Taste the fire, the bark, the crust, the beef!
One of the things I've noticed about BBQ is that most people I talk BBQ with, myself included, don't actually want to follow a recipe.
We want to create something.
Sure, we'll watch the videos, read the blogs, buy the rubs and ask for advice. But when our mates take that first bite, we don't want to say, "I followed someone else's instructions."
We want to say, "This is my brisket. My steak. My cook."
That's exactly how I approach Stoneville BBQ.
I don't want you to buy a rub and simply copy me. I want you to use it as a starting point and make it your own.
Sometimes that means experimenting. Sometimes it means getting things wrong. And sometimes it means discovering a technique that completely changes the way you cook.
For me, one of those discoveries was the finishing sear.
Chasing the Perfect Steak
Like most BBQ enthusiasts, I've cooked plenty of steaks that were technically perfect.
Great temperature. Nice colour. Rested properly.
But they were missing something.
They didn't have that steakhouse crust. That deep, savoury bark that crackles under the knife and delivers a huge hit of flavour with every bite.
After plenty of trial and error, I realised the answer wasn't another rub or another gadget.
It was a process.
The Finishing Sear
The finishing sear is exactly what it sounds like.
Instead of hitting your steak with maximum heat from the beginning, you cook it gently until it's almost at your target temperature. Then you rest it. Then you hit it with fire.
Not for long.
Just enough to build an incredible crust.
The first time I tried it, I honestly thought I'd found a cheat code.
Why It Works
There are a few things happening here.
A Dry Surface Creates Better Crust
When a steak rests, moisture on the surface begins to evaporate.
Less moisture means less steaming and more browning when the steak goes back over the heat.
That's where the magic happens.
Resting Keeps It Juicy
Resting allows the juices to redistribute through the meat.
When you sear after resting, you get the crust without sacrificing the tenderness you've worked hard to achieve.
Flake Salt Finishes the Job
A pinch of flake salt before the final sear adds texture and flavour.
The salt partially dissolves into the rendered fat and helps create that steakhouse-style crust we're all chasing.
The Stoneville Method
This is how I like to do it.
Season generously with The Bark Whisperer.
Cook the steak until it's a few degrees below your target temperature.
Rest for 5–10 minutes.
Brush lightly with beef tallow (I'm looking for the best in WA at the moment, any suggestions give me a buzz)
Add a generous sprinkle flake salt on each side.
Return it to blazing hot coals or direct flame for 60-90 seconds per side. You can do this on gas too, but close to flames, super hot.
Simple.
But incredibly effective.
One thing you'll probably notice as Stoneville grows is that I don't hide the experiments that don't quite work.
The lamb that needed more flavour penetration.
The steak that got too much heat.
The recipe that sounded brilliant in my head and average on the plate.
That's intentional.
Because BBQ isn't about perfection.
It's about process.
Every mistake teaches you something. Every cook makes you better. Every adjustment becomes part of your own style.
And if all I ever showed was flawless cooks, I'd be robbing you of the most valuable part of the journey.
The learning.
Make It Yours
The best BBQ cooks I know don't blindly follow recipes.
They take ideas. They borrow techniques. They learn from others.
Then they put their own fingerprint on the final result.
So try the finishing sear.
Use The Bark Whisperer, or don't.
Add butter. Add tallow. Use charcoal. Use a cast iron plate. Gas, even an oven!
Experiment.
Because at the end of the day, the best steak isn't the one that follows my method perfectly.
It's the one that makes your mates ask,
"How did you do that?"
And you get to smile and say,
"Just something I've been working on."
At Stoneville BBQ, we're not here to tell you how to cook. We're here to help you cook something worth talking about.