Ember-Cooked Denver Steak with Pickles and Rainbow Slaw | American BBQ Classics

Cooking Denver steak directly on the embers creates a dark, smoky crust while keeping the centre tender and pink. Mark O’Brien served it with sharp homemade pickles and a colourful slaw, which cut through the richness of the beef beautifully.

This recipe was cooked by Mark O’Brien during the American BBQ Classics masterclass at Charlie Oven.

• Preparation time: 40 minutes
• Seasoning time: Overnight, if possible
• Pickle liquor chilling time: Overnight
• Cooking time: Until the steak reaches 52°C/126°F
• Resting time: 10 minutes
• Serves: 6 to 8
• Charlie Oven temperature: No set temperature required
• Cooking method: Ember cooking and grilling

Ingredients

For the Denver steak

• 1 kg Denver steak
• Beef rub, to season generously

For the beef rub

• 100g salt
• 100g ground black pepper
• 50g granulated garlic

For the 3:2:1 pickle liquor

• 1.2kg cider vinegar
• 800g water
• 400g caster sugar
• Finely sliced red onions, cucumber or grilled peppers, as required

For the slaw dressing

• 250g cider vinegar
• 125g apple juice
• 25g brown sugar
• 10g hot sauce

For the rainbow slaw

• ½ white cabbage
• ½ red cabbage
• 2 carrots
• 2 red onions
• 1 hispi cabbage
• 2 yellow beetroot
• 1 bunch spring onions
• 1 bunch coriander

Make the beef rub

1. Mix the salt, black pepper and granulated garlic thoroughly.
2. This makes more beef rub than you will need for the steak. Store the remainder in a sealed container somewhere cool and dry, ready to use again.

Prepare the steak

1. Trim away any external fat and silverskin from the Denver steak.
2. Season the beef generously on every side with the beef rub.
3. Cover and refrigerate overnight if possible. Remove it from the fridge before lighting the Charlie.

Make the pickles

1. Bring the water to the boil in a large pan. Add the caster sugar and stir until completely dissolved.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cider vinegar.
3. Allow the pickle liquor to cool, then refrigerate overnight.
4. Once completely cold, pour it over finely sliced red onions or cucumber. It can also be used with grilled peppers.

This recipe makes a generous quantity of pickle liquor. Keep any unused liquor refrigerated in a clean, sealed container.

Make the rainbow slaw

1. Put the cider vinegar, apple juice, brown sugar and hot sauce into a saucepan.
2. Bring the dressing to a gentle simmer, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Remove it from the heat and leave it to cool completely.
4. Finely slice the white cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, red onions, hispi cabbage, yellow beetroot and spring onions. Roughly chop the coriander.
5. Put all the vegetables and coriander into a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
6. Add enough cold dressing to season the slaw. Work it through the vegetables with clean hands so everything is evenly coated.

The dressing makes a generous quantity, so add it gradually rather than pouring it all in at once. Refrigerate any unused dressing in a sealed container.

Set up your Charlie Oven

1. Light the Charlie using lumpwood charcoal and allow the fire to become well established.
2. Wait until the flames have died down and the charcoal has formed a bed of hot, glowing embers.
3. Spread the embers into a single layer large enough to hold the steak.
4. Position a clean cooking rack close above the charcoal, ready for the second stage of cooking.

This recipe is cooked according to the heat of the embers and the internal temperature of the beef, so a set oven temperature is not required.

Cook the Denver steak

1. Lay the steak directly onto the clean, glowing embers.
2. Cook for 1 minute, then turn it.
3. Continue turning regularly until the outside has developed an even, deeply coloured crust.
4. Lift the steak from the embers and place it on the rack directly above the charcoal.
5. Continue cooking, turning when needed, until the centre reaches 52°C/126°F for medium rare. Insert the temperature probe into the thickest part of the steak.
6. Transfer the steak to a board and rest for 10 minutes. Its temperature will continue to rise slightly as it rests.
7. Identify the direction of the grain, then carve the steak across it into slices.
8. Serve with the pickles and a generous spoonful of rainbow slaw.

Cook’s notes

Use clean, good-quality lumpwood charcoal without chemical firelighters or additives when cooking food directly on the embers.

The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of the Denver steak and the heat of the charcoal. Use the internal temperature rather than the clock.

The steak may release a little ash when lifted from the embers. Brush away any loose ash before transferring it to the rack.

Add the slaw dressing gradually. The vegetables should be evenly seasoned but still crisp rather than swimming in dressing.

Frequently asked questions

What is Denver steak?

Denver steak comes from the chuck and is known for its good marbling and rich beef flavour. It stays tender when cooked quickly and carved carefully across the grain.

Can you cook steak directly on charcoal?

Yes. Use clean lumpwood charcoal and wait until the flames have died down, leaving a bed of glowing embers. The direct contact produces a deeply charred, smoky crust.

What temperature should Denver steak reach?

Remove the steak at 52°C/126°F for medium rare. The internal temperature will rise slightly during its 10-minute rest.

Why should Denver steak be carved against the grain?

Cutting across the muscle