Author Topic: BASIC STEAK GRILLING for the beginner  (Read 13539 times)

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Offline Hub

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BASIC STEAK GRILLING for the beginner
« Reply #-1 on: April 04, 2012, 07:43:04 AM »
Part One of this post covered meat selection.  In Part Two we’ll cover some proven ways to optimize the steak’s flavor, degree of doneness, and juiciness – how to COOK it.

One more meat attribute must be covered before we fire up the grill, however:  THICKNESS

There is a fact of life in steak grilling:  It is easier to cook a thick steak than a thin one!

The reason?  Time.  At any given grill temperature a thin steak is going to change temperature faster (cook) than a thick one and this translates to CONTROL for you.  I think one inch is a minimum.  An inch and a half is great.
 
Small, thin steaks are great for breakfast use or in sandwiches or to carve up on salads or for fajitas and such because you can cook them quickly.  Results can be erratic but for rare and medium rare all it takes for a half inch steak at grilling temperatures is about a minute per side.  Two minutes per side and you’re into the darker side of medium and often, well done.  With a thick steak, you learn to cook by feel, not time or internal temperature.  Read on for details . . .


PREPARATION

The steps described here are totally optional but are frequently used to both optimize and customize the outcome.  If you don’t want to mess with these steps or are in a hurry, that’s okay.  You can still do a great steak!

Rubs

A purist might say that a rub affects the flavor too much and overrides the natural savor.  Maybe so.  However, I think a light sprinkling of the proper rub can blend well with the meatiness and produce an excellent result.  Just don’t overdo it.

The most common rub for steaks is a simple application of salt and pepper.  Something similar is McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning or similar steak rubs.  The contribution of flavors like salt, pepper, garlic and onion can add up well but they should not be the dominant factor.  You want your steak to come out meaty with overtones of other flavors that compliment that effect.

Beware salt!  Salt is a desiccant and will take moisture out of the part of the steak it touches.  Thus, using a rub too high in salt and/or leaving a salty rub on for too long can produce a couple of unintended results.  First, the outer layer of the steak can be emulsified by the salt and turn mushy.  Second, sometimes the heat will turn this outer layer into a hard “jacket” that may not have a pleasant mouth feel and may actually have a flavor by itself that doesn’t compliment the steak.  Best practice?  If you use a rub, keep it light and don’t rub the steak more than 30 minutes before the cook.

Know your MSG, too.  Monosodium Glutamate is a flavor enhancer and tenderizer made from a naturally occurring substance in concentration.  “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” is the label for the throbbing temples experienced by some moo goo gai pan consumers.  MSG in reasonable levels doesn’t bother most folks but be careful using it.  Because it has a tendering effect on meat, it can contribute (with the salt) to the unintended results described above.

Marinades

A marinade is a solution of flavoring agents that a steak “soaks” in for a period of time prior to the cooking.  For some cuts, a reasonable marinade can add interesting dimensions and even help tenderize.  However, as with rubs, I think they should be used with care.

There are lots of commercial marinades available.  Most have a central or major flavor to impart (e.g. teriyaki or garlic) but some are more general purpose.  Actually, it is easy to make your own marinade with just a few ingredients that are typically found in most home kitchens (see below).

Fact:  The longer you leave a steak in a marinade, the more of the marinade flavor will be absorbed by it.  As a rule of thumb and best practice I recommend a standard marinade time of about two hours for most cuts.  Also, marinating should be done in the refrigerator, not at room temperature in order to further control absorption.

One gallon plastic food bags make wonderful marinating tools.  Get the ones that seal well.  They’ll hold one big steak or a couple of smaller ones easily. 

Here’s a simple, basic marinade that nicely compliments the flavor of a good steak.  Feel free to experiment with other and more ingredients.  The quantities shown will be just right for a gallon bag.

Hub’s Basic Marinade:

Very lightly salt and pepper the steak or apply a very light coat of McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning to both sides and the edges of the meat.  Place the steak in the food bag.

Add the following liquid ingredients:

¼ Cup Worcestershire Sauce
¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ Cup Dry Red Wine (Merlot, Shiraz, Pinot Noir, etc.)

Note:  It is okay to “eyeball” the amounts.  They are approximate.

Slosh the liquid around and over the steak to mix it together and thoroughly coat the steak.  Place in refrigerator for one hour.  Turn bag over and continue to soak for an additional hour.  Discard the liquid after use.

You can easily add more things to this if you want.  I frequently add minced garlic.

FIRING UP THE GRILL

For steaks, we need to “grill” meaning cooking over relatively high heat and allowing the fats and juices from the steak to drop onto a radiant surface to flash caramelize and “sizzle” in order to impart that famous grilled flavor we know and love. 

High heat will impart some aspect of “searing” to the meat as well.  The BASIC NEED is to have heat high enough to cook the outside of the steak rather quickly without burning it and to accomplish a cook that does not dry the steak out even if it is to be cooked medium-well to well done. 

Different types of grills do different things and this isn’t the place to argue what is best.  Fact:  You can do a wonderful steak on an inexpensive gas, charcoal, wood-fired and even some electric grills if you apply yourself. 

I have found by experience that a grate temperature of 500 to 600 degrees is excellent for grilling steaks.  Hood and cover thermometers are sort of relative devices and should be considered as “indicative” of overall heat level and useful devices for plugging the hole the manufacturer drilled for them (hood ornaments, my friend Billy calls them).  For grilling steak, it’s the temperature at the grid or grate that does the work, not the temp “under the hood”.

Regardless of grill type, if you put your palm right over the grates and can leave it there for longer than two seconds it isn’t hot enough.  That’s not very scientific, but it works.  If you had an infrared reading thermometer it would show 500 degrees or more using this phenomenon of human skin.  Most grills will take a while to get up to grilling temperatures – give them time.  A friend of mine once had the habit of coming home from work, “flipping on” his gas grill to high heat, grabbing steaks out of the refrigerator, throwing them on then going about his business until he began to see smoke coming out.  Then he’d flip them and cook for “a few more minutes”.  He always wondered why his steaks didn’t have much flavor and varied a lot in terms of how done they were.  Duh!

The grates themselves will usually get hot enough to impart grill marks or sear marks.  These are pretty but don’t contribute to flavor.  If you don’t get at least a little bit of grill marking, though, your grill isn’t hot enough.  The grates should also be scraped clear of prior cooking debris before firing up and wiped with a bit of oil (peanut oil or Weber grill spray work well) to inhibit sticking.  Also, believe it or not, a really hot grid will heat sear its mark and “let go” fairly quickly whereas a medium heated one may hang on to the meat for a long time resulting in your need to “tear it off” to flip it.

LET’S COOK

Okay, the steaks have optionally been rubbed and/or marinated.  The grill is fired up and hot enough you can’t hold your hand over it for the length of any meaningful arithmetical exercises.  Now, the steaks go on at refrigerator temperature – forty something degrees.  Why?

It’s that time and thickness equation again.  Not only is it easier to cook at THICK steak, it is easier to cook a COOL steak.  Both of these attributes give you precious time and added CONTROL.  This is especially true if you’re seeking rare, medium-rare or even well modulated medium steaks with perfect color and internal temperatures! 

While you grill steaks pay attention!  Do your imbibing of adult beverages after the cook.  Don’t get distracted.  The “life” of that expensive steak is in your hands!

The best steaks are “flipped” once, not over and over.  Know your grill’s hot and cool spots and use them appropriately.  TONGS are used to cook steaks, not forks.  If you puncture the meat you’re leaving exit points for juices.  Your own sense of touch is much more accurate and doesn’t poke holes in the meat.

JUDGING DONENESS – THE FINGER METHOD

It takes only a little practice, no equipment, and it works!  Here goes:

The “Finger Method” involves actually touching the steak with the tip of your index finger and then comparing the feel of the steak’s surface with the feel of the flesh at the base of your thumb while making some non-obscene hand gestures.  The steak will not burn your finger!

Rare . . .

Make the “OK” sign with your left hand, your index finger just touching, not pushing against your thumb.  With your right index finger, feel the pad of skin right below your thumb.  That’s the way a rare steak should feel to your touch.  It will be spongy and not a whole lot firmer than a raw steak.  You’re only cooking the outside third of it!

Medium Rare . . .

Do the same thing described above but apply heavy pressure between the thumb and index finger.  The pad of skin below your thumb will still give easily, but will “tighten up”.  That’s the way a medium-rare steak feels.  You’re cooking this one about half-way through.

Medium . . .

Modify the “OK” sign by applying pressure to the tip of your right ring finger with the tip of your thumb.  A medium steak feels like the pad of skin below your thumb.  The goal here is a warm, pink center so, overall, the steak “gives” less to the touch.

Well Done . . .

Modify “OK” again and use your pinkie and thumb this time.  The pad of skin below your thumb “hardens” just like a well done steak.  You want it to get hot in the center but stay juicy.

With practice you’ll find you remember what each condition feels like without having to use your hand and the “OK” sign to imitate it.  Just a quick touch with your finger to the top of the steak tells you the doneness!  Just remember to do it, though – an overdone steak is overdone forever, whereas an underdone one can be cooked a bit longer.

Other notes on doneness:

If you absolutely must poke a hole and use a thermometer to get the internal temperature, here’s what to look for.  Use a high quality, instant-read digital thermometer, not one of those analog dial things, they aren’t fast or accurate enough:

Rare – very red, cool center – 125 degrees
Medium-Rare – red, warm center – 135 degrees
Medium – pink, warm center – 145 degrees
Medium-Well – slightly pink, hot center – 155 degrees
Well Done – gray, hot center but still juicy – 165 degrees

As a general rule, steaks will continue to cook when you take them off the grill. Thus, to do a great medium rare steak, it should come off just BEFORE it reaches temperature or feel, not after.  This is a technique you’ll develop with time and experience.  Don’t agonize over it.  It’s like horseshoes, close is good enough. 

A well done steak is not a “burned” steak and a rare steak is not a “raw” steak.  Both degrees of doneness are legitimate and can be quite tasty depending on the meat.  I’ve found that very tender steaks like the loin cuts, porterhouses and rib-eyes are best for rare and medium-rare cooking since they don’t need the cooking itself to break down tissue.  On the other end of the spectrum, I think sirloins and strips are best medium because they tenderize a bit getting there.  Try them and see what you think.

REST IT!

This is the last and one of the most important parts of cooking a great steak.  Don’t take it off the grill and throw it on somebody’s plate!  Set it aside for at least five minutes and, preferably, ten to let the juices redistribute and the overall temperature of the meat even out.  This is yet another reason why you cook short of your target doneness level.  In the “good ol’ summertime, ambient patio temperature won’t cool the steak significantly.  In cooler weather you may want to lay a sheet of foil and a kitchen towel over it.

A steak that hasn’t been allowed to rest will “bleed” all over the plate regardless of doneness (well, unless you really overcooked the heck out of it – way past well done).  Conversely, a properly rested steak will retain most of its juice (and flavor)!

RECAP – SEVEN RULES FOR GREAT STEAKS!

You’ve bought some great steaks (nice marbling) and you want to serve yourself and your guests great steaks (juicy, flavorful), so:

1.    Get thick ones – at least one inch, preferably an inch and a half.
2.   Rub and marinade at your discretion.  If you don’t use rub or marinade, a mixture of 50/50 fresh ground pepper and kosher salt very lightly sprinkled over the steak before serving is a nice touch – but don’t use much.  Let guests salt and pepper to their final taste.
3.   Wrap bacon around filets to provide “sizzle” fat (it won’t crisp so you may want to discard it after the cook).
4.   Allow time to get the grill VERY HOT.  Most “ruined” steaks were cooked on a grill that wasn’t hot enough.  A clean, lightly oiled grid helps, too.
5.   Cook from refrigerator to grill.  A room-temperature steak gives you less time to control the cook.
6.   Learn and use the “Finger Method” to judge doneness.  If you have to use a digital thermometer, don’t repeatedly poke the steaks!  Never, never, never cut one open.
7.   Cook to just short of the doneness level you seek.  Steaks routinely gain five degrees or more after they are off the grill.
8.   Rest the steak before serving it.

If you think all of this is complicated, you’re right!  Cooking a great steak requires care and knowledge in the selection of the meat and some accumulated skill in using the grill to get the steak to proper doneness.  Enjoy the learning experience and your “misteaks” if any! 

EPILOG -- A FEW MISCELLANEOUS NOTES AND COMMENTS FOR THE FUN OF IT

1.    Another great “topper” for steaks is steak butter.  Lots of recipes exist for this but I take a stick of salted butter and let it come to room temperature (soften) then combine it with two cloves of minced garlic and one half teaspoon of brown mustard.  Wrap it in Saran and refrigerate until it hardens.  Put a couple of pats on a hot steak.  Delicious!
2.   Alas, everyone has different tastes.  I think steak sauce (e.g. A-1 or Heinz 57, etc.) are the ruination of a great steak or the salvation of a lousy steak depending on what is needed.  Cook what you like.  A friend of mine slathers everything he eats in ketchup so I just ignore him and try not to take it personally.
3.   Some grills and cookers allow either direct flame grilling or infra-red (very high temperature, close heat) cooking.  Grate temperatures on these cookers can be a thousand degrees or more.  They take time to get used to but can produce a great steak.  Give yourself some experimentation and learning time if you have one of these.
4.   I often “reverse sear” steaks.  If you have a smoker, “warm” the steak using smoke (temp 180 or less) for about 45 minutes before you grill it.  This requires either a smoker and a grill or a smoker/grill like my Memphis Advantage which can do both (refrigerate steaks while the heat rises to grilling temperature).  This adds a light and enjoyable smokiness that grilling alone does not impart.
5.   If you are using charcoal, a handful of wood chips on the fire (doesn’t take much) just before you put the steaks on the grids will give some nice added smokiness. 
6.   Similar to the above you can wrap chips or pellets in foil and put them on the bars or lava rocks of a gas grill.  This can be touchy, though.  High dollar gassers have a chip “drawer” for this.
7.   You can get “add-on” metal grates that, in addition to producing somewhat spectacular sear marks, move the “sizzle” right up under the meat instead of down on the coals or diffuser.  This really intensifies the grilled flavor.  GrillGrates (grillgrate.com) are my favorite.
« Last Edit: April 05, 2012, 08:27:29 AM by Hub »
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Offline africanmeat

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Re: BASIC STEAK GRILLING for the beginner
« on: April 04, 2012, 08:17:30 AM »
Great info thanks
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Offline LostArrow

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Re: BASIC STEAK GRILLING for the beginner
« Reply #1 on: April 04, 2012, 06:00:38 PM »
Once again thanks for the time & effort!
Excellent!
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Offline smokeasaurus

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Re: BASIC STEAK GRILLING for the beginner
« Reply #2 on: April 04, 2012, 08:11:59 PM »
Outstanding!!
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