STEAKS!
Steaks! Great Food On and Off The Grill!
Steak Basics:
There are three major grades of beef, Prime-the very best, Choice and Select. The difference between the grades of steak meat is dependent upon the amount of fat or marbling in the meat. The more ribbons of fat in the meat, the more highly prized it is.
Fat is important in meat. It provides flavor, moisture and in big cuts, helps to draw the spices more deeply into the meat as the fat melts and drains through the meat fibers. If you’re fat sesnsitive, I recommend cutting the fat off AFTER COOKING the meat. This way you’ll at least get the benefit of its flavoring.
Look for a good balance of meat to fat to bone. You want bright red color. However, don’t overlook the brownish colored steaks—the change in color is what happens when oxygen gets into the meat package. It starts to break down the "bloom". Expensive steak houses use this process-under highly controlled conditions—to age meat—allowing the oxygen to break down the meat fibers and resulting in a far more tender, flavorful steak.
The King of Steaks:
For the money, it’s my opinion that you cannot beat a bone-in Ribeye. Also known as a "Delmonico", this steak is produced when you slice a Prime Rib apart into steaks.
Man oh man! Nicely marbled, that bad boy is just a delicious eating experience. I save the bone section for last, sucking and knawing off the meat along that rib bone-it has such fabulous flavor. And don’t forget that little bit of bone marrow—a nice little flavor treat all its own!
Other types of steak:
A little further back on the beef you find the "saddle" area. This portion is where Porterhouse, T-Bone, Club, NY Strip and Filet Mignon cuts come from.
Behind the "saddle" section is the Sirloin section of the beef. This is the area that produces the flat, pin and wedge bone sirloin steak.
From the shoulder section comes the chuck steak and from the rump area the top and bottom round steaks. While these may be inexpensive cuts compared to the above mentioned steaks, when cooked slowly over in-direct fire, they can cook up to be as tender as a newborn’s bottom!
Seasoning:
Most chefs and steak aficianodos agree, good ole salt and pepper are the best spices to use. You could rub on some Rosemary and a little garlic powder-if that’s to your liking. Some chefs also prefer to add a pat of butter to the top of a steak right after its been pulled off the grill. Garlic butter would be just great. It adds flavor and a little bit of fat, which adds some additional moisture to the meat. This is especially welcomed on steaks with less marbling in them.
The Preferred Way To Grill A Steak:
Both Merle Ellis and I agree-it makes no sense to let all of that delicious, flavor producing juice puddle up on top of a steak, only to be tossed into the fire when you turn your steak over.
Here’s our preterred way to cook the perfect steak---sear both sides over high heat, putting that bad boy onto a hot grid for just a minute, then immediately flipping it over. This seals the meat and the juices inside the meat. Then flip over again in four to six minutes—and one more time in four to six minutes-depending if you like your meat rare, medium-rare, medium or well done.
It’s our opinion that cooking a steak well done does a supreme injustice to the beef. You loose all of the flavor, nutrition and moisture in the meat. Might as well become a vegetarian if that’s how you like your steaks.
Further reading:
Some books I highly recommend you add to your cooking library include
The Great American Meat Book, Merle Ellis, (1996, Alfred Knopf)
How To Cook Meat. Chris Schlesinger, (2000, Morrow)
Strictly Steaks, A.D. Livingston, (2000, Burford Books)
Steak Basics:
There are three major grades of beef, Prime-the very best, Choice and Select. The difference between the grades of steak meat is dependent upon the amount of fat or marbling in the meat. The more ribbons of fat in the meat, the more highly prized it is.
Fat is important in meat. It provides flavor, moisture and in big cuts, helps to draw the spices more deeply into the meat as the fat melts and drains through the meat fibers. If you’re fat sesnsitive, I recommend cutting the fat off AFTER COOKING the meat. This way you’ll at least get the benefit of its flavoring.
Look for a good balance of meat to fat to bone. You want bright red color. However, don’t overlook the brownish colored steaks—the change in color is what happens when oxygen gets into the meat package. It starts to break down the "bloom". Expensive steak houses use this process-under highly controlled conditions—to age meat—allowing the oxygen to break down the meat fibers and resulting in a far more tender, flavorful steak.
The King of Steaks:
For the money, it’s my opinion that you cannot beat a bone-in Ribeye. Also known as a "Delmonico", this steak is produced when you slice a Prime Rib apart into steaks.
Man oh man! Nicely marbled, that bad boy is just a delicious eating experience. I save the bone section for last, sucking and knawing off the meat along that rib bone-it has such fabulous flavor. And don’t forget that little bit of bone marrow—a nice little flavor treat all its own!
Other types of steak:
A little further back on the beef you find the "saddle" area. This portion is where Porterhouse, T-Bone, Club, NY Strip and Filet Mignon cuts come from.
Behind the "saddle" section is the Sirloin section of the beef. This is the area that produces the flat, pin and wedge bone sirloin steak.
From the shoulder section comes the chuck steak and from the rump area the top and bottom round steaks. While these may be inexpensive cuts compared to the above mentioned steaks, when cooked slowly over in-direct fire, they can cook up to be as tender as a newborn’s bottom!
Seasoning:
Most chefs and steak aficianodos agree, good ole salt and pepper are the best spices to use. You could rub on some Rosemary and a little garlic powder-if that’s to your liking. Some chefs also prefer to add a pat of butter to the top of a steak right after its been pulled off the grill. Garlic butter would be just great. It adds flavor and a little bit of fat, which adds some additional moisture to the meat. This is especially welcomed on steaks with less marbling in them.
The Preferred Way To Grill A Steak:
Both Merle Ellis and I agree-it makes no sense to let all of that delicious, flavor producing juice puddle up on top of a steak, only to be tossed into the fire when you turn your steak over.
Here’s our preterred way to cook the perfect steak---sear both sides over high heat, putting that bad boy onto a hot grid for just a minute, then immediately flipping it over. This seals the meat and the juices inside the meat. Then flip over again in four to six minutes—and one more time in four to six minutes-depending if you like your meat rare, medium-rare, medium or well done.
It’s our opinion that cooking a steak well done does a supreme injustice to the beef. You loose all of the flavor, nutrition and moisture in the meat. Might as well become a vegetarian if that’s how you like your steaks.
Further reading:
Some books I highly recommend you add to your cooking library include
The Great American Meat Book, Merle Ellis, (1996, Alfred Knopf)
How To Cook Meat. Chris Schlesinger, (2000, Morrow)
Strictly Steaks, A.D. Livingston, (2000, Burford Books)
posted by MrBBQ at
9:19 AM
0 Comments:
<< Home