My own grilling skills are embarrassingly limited, but as soon as the weather gets warm, I begin craving all things cooked over charcoal. But between excessive rain here in the Northeast and a lack of grill access  in my Brooklyn apartment, I didn’t get a chance to grill at all this spring. So, when I went to the beach last week, I decided to beef up my skill set by grilling every single night. Among the hot dogs, hamburgers, vegetable skewers, and my latest obsession, grilled corn, one dish stood apart from the rest–Steven Raichlen’s Caveman T-Bone recipe.

Due to a mediocre grocery store and budget limitations, we had to go with a flank steak rather than T-bones. We marinated it in lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and parsley for a couple hours, sprinkled on salt and pepper, heated up the coals, and then laid it right on the coals. While the thinner cut made it more difficult to get the amazing char Steven gets on the T-bone (while still keeping the middle nice and juicy), it did get a more smoky flavor than it would have gotten on the grate. The steak was delicious on its own (with grilled corn on the side, of course), and the leftovers made for incredible steak sandwiches the next day, but to be honest, the best part was that it was just plain fun to make!

Flank steak on the coals

The poke test

After foiling and resting, it's time to slice

Click here for Steven’s Caveman T-Bones With Hellfire Hot Sauce recipe and video

Growing up I always thought my mom wasn’t cool because she used a homemade chimney starter to light the charcoal in her grill.  That was two major strikes against her: charcoal instead of gas, and a chimney starter instead of lighter fluid.

Now that I’ve spent the last few months learning from the master griller Steven Raichlen, I realize my mom was not lame at all.  She knew that grilling with charcoal can produce complex, rich, smoky flavors that gas can’t duplicate.

It’s that same pure charcoal grilling that’s going to drive my Memorial Day cookout. I’m taking inspiration from Steven’s Ultimate Grilling Menu to impress my friends this year. We’re not only going to grill with coals, but right on them! We are tossing the grate aside and throwing steak on the coals, corn on the coals, and pretty much everything else that looks fresh and hearty at the farmer’s market–right on the coals.

Hopefully my guests will leave with ideas of their own, and then enter them in Steven’s Ultimate Grilling Recipe Contest. I know my hungry friends have some clever ideas brewing. How about you?

Delicious recipes for Memorial Day grilling
Caveman T-Bones With Hellfire Hot Sauce (on the coals)
Mussels Grilled on a Bed of Flaming Pine Needles
How to Grill Corn