06:50)
…But don’t be too tough on it (after all, you want it to be tender).
After oiling both sides of the steak, place onto the hot grill and cover with the lid. Turn the steak every five minutes until cooked to your liking.
Those who don’t often cook with steak may agree that it can be tricky to determine how cooked the meat is from the outside. Usually, the density of the meat is a good indicator. If the cut has reduced to roughly half, it’s likely to be closer to ‘medium’ through the centre.
After oiling both sides of the steak, place onto the hot grill.
Turn the steak every five minutes.
Turn the steak every five minutes.
14. Scorch the Cheese Blanket (07:46)
Once the cheese is a moreish melted mess, use the blow torch to scorch the surface. Continue until the cheese is a lightly browned, crispy-topped, leopard-spotted blanket.
Replace the lid to keep the heat in.
Use the blow torch to brown the surface of the melted cheese.
15. Rest the Steak (08:21)
It’s been a long cook. Let the beef have a break, for crying out loud.
Leave the rib eye to rest for approximately 5 minutes. This relaxes the meat tissues, and disperses the flavour throughout the cut. The steak will also remain pink when sliced and served, as opposed to bleeding onto the plate.
Leave the rib eye to rest for about 5 minutes.
16. Grill the Sprouts (09:10)
Again, go easy on them. They’re a little soft (especially after a blanching).
Toss them onto grill – this will both reheat them, and enhance their flavour to be more full-bodied. Replace the lid for two minutes, before turning them over to achieve those 5-star smoky char markings.
Be bolder again by adding butter. This gives the sprouts a glossy sheen.
Grilling your sprouts enhances their flavour to be more full-bodied.
17. Serve Up (10:02)
Slice your well-rested steak – it should be beautifully tender.
Serve the lustrous sprouts with a scoop the creamy, stringy-cheese potato bake on a plate. Arrange the steak slices alongside, and finish with a deliciously viscous side-serve of Blues Hog Smokey Mountain Barbecue sauce.
Your well-rested steak should be beautifully tender.
Serve the sprouts with a scoop of the potato bake, and arrange the steak slices alongside.
Finish with a side-serve of Blues Hog Smokey Mountain Barbecue sauce.
18. The Finished Product (11:09)
With only 45 minutes of preparation, enjoy the smoky smack of flavour and crispy, kick-butt crust of Cam’s Black Crusted Rib Eye Steak.
Enjoy the smoky smack of flavour and crispy, kick-butt crust of Cam’s Black Crusted Rib Eye Steak.
After 32 years behind the flour-dusted steel benches of commercial kitchens, Cam folds out his flattop tabletop and taps into campfire coals and portable camp stoves. From tender steaks and Turducken slabs, to sides, fries, and festive pies – follow along for easy, speedy, and crowd-pleasing campsite feeds!