Smoked Top Round Steak is a great way to create a delicious and tender meal on the grill. A simple rub and choice wood chips make all the difference!
🍽️ Why This Works
Easy | This is a simple rub. Use your favorite. Sure, you can make your own, but sometimes I just like to use one that is readily available. I had some Burnt Sacrifice Santa Maria steak rub available and used that.
Delicious | I always prefer smoking when I have a tougher cut of meat. The low and slow approach breaks down the connective tissues and makes the steak so tender!
Simple + Hands Off | This is a great hands off, quick to prep main dish that you can make on a busy Saturday. Put this on the smoker and go mow the lawn, trim the hedges or clean out the garage. It is not a recipe that you have to stand there and watch, yet the results are so tender and amazing.
🥩 Ingredients
Top Round Steaks | This lean cut of meat is found near the eye round and bottom round portion of the cow which means it tends to not be a tender cut of meat coming from the backside of the animal that does all the work. It still as good flavor and a great price point though, so it’s best to find options that give you incredible results.
Some butchers refer to London Broil as a cooking technique and not as a specific cut. They often label Shoulder London Broil, Top Round London Broil or Bottom Round London Broil because all of these meats are thicker and not as tender.
This cut can come from the butcher’s labeled “London broil” as well but don’t get confused. Top round won’t have the long connective tissues running through it like a London broil/flank steak will. The top round will look more like a sirloin than a true London broil/flank steak.
Rub | We used the Burnt Sacrifice Santa Maria Rub but feel free to use any rub that you love, including making your own.
🔥 Instructions
Step One: Heat the grill to 250 degrees. Set it up for indirect heat. For the Big Green Egg, I added the plate setter. For a gas grill, simply turn off the center burners.
Step Two: Liberally coat the top round with the steak seasoning. If it doesn’t stick right away, rub the steak with a teaspoon of olive oil and then add the rub. Make sure to get the sides.
Step Three: Add the smoking wood to the grill. For this one, I used some Sassafras, but any of the richer, stronger flavors will work. If you are new to smoking, check out this free Smoking Cheat Sheet.
Step Four: Add the steak to the smoker for about 30 minutes per pound to reach a temperature of 135 degrees for a medium rare. Use a wireless thermometer to make sure you don’t overcook the meat.
As with most recipes, we do recommend you bring it off the grill and tent it with foil to have all the juices stay INSIDE the meat instead of running out.
❗ Expert Tips
Always clean and oil the grill grate before placing the meat directing on top. It will minimize the chance of sticking.
Choose your wood carefully. Sassafras and Hickory are going to give you the most robust/strong smoke flavor. It will smell like you stepped into a BBQ joint. If your family prefers a just a little smoke flavor, then grab a couple pieces of fruit wood instead.
Slice the steak against the grain for maximum tenderness.
Recipe FAQ
No, the low and slow temperature cooking will make this a great, tender cut once you have it smoked. It’s almost as simple as using your crockpot.
It’s ok. Don’t throw it away! You can slice it up super thin or you can use the food processor and grind it down to make a sandwich mix out of it with mayo, pickles and onions.
Absolutely. Once you have it smoked, remove the top round from the grill and remove the plate setter using grill gloves, if using the Big Green Egg. Otherwise turn on all the burners and heat it up to 400 degrees or so. Remember, to get a crust and sear marks, it has to be HOT. Once it is brought up to temperature, place the steak on the grill and sear it for 1-2 minutes each side.
Related Recipes
Smoked Top Round Steak
Equipment
- Smoking Wood Chips
Ingredients
- 1 lb Top Round Steak
- ¼ cup Steak Seasoning I used Burnt Sacrifice Santa Maria Rub
Instructions
- Heat the grill to 250 degrees using indirect heat.
- Cover the steaks with your favorite steak seasoning. Make sure to get the sides too.
- Add wood chips to the grill and place the top round on the grate.
- A gentle, billowing smoke will leave an amazing flavor while the low temperature will slowly break down the connective tissue. It should take approximately two hours for a small top round steak. Larger pieces will take longer. It is best to use a wireless meat thermometer to monitor the temps.
Notes
Nutrition
