My wife is out of town, and I planned to sous vide a hanger steak (which she doesn't appreciate) and finish/sear it on cast iron on my gas grill. DUE TO COVID, there is no one around San Antonio (I checked out as far as Castroville) that carries hanger steak now. I'm bummed. I really was looking forward to the hanger steak but since I can't get one, I need something else to do. Meat MUST be smoked/grilled.

I have a new Char Griller 980 which is basically a PID temp-controlled smoker that uses lump charcoal instead of pellets. I also have a gas grill and an egg-type smoker, as well as the sous vide gizmo.

Not a brisket, please; that's way too much meat for just me, plus I did one of those just a couple of weeks ago. I did a spatchcock chicken on the Char Griller (first cook on it) last weekend, and I'm pretty sure I'll be doing some pork butts the weekend after this one (Easter) for family that will be in town.

So, with all that in mind, and considering current HEB/likely meat market availability - what should I make this weekend?

Get some beef cheeks.

I guess I live in the wrong state for the first.

Beef cheeks is an intriguing suggestion! I have never had that, to my knowledge, and really can't say I've ever even heard much about it/them. Have to look into it. (I just wonder if they're more readily available than hanger steak, or if maybe the COVID supply chain issues will have affected them, too.)

Smoke a Prime Chuck Roast like brisket. Satisfies the craving when I want brisket but it's just the wife and I. Alternatively you can filet it (for lack of a better term,) laying it open into a large 1.5" steak, smoke it up, cut it into bites and toss with sauce, put it back on until the sauce caramelizes and have "brisket burnt ends".

Works great for appetizers when you have a group over because laid open like that, it gets to temp really fast.

Picanha is always a good choice. If it's just going to be you you're cooking for, slice it with the grain into steaks, cook a couple, and freeze the rest.
If you're looking for a good side, a smoked potato is good too. Stab a potato a couple of times so the steam can escape, and coat it with a thin layer of vegetable oil. Liberally salt the potato, and smoke it at whatever temperature you like. At 275-300, it will take about 2-2.5 hours. At 400, it's done in an hour.

Pork belly.

T-Bone steak

All good suggestions, thanks!

I think I'm going to go downscale despite the numerous good "upscale" suggestions. There was a restaurant here in San Antonio 25 or so years ago (Barbados) that had a great London Broil steak that I realy miss. It was a flank or top round steak marinated in/accompanied by a sweet/tart (teriyaki-like) sauce. I think I'm going to get one or the other today (whichever I can find in Choice or better, if possible, at my local HEB) and marinate it overnight. Then I'll sous vide it for most of the day tomorrow while I work on my taxes and clean some guns. It should be nice and tender by dinner when I'll sear it in cast iron. If I can get anything like Barbados' results, it'll join the regular rotation.

If I'm ambitious, I may post some pics here.

I did this two weeks ago. Very good, very rich and filling. Some of the pork rinds were a little too crispy but not too bad for my first attempt.

GeorgiAg said:

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Tri Tip

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I second the tri tip. Or a sirloin cap.