Serves: 5
Buy The Best.
No, we don't mean filet mignon every night. Just follow your appetite (sirloin tonight?), then scrutinize the cuts before you. You can't go wrong with prime, but chances are you're going to be choosing between Choice and Select at the average grocery store. Go for Choice. (If the steak grades aren't on the packages, ask the folks behind the counter.) Look for bright red meat and hunt down the ones with the finest flecks/streaks of fat. But don't assume that cheaper or leaner cuts can't deliver on flavor. Flank and skirt steaks, once considered culinary stepchildren, are now very popular--just take that extra tenderizing step and you've got a fine meal.
Tidy Up And Dress Up.
Trimming steaks is easy because the fat is usually around the outer edge. Leave about 1/4 inch of fat for flavor--more will just invite flare-ups. If you're not using a recipe, a light coating of the best extra-virgin olive oil you can afford and a generous sprinkle of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper is all the seasoning you need for a tasty beef experience.
Get Hot, Not Bothered.
Get that cooking grate searing hot! Charcoal grillers, be sure to place the cooking grate on the grill and close the lid for several minutes before you place the steaks on it. You want those steaks to sizzle when they hit the metal. Sear steaks over Direct High heat for a few minutes on each side to get great grill marks (for tips on how to make perfect grill marks, see the sidebar on page 107). Depending on your preferred doneness, you can finish your steak over Direct High or Medium heat (Medium is better for marinade-coated steaks).
Know When To Turn Them.
If you're used to the old "cut and peek" method of checking doneness (we can't think of a surer way to mar a lovely steak), here's a great trick. When meat heats up on the grill, the juices inside rise to the surface. You can tell a steak's doneness by the color of the juices on top of it. For rare steaks, turn while the juices are red. For medium steaks, turn when they're pink. And for well done, wait until they are clear. Note the time they've been cooking. After you turn them, wait the same number of minutes to pull them off the grill. Voilà. You are a steak-grilling genius! If you're grilling steaks to different doneness levels, keep the finished ones warm under foil on individual plates. Be sure to drizzle any escaped juices back over the respective steaks when you serve them.
And Finally, A Word About Steak Sauce.
We used to be against this stuff. Somehow, pouring bottled anything onto your grilled masterpiece just seemed wrong. So we started experimenting in the kitchen and guess what? Making your own just adds to the pleasure, not to mention the flavor! While virgin grilled beef will always be near and dear to us, we have experienced some breathless moments with the artful drizzle. Check out our recipes--crafted to match the marinades and rubs we've developed--and see if they don't heighten the flavor.
From Weber’s Big Book of Grilling. Copyright © 2001 Weber-Stephen Products Co. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.
This _Steak On The Grill: Sizzling Sensations recipe is from the Weber's Big Book of Grilling Cookbook. Download this Cookbook today.
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