Dont Use The Wrong Kind Of Salt And When In Doubt Oversalt
True sea salt is always the way to go when seasoning a steak, Prentiss says. We use Jacobsen’s Kosher Salt from Portland, Oregon. The grains are medium sized and have a pleasant minerality that lends itself perfectly to grilled beef. Any true fleur de sel or sel gris type sea salt will work well for good beef. Avoid table salt, iodized salt or small fine-grain sea salts as they have more weight to volume than larger grain salts and you can easily over season with them. Just think medium grain, true sea salt.
Cervantez is a fan of kosher salt, which is, according to experts, virtually identical to sea salt. Cervantez is a fan of pepper, as well, and recommends combining both in equal quantities.
And when you do, Always overseason your steaks a bit, adds chef Christian Ragano. Hes the executive chef at Cindys, the rooftop restaurant at the Chicago Athletic Association. When you think it’s enough, always add a little more. A lot of salt and pepper always falls off during the cooking process and doesn’t always penetrate the meat.
Jayawardena of FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar in Bloomington, Minnesota, agrees. Now is not the time to be shy about seasoning, he says, adding that salt is the most important ingredient you could ever add to a steak. Do this before you let the steaks rest so the seasoning has time to work its way deep into the meat.
Tips For Grilling The Best Steaks On Charcoal
Whats the best kind of steak to cook on a charcoal grill? All of them. The truth is, as long as its done properly, any kind of steak goes well with a charcoal grill. The high heat and smoke make for a rich, bold flavor that wont do you wrong. Follow these tips to cooking any kind of steak to perfection over charcoal.
How To Buy A Good Steak
Q: Prime, Choice, or Select. What do they mean?
Cattle are graded after slaughter according to the degree of marbling, as well as the cow’s age.
All beef that’s sold in the U.S. is graded by the United States Department of Agriculture on a scale according to its tenderness and degree of marbling. At the top of the heap is Prime, which denotes an abundant degree of marbling in a cow under 42 months of age. Only about 2% of the beef sold in this country is designated Prime, and most of it goes to restaurants, specialty butchers, and high end supermarkets. Below that is Choice, followed by Select, which are the two grades you’ll find in most supermarkets.
The grades continue to go down all the way to Canner, which generally comes from very old cows with little fat in their tough meat. Luckily for us, you won’t find that grade in stores .
While checking the grade is a quick and easy indicator of the quality of the meat, what you should really be checking for is the degree of marblingthat’s the interstitial fat that shows up in white spiderwebs throughout the meat.
Why, you might ask, is marbling important? Two reasons: moisture and flavor. As well-marbled meat cooks, the fat will slowly melt, adding juiciness built right into the meat. Non-marbled meat might have plenty of fat on the exterior, but it doesn’t enhance the steak in the same way. Sort of like the difference between drinking a glass of chocolate milk or drinking the milk then shooting the chocolate syrup.
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Cooking Your Beef Flank Steak Recipe
Once your grill is hot enough, brush the metal bars of your grill with vegetable or olive oil using a grill brush. You are now ready to place your flank steaks on your grill. As soon as your steaks come in contact with the surface of your grill, they should start to sizzle. Pro Tip: If you do not have a grill brush available, you can use bunched up paper towels dipped in oil. Make certain your hand does not come into contact with the surface of your grill.
During the first few minutes, you will be searing your flank steaks. This will require between three and four minutes. Use a pair of tongs to turn over your steaks. Provided your grill was nice and hot, you should see blackened or dark brown areas of your steak with a crispy appearance. If your meat is not well seared, turn it back over immediately and let your meat continue to cook.
Once your flank steaks are well seared, cook them on the other side over high heat for another three to four minutes. This will ensure you have a crispy layer on both sides for a great taste and the ideal texture. You will enjoy the caramelized exterior of your steaks. Once both sides of your flank steaks have been seared, you will need to move them to a cooler section of your grill. You can do this using your tongs.
- Rare: 120 degrees Fahrenheit
- Medium-Well: 150 degrees Fahrenheit
- Well done: 160 degrees Fahrenheit
How To Grill Steak On A Charcoal Grill
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I love my charcoal grills. Like, I really, really love them. I love them so much that I own 4 different kinds of charcoal grills.
While I do most of my outdoor cooking on them, my favorite thing to cook over flame would definitely be a nice thick medium rare steak.
If youve never had a steak prepared over charcoal, man are you missing out! There is something about the subtle smokey flavor that really makes beef stand out.
In this article, were going to run down what you need to know to be able to grill an awesome steak over charcoal.
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Always Pat Your Steak Dry
The golden rule to achieving steak with a deep-brown, flavorful crust? Eliminating as much moisture as possible from its surface. Moisture is the enemy of crispiness. Thats because moisture slows down Maillard reactions, the process responsible for turning steak brown and crispy. Whether youve marinated your steak or not, youll want to blot it all over with paper towels before you season it. Doing so prevents seasoning from melting and inhibits steam from forming when you cook the steak.
How To Light Charcoal
You can use lighter fluid to help get the charcoal started, or a simple chimney starter that doesn’t require lighter fluid. Here’s how it works: A chimney starter is a hollow metal cylinder with holes at both ends. This is an easy way to evenly and quickly light charcoal and takes minimum skill to use. Simply crumple newspaper at the bottom of the chimney, place the coals on top. Remove the top grate from your grill and place the chimney starter on the lower grate. Light the paper with a match or long-handled lighter, and let the chimney do the work. After about 10 to 15 minutes the coals will be hot and covered with grey ash. Empty them into your grill, spread them out, and close the grill lid until the temperature is hot enough for what you’re grilling.
Related:Pair the Right Steak With the Right Cooking Method
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Taking Off The Chill Of Your Steak Speeds Up Cooking
Grilling steak until it’s a brown with a light char on the surface, while also making sure the interior is cooked to a perfect juicy doneness is the goal, right? However, if the steak is too cold it can require so much cooking time for the interior to reach that perfect doneness that the steak may overcook and turn gray and dry. To remedy this, allow steaks to stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before you grill them. They will cook faster through to the center and stay juicer.
Let The Steak Come To Room Temperature
Next, let the steak come to room temperature for about 30 minutes or so. While this step might seem unnecessary, it can mean the difference between a good steak and a great steak. Thats because if the steak comes straight from the fridge, it wont cook evenly the inside will stay raw even after the outside sears.
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Is It Better To Grill Steak With Lid Up Or Down
If youre grilling quick-cooking foods such as burgers, thin steaks, chops, fish, shrimp, or sliced vegetables directly over the flames, you can leave the grill open. But when you grill thicker steaks, bone-in chicken, or whole roasts youll want the lid down, especially when youre cooking with indirect heat.
Preparing Your Flank Steak
You will need one pound of flank steak for every three people. Score your steak by making shallow cuts into your meat. This will allow better penetration of your marinade and seasonings. Put your steaks onto a cutting board. Use a sharp knife tip to make cuts on both sides in a diamond pattern. Each cut should be one-quarter of an inch thick and against the grain. You will be using either a marinade or dry rub. Pro Tip: For a stronger flavor, let your flank steaks marinate overnight.
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Whats The Cheapest Cut Of Steak
8 Cheap Beef Cuts So Good Youll Swear Off Ribeye Chuck Steak. This cut of beef is known as the 7-bone steak because, well, it has a lot of bones. Flat Iron. Also in the shoulder, youll find a fine steak that sits on the cows shoulder bladers. Chuck-Eye Steak. Petite Tender. Tri-Tip Sirloin Steak. Beef Shank. Denver Steaks.
Do You Turn A Steak Every Minute
frequent flipping cooks the meat more evenly, and also significantly faster: flip every minute instead of once or twice and the meat will be done in a third less time. He advises that you flip the steak every minute or so to encourage a flavorful crust to develop even as it cooks the steak to tender perfection.
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How Long To Grill A Steak
The rule of threes is pretty simple. This method is based on direct and then indirect grilling so I’ll start here.
Direct heat grilling is when the steak is placed directly on the grates directly over top of the heat source. The dome is normally closed.
Indirect heat is grilling on the side of the grill opposite of the heat source. The dome is always closed for indirect heat grilling.
Sometimes direct heat and then indirect heat grilling is referred to as “two zone grilling.” See the picture below:
When cooking with direct heat for the rule of threes the dome should be closed.
Grilling Ribeye: How To Grill The Perfect Steak
In this post Glenn shares his favorite techniques for grilling Ribeye steaks to perfection. The perfect ribeye is all in the method and the quality of the steak, not in the seasonings. This recipe is simple: just salt, pepper, and a good Alderspring steak. The basic seasonings put the robust flavor of the steak in the spotlight.
Note: This technique also works well for a New York Strip Steak.
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How Do You Grill A Thick Ribeye Steak
Instructions Start with prime or choice ribeye steaks. I like a 1 ¼ to 1 ½ inch thick that will be 12-16 ozs. While the steaks are resting, get your grill temperature about 450-500. If there is a layer of trimmable fat, remove most of it. Place the steaks on the grill. Remove and rest for 5 minutes minimum.
Tips For The Perfect Grilled Steak
Outside of the tips and methods Malcolm shares above, here are some simple tips to ensure you serve a steakhouse quality steak, every time.
Use a dry brine
Dry brining is the process of applying salt to meat prior to cooking it.
When you salt the exterior of your meat, the salt draws moisture out of the meat that then dissolves the salt, before finally being reabsorbed back into the meat. This gives us an ultimately juicier, more flavorful steak.
You can use just salt, or you can do like Malcolm did in the video and use a rub that contains salt.
Use a thermometer
I cant say this one enough. Use a quality digital instant-read thermometer. I have a Thermapen Mk4 and I cant recommend it enough.
Check your steak while you are cooking it to make sure you know when it is almost done and to ensure you do not overcook it.
Resting steak?
Some people swear you have to rest a steak to allow the juices inside to settle. I tend to disagree.
Meathead from AmazingRibs.com did an amazing job debunking this myth on his website.
While technically yes, you may lose some more juice from your steak if you remove it from the grill and immediately slice it into a dozen or so pieces, that is likely not what will really happen when you are cooking a steak to serve and eat.
To sum it up
What about you? How do you like to prepare a steak? Do you think there are any glaring omissions that weve missed out? Leave us a comment down below with your favorite methods to prepare a steak.
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Which Cut Of Steak Is Best For Grilling
When I first started working on this recipe, my top contenders for the steak were the ribeye , the rib steak , the porterhouse, and the T-bone.
Any of those cuts will taste great grilled due to the significant marbling of fat, which leaves the meat tender, and flavorful. Let’s take a closer look at each:
- Ribeyes vs. Rib steaks: A ribeye has the bone taken out a rib steak, also known as a bone-in ribeye, is a ribeye with the bone in. Due to its extensive marbling, this cut cooks beautifully on the grill, bone in or out. Trim the thick fat from the outside edgeleaving it on will cause flame flare-ups that can give your steak an unpleasant burnt flavor. Don’t worry, trimming it off won’t result in lost flavor!
- T-Bones vs. Porterhouses: People often confuse these two cuts, which is understandable because both cuts come from the loin and both have a T-shaped bone with meat on both sides. But porterhouses are larger and actually have more of the tenderloin than the T-bone. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications say the tenderloin of a porterhouse must be at least 1 1/4 inches thick at its widest, while that of a T-bone must be at least 1/2-inch.
Ultimately, I chose to use ribeye steak for its flavor, size, and the lack of bone — I wanted to slice and serve this steak family-style, and the fact that it doesn’t have a bone makes that easier.
Fourth Position And Testing For Doneness
As you prepare to turn the steak for the last time, it’s time to start checking for doneness. The steak should show no red around the side and the top side should have a rich brown color. As you pick the steak up to rotate it 45 degrees , feel the density of the steak. A medium-rare steak should be firm but still have a good amount of give. Close the lid of the barbecue and continue grilling.
After this last position, turn down the heat on your grill and, if needed, test the temperature of the steak. The internal temperatures for different levels of doneness are:
- Rare: 120 to 130 F
- Medium Rare: 130 to 135 F
- Medium: 140 to 150 F
- Medium Well: 155 to 165 F
- Well: 170 F or higher
If your steak needs more cook time, leave it where it is and continue grilling on medium heat until done.
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For Thin Steaks Sear Over Direct Heat
Forsteak that’s less than 1 1/2 inches thick, simply grill the steak over the direct heat until it reaches the desired temperature, flipping the meat about every minute. This will ensure that the surface browns evenly throughout, and that the middle of the steak won’t cook too quickly or unevenly. Take the steak off of the grill once it hits your target temperature . Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing and/or serving.
How Do I Prep My Steak For Grilling
Aside from preparing your grill, you also need to prep your steak. Below are some basic tips for prepping:
- From the refrigerator, set the steak aside for 30 minutes.
- Pat the steak dry and generously season it with salt and pepper.
- Lay the steak on the side of the grill directly over the coals.
- Sear the steak for about 3 minutes. With a pair of tongs, flip it to sear the other side.
- Once your steak is seared-off on all sides, move it over to the side of grill with no hot coals.
- Cover the steak and let it cook until it reaches your desired doneness.
- Use a meat thermometer to take the temperature of the steak as it grills.
- When the steak reaches your desired doneness, take it off of the grill and let it rest on a cutting board for about 10 minutes.
- Loosely cover the steak with aluminum foil to keep it warm.
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How To Cook Cowboy Steak On The Grill
- Be sure your steak is completely thawed.
- Bring the meat to room temperature. Remove your steak from the refrigerator 30-40 minutes before grilling.
- Season steaks as desired we recommend Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning.
- To cook on a charcoal grill, place steaks over the hottest part of the grill, and sear both sides for 1-2 minutes. Then move to medium, ash-covered coals and continue to grill for the times listed in the chart below. Turn about 1 minute prior to the halfway point.
- To cook on a gas grill, preheat on high. Sear both sides for 1-2 minutes, then reduce to medium heat and continue to grill for the times listed in the chart below. Turn about 1 minute prior to the halfway point.
- For the perfect medium-rare thick-cut bone-in ribeye steak, grill for 18-20 minutes for a 2-inch steak, turning about 1 minute before the halfway point. A meat thermometer should read 130°F.
- Rest your steaks for 5 minutes before serving, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise about 5°F during this time . The final temperature will read 135°F.
- Resting steak is also important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
