Memphis Strip Steak: Smoked & Seared

Preparation

1. Brush 1 tsp of the olive oil onto all sides of one of the steaks, then season the steak with kosher sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Repeat with the second steak.
2. Place both of the steaks on the lower rack of the Memphis Wood Pellet Grill and set the temperature to 225 F. Smoke the steaks until their internal temperature reaches 100F. This will take less than an hour. Remove the steaks from the grill and keep them warm while you preheat the Memphis to 700 F.
3. Once the temperature inside the grill has reached 700 F, switch to the Open Flame Cooking Mode by selecting the Open Flame 3 (OF-3) option. Carefully remove the lower racks and take out the EZ-Access Hatch. Replace the hatch with the Direct Flame Insert. Place the grates back on the grill in the lower position and you are ready to finish those lovely lightly smoked steaks!
4. Sear the steaks, turning with tongs, until a nice crust develops on the outside. The finished internal temperature will vary depending on your cooking preference: 120 degrees in the center for rare or 130 degrees for medium-rare. Keep a close eye on the steaks as this will only take about 3 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your steaks. Transfer the strip loins to a cutting board and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. The internal temperature of your steaks will continue to rise slightly during the resting period.
5. After your steaks have had time to rest, you can add a pinch of kosher salt to the meat to draw out the juices and finish the steak.