What is more manly than barbecuing a steak? Fresh meat, open fire, and beer – the only thing manlier is to make a game winning touchdown and nail a cheerleader after consumption. Since I cannot tutor you to become Al Bundy, what I can certainly train you how to do is to cook the perfect steak. I decide not to eat steak at eateries anymore, since I’ve yet to have any steakhouse equal to what I can make at my home – in price or in taste. Even today, I have past girlfriends calling me and moaning that they miss my steaks, so I figured I’d give out a couple of tips and aid my fellow man out.
Step One – THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP – selecting a good cut of meat. Really guys, if you’re planning to go to a restaurant and shell out thirty dollars for a steak, you may as well be ready to shuck out $15 for the home version. And believe in me, it always is better when you do it yourself. So discover a butcher, even if it is at the neighborhood Kroger/Harris Teeter/Whatever Food Chain that has butchers that is near you, and gut up. Here’s a checklist of your selections:
Rib-eye: this cut is a top rated choice because it has plentiful marbling. As the rib-eye cooks this marbling fades into the meat and creates a juicy, rich tasting cut of meat.
Porterhouse: this cut also has abundant marbling. The porterhouse has a top loin that is moist and succulent and a smooth buttery soft tenderloin. This cut is a favorite selection in restaurants offering deals such as ‘eat all the 26 ounce steak and your total dinner is free’. Be ready that this is a lot of meat, I have watched many daring people attempt it and solely one succeed. He had a stomach ache for two days.
New York Strip: this is a t-bone with the tenderloin and bone removed. This is a fine quality cut of meat and can generally be found at a lower price per pound than the previous cuts.
T-bone: this is an exceptional cut for couples who like to share. The smaller tenderloin is a few delicate bites while the New York strip can sate the heartier appetite.
Filet Mignon: this option is typically a more expensive choice but is well worth the additional expense if you are searching for one of the most tender and moist cut of meat. You will not find the strong flavor of a rib-eye or porterhouse but this is still an excellent cut of meat. Personally, I typically opt for the Porterhouse or the Filet Mignon – again if I’m going to grill a steak at home, let alone the perfect steak, I’m going to do it right.
After selecting your cut of meat, you must select how thick you want it. Ideal thickness is about 1-1.5 inches.
Step Two – Flavoring and temperature. Steak purists will say that you simply need salt and pepper. Personally I prefer to blend in a little garlic powder and cayenne pepper as well for mine, but to each his own, yeah? Let your steaks come up to room temperature prior to cooking them. Otherwise, the temperatures will vary too much throughout the steak and result in uneven cooking. You cannot afford a perfectly cooked exterior and a cold/bloody interior! Unless, of course, you’re like me and like a bloody steak…
Step Three – The Grill. Get it as hot as possible. Provide it 10-15 minutes or longer, to come up to max temperature. This is incredibly important!
Step Four – Searing. Once the grill is incredibly hot, throw the steaks on the grill at a 45 degree angle, and let them rest for 30 seconds. Searing is significant since it seals in the juices, which is where all the greatness of a steak rests right? After the 30 seconds, flip the steaks and let the second side sear. Flip it in place, at the same angle, and let it stay for another thirty seconds. The positioning/angling is essential since I am OCD and strive for the cross-hatched grill marks.
Step Five – Cooking. Decrease the flames to medium, and flip, this time rotating the steak 180 degrees so we get those wonderful perpendicular marks. When flipped, take a little pat of butter and let it melt on the steak. A little goes a long way here. Varying on how well you desire your steak, you ought to leave it on the grill for 2-3 minutes. Remember, it is going to take less time to cook given that we allowed the meat rise up to room temperature.
Step Six – Almost finished. Flip the steaks in place again, putting a dab of butter to this side as well. Now you hold out until your meat is done. I have cooked enough steaks that I generally know just by feel when they’re done, so the wait conditions will take a little getting used to. I’d claim 2 additional minutes for medium rare, 4ish for medium, and 5-6 for well done.
Step Seven – Finishing up. Take steaks from the grill and set on a plate. IMPORTANT: let the meat remain for 5-7 minutes (depending on thickness) before you cut into them! This will permit the juices to redistribute throughout the steak, as the hot heat of the grill causes the juice to remain in the center of the meatcut.
And there you have it! The perfect steak. Couple with a beer and some garlic green beans and a baked tater. To date, my favorite beer to pair with a perfectly grilled steak is Kronenbourg 1664. The flavors go really well together.
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