These sweet and sticky steak bites are rich, flavorful, and incredibly tender. Perfect as an appetizer or served as a bold, crowd-pleasing main dish.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 beef filet steaks (about 2 inches thick)
- 2 tablespoons beef rub (e.g., Hey Grill Hey Beef Rub or equal parts salt, pepper, and garlic powder)
- 2 tablespoons sweet BBQ rub (e.g., Hey Grill Hey Sweet Rub)
- 2 tablespoons activated charcoal rub (e.g., Hook’s Midnight Rub or your favorite)
- ½ cup BBQ sauce (e.g., Hey Grill Hey Everything BBQ Sauce or your favorite)
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into small pats
Instructions
1. Preheat Smoker
Preheat your smoker to 225°F (107°C).
2. Prepare the Steak Bites
Trim off any silverskin or excess fat from the filet steaks. Cut each steak into 1½-inch cubes.
3. Season
On a small plate, mix the beef rub and sweet rub. On a second plate, spread the charcoal rub.
- Dip the top and bottom of each steak cube into the charcoal rub.
- Roll the sides in the sweet + beef rub mixture.
- Set the seasoned cubes on a wire cooling rack.
Repeat until all steak pieces are coated.
4. First Smoke
Place the rack with the steak bites directly onto the smoker grates. Smoke for about 1 hour, or until internal temperature reaches 120°F (49°C).
5. Sauce & Sweeten
Transfer the steak bites into a cast iron skillet or foil pan. Drizzle with BBQ sauce, sprinkle evenly with brown sugar, and dot with pats of butter.
6. Second Smoke
Return the pan to the smoker and cook until the internal temperature reaches 130°F (54°C) and the sauce has thickened and caramelized around the steak. This typically takes an additional 30–40 minutes.
7. Serve
Serve the steak bites warm straight from the skillet, either as an appetizer with toothpicks or over rice, mashed potatoes, or roasted vegetables as a main dish.
Notes
- Sweet Rub Options:
You can purchase Hey Grill Hey Sweet Rub or make your own from scratch using their Sweet Rub Recipe. - Charcoal Rub Substitute:
The activated charcoal adds a unique visual and flavor depth but can be omitted or replaced with more beef rub if preferred.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories: 731
- Protein: 47g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fat: 45g
- Saturated Fat: 22g
- Sugar: 26g
- Sodium: 585mg
- Iron: 9mg
- Calcium: 190mg
- Potassium: 811mg
Sweet and Sticky Steak Bites
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: Servings: 4
Description
These sweet and sticky steak bites are rich, flavorful, and incredibly tender. Perfect as an appetizer or served as a bold, crowd-pleasing main dish.
Ingredients
-
4 beef filet steaks (about 2 inches thick)
-
2 tablespoons beef rub (e.g., Hey Grill Hey Beef Rub or equal parts salt, pepper, and garlic powder)
-
2 tablespoons sweet BBQ rub (e.g., Hey Grill Hey Sweet Rub)
-
2 tablespoons activated charcoal rub (e.g., Hook’s Midnight Rub or your favorite)
-
½ cup BBQ sauce (e.g., Hey Grill Hey Everything BBQ Sauce or your favorite)
-
¼ cup dark brown sugar
-
¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into small pats
Instructions
1. Preheat Smoker
Preheat your smoker to 225°F (107°C).
2. Prepare the Steak Bites
Trim off any silverskin or excess fat from the filet steaks. Cut each steak into 1½-inch cubes.
3. Season
On a small plate, mix the beef rub and sweet rub. On a second plate, spread the charcoal rub.
-
Dip the top and bottom of each steak cube into the charcoal rub.
-
Roll the sides in the sweet + beef rub mixture.
-
Set the seasoned cubes on a wire cooling rack.
Repeat until all steak pieces are coated.
4. First Smoke
Place the rack with the steak bites directly onto the smoker grates. Smoke for about 1 hour, or until internal temperature reaches 120°F (49°C).
5. Sauce & Sweeten
Transfer the steak bites into a cast iron skillet or foil pan. Drizzle with BBQ sauce, sprinkle evenly with brown sugar, and dot with pats of butter.
6. Second Smoke
Return the pan to the smoker and cook until the internal temperature reaches 130°F (54°C) and the sauce has thickened and caramelized around the steak. This typically takes an additional 30–40 minutes.
7. Serve
Serve the steak bites warm straight from the skillet, either as an appetizer with toothpicks or over rice, mashed potatoes, or roasted vegetables as a main dish.
Notes
-
Sweet Rub Options:
You can purchase Hey Grill Hey Sweet Rub or make your own from scratch using their Sweet Rub Recipe.
-
Charcoal Rub Substitute:
The activated charcoal adds a unique visual and flavor depth but can be omitted or replaced with more beef rub if preferred.