The ingredients for my flame grilled steak are simple and basic. Choose an excellent cut of steak at least one inch thick. My favorite cut is a porter house and Melissa and I split it. She eats the filet mignon and I devour the New York Strip portion.

Arrange the coals in your grill for direct heat cooking. The temperature will be medium to medium high. (That takes approximately 24 briquettes that have burned off for 25 minutes in my grill.) Soak your smoking woods for approximately one hour before you intend to grill. The best wood to use is hickory although pecan does a very good job also.

*1 large porterhouse steak at least 1 inch thick (Thicker cuts of meat will not dry out as quickly)
*2 teaspoons of Dales Seasoning Sauce
*2 teaspoons of dried basil (We grow and dry basil from our own garden)
*1 teaspoon of garlic powder
*2 teaspoons of cracked black pepper

Let the steak come almost to room temperature just before you start the grill. Take a fork and poke holes all through the steak on both sides. Pour 1 teaspoon of Dales Seasoning Sauce on each side of the steak. Season each side of the steak with 1 teaspoon of dried basil, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of cracked black pepper. Use the fork and again poke holes all through the steak on both sides to get the seasonings as deep into the meat as possible. NOTE: It is very important that the steak does not marinate in the above seasonings for more than ½ hour. If it sets for more than ½ hour, the flavor will be too strong. I prepare the steak just before I light the grill.

Light the grill and let it burn off for 25 minutes until the coals are completely gray. Just before you begin cooking, drain the smoking wood sticks and place them directly on the hot coals.

Place the grate on the grill and place the steak just off to one side of the coals. Cover the grill and let it smoke cook for five minutes. Flip the steak over and let it smoke cook for another five minutes. Remove the cover of the grill and place the steaks directly over the smoking wood. Let the sticks catch on fire and flame cook the steak for one minute. Turn the steak and flame cook for one minute on the other side. Depending on the thickness of the steak, you may need to flame cook each side for an additional 15 to 30 seconds.

Your steak should be well done on the outside and still pink throughout the center.

Wow!