Friday, April 23, 2010

Back in action (How to grill steak)

It's been a LONG time since I gave this blog the attention it deserved. But now that warmer weather is upon us, I thought I'd rededicate my efforts to providing interesting and delicious recipes, along with any tips/tricks I can throw in along the way.

On the horizon (in no particular order):
- Grilling an entire turkey (No more dry meat)
- Philly Cheese Porterhouse (as delicious as it sounds)
- Wood-burning grills - Doing it Argentine Style
- Tri-Tip (A bit of Santa Maria)

For today, enjoy a "how to" for grilling steaks (direct grilling, summarized):

1.) Season steaks before placing them over the heat. Use coarse sea salt and freshly ground or cracked black peppercorns.

2.) Set up 3 distinct heat zones
- Super high heat (for actual grilling - 600+ degrees F)
- Medium-high heat (400 degrees F)
- No heat (Safety zone in case of flareups)

3.) Place all steaks lined up in the same direction over the super high heat zone to keep grill marks consistent for a professional look

4.) After 2 minutes, rotate the steaks (don't flip them yet, just rotate them) 45 or 90 degrees to create a crosshatch of grill marks.

5.) Sear the steak for:
- 1-2 minutes (1/2 inch steak)
- 3-5 minutes (1 inch steak)
- 6-9 minutes (1.5 - 2 inch steak); Note: For steaks this thick, after searing, move the steak to the medium-high heat zone to finish cooking

6.) After searing, turn the steaks using tongs or a spatula.
NEVER use a fork, this allows the juices to escape

7.) Continue cooking on the other side, turning 45 or 90 degrees after 2 minutes.

8.) Top with a piece of butter or drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil