The One Seasoning You Need To Make Any Steak Taste Charcoal-Grilled

Once you sink your teeth into a juicy, charred steak, you'll discover that there's really no other way to consume the meat. Preparing it on a charcoal grill imbues the beef with a rich, smoky flavor that's incomparable to anything else. Of course, cooking on a stove is easier and much more accessible than firing up a grill, but using charcoal seasoning makes the two methods taste indistinguishable.

Charcoal seasoning takes that deep, heady flavor that meat gets on the grill and bottles it up into a delectable spice blend that you can simply shake onto steak. The key to the bold flavor is activated charcoal, the once-trendy ingredient that sated every foodie's need for everything they consumed to be black. Though the trend is over, activated charcoal still deserves all the hype. Now, the earthy ingredient is used to give steak the taste of the outdoors from the comfort of your home.

Spice blends, like the Hardcore Carnivore Black Beef Seasoning, combine the charcoal with other common steak flavor enhancers, such as chili pepper, dehydrated garlic and onion, and oregano. You can sprinkle it onto steak before cooking it or marinate the meat in the blend for a stronger flavor. If you'd like, you can turn the spice blend into a compound butter for a nice, smoky surprise when the fat melts.

For steaks that have a delicious sear and smoky flavor, add charcoal seasoning to the meat before making seared steak with lemony whipped feta. Though the beef won't have those classic grill marks, the high heat of the pan ensures that they'll have a great browned crust. Finishing off the meal is creamy, whipped feta accompanied by Greek yogurt, thyme, lemon zest, and lemon juice. The bright, citrusy flavor serves as a nice contrast to the smoky steak.

With the bright feta lifting up the meat, you can easily turn any leftovers into a hearty steak salad. Slice up the steak and add it to a bed of romaine lettuce, arugula, spinach cherry tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers, and slivered almonds. You can add the whipped feta as a dressing or stretch it out with extra olive oil and lemon juice.

Easy carne asada is another recipe that's best made on the grill, but charcoal seasoning can work in a pinch if one isn't available for you. The tangy lime and orange juice already plays well with the earthy cumin and garlic in the marinade — all it's missing is that classic smoky, charcoal flavor. Add a pinch of the spice blend to the carne asada marinade or sprinkle it on right before cooking for a fresh-from-the-grill flavor.