Join us for a three-part Summer Grilling Series with three of East Tennessee’s premier executive chefs, Jeff Carter (Dancing Bear Lodge and Appalachian Bistro), Joseph Lenn (J.C. Holdway), and David Rule (The Appalachian). All three are alums of the acclaimed Blackberry Farm kitchen. Yet each brings something unique to the table–and to the grill–as they creatively interpret authentic Appalachian culinary experiences. All three love cooking with fire and are generously sharing a favorite grilling recipe along with some pitmaster-level secrets to help our readers elevate their own summertime grill skills. Enjoy!
David Rule, The Appalachian, Sevierville, Tennessee
Executive Chef David Rule brings a modern approach to traditional Appalachian ingredients and dishes with an emphasis on smoky flavors coming from a large wood burning hearth in the heart of the kitchen. His experiences in various kitchens across East Tennessee influenced his vision for The Appalachian’s contemporary Southern Appalachian culinary experience.
Ribeye with Bone Marrow Butter
2 beef bones split
6 oz salted butter
1 shallot, diced
¼ cup chives, diced
18 oz Ribeye
1 Tbsp kosher salt
- Roast the bones at 375 ° for 15 - 20 minutes until bone marrow is soft. Let cool for 10 minutes.
- Remove bone marrow with a spoon and combine with butter, shallots and chives.
- Roll into a log. Refrigerate for two hours. Slice in ½ inch rounds.
- Grill ribeye to your liking (I suggest medium rare).
- Top it with a sliced round of Bone Marrow Butter.
On His Recipe
“Bone marrow butter is a nice accompaniment that works well on ribeye, filet mignon, even leaner cuts of meat that don’t have as much intramuscular fat. Buy the beef femur bone and your butcher can do a canoe split down the middle, making it easier to get all the marrow out which is super rich, super fatty. Blending with butter helps with texture and the marrow adds richness and flavor.”
On Grilling at His Restaurant
“The Appalachian has this big custom-built wood burning hearth in an open kitchen for rapid grilling of proteins all the way to slow-roasting fall vegetables. Since we’re 100% wood burning, every day about 2 p.m. we start our fire with white oak (great for the heat) and hickory (for flavor).”
On Grilling at Home
“I’m not taking three or four hours at home to build up the big bed of coals the way we do in our restaurant. I use hardwood lump charcoal and a Weber Grill. When I grill beef, I create a high heat hot spot and then a warm place. I put all my charcoal on one side to get a real hard sear without burning, and then allow it to slowly come up to the temperature I want to the side.
We’ve got two girls (nine and eight) and our boy is two and a half. We grill four or five nights a week; last night was salmon. We do tacos al pastor Shepherd Style–the mainstay of tacos in Mexico City, with marinated pork chop and pineapple cooked on a big spit. The kids really like it, even making homemade tortillas. My whole family loves steak but my 8-year-old is a connoisseur. For her birthday last year, we went to the restaurant and another chef and I had a steak competition. We both grilled filets for her to judge the best. And I lost. (I think he rigged it!)”
On Grilling Tips
“Selecting meat for intermuscular fat is important. If you get a ribeye that is up closer to the shoulder, it has three muscles. Further back toward the leg on the ribeye, you get two muscles. For me, the piece with three muscles is more desirable.
I very simply season with kosher salt and sometimes finish with sea salt. Salt enhances the natural flavors of the meat. I like the Diamond Crystal brand at home and the restaurant. It’s a very fine kosher salt that allows a better consistency in the spread of it over the meat.
I prefer to cook over 100% hardwood. Anything over wood has great flavor. I prefer it over pan or oven roasting any day. There are lots of grills on the market, Traegers, Big Green Eggs, and they all have their purpose. But from a value standpoint, it’s hard to beat a Weber.”
On Today’s Home Grillers
“I see an ever-growing interest in people grilling and developing their unique style to produce their desired results. Especially with the gentlemen, they all have their own process, they all tend to think they’re the best, and that they can prepare the best steak. And, I think that’s great!
Obviously, as a chef and as a former butcher who owns a steakhouse, I think the same thing!”
TheAppalachianRestaurant.com
“Bone marrow butter is a nice accompaniment that works well on ribeye, filet mignon, even leaner cuts of meat that don’t have as much intramuscular fat. Blending with butter helps with texture and the marrow adds richness and flavor.”