About Steak

I find it hard to understand why someone would cook a steak any other way than grilling.
The succulent beauty of a grilled steak is one of the great pleasures of life.

The first place to start when grilling the perfect steak is with the perfect cut of meat.
You need to know a few basics about grades and cuts before you head over to the
local meat market so you can get the steak that's right for you. As a simple general
rule take a good look at that steak before you buy it. The meat should be a bright red,
the fat should be a creamy white and there should be thin streaks of fat running through
the meat. Also, if you can afford it try to buy choice grade meat over select.

The perfect steak needs the right flavors, but different cuts should be prepared
differently. You may prefer just a light dusting of fresh cracked pepper on that
ribeye, but there are so many things you can do with a steak to enhance the
flavors or season it precisely for that special dish. Tender and flavorful steaks
may not need any help but a flank steak needs the right marinade to make it tender.
But remember it's your steak so you flavor it the way you want it.

Learning the art of grilling a perfect steak is neither difficult nor time consuming.
But, a few basic rules will take you a long way to making that steak the best you've
ever tasted. A hot grill is just part of the trick. Make sure the grate is oiled and the
steak is ready. Also remember to let the steak rest for a few minutes before serving
to allow the juices to spread evenly.

Once you have the rules of the perfect steak down, it's time to expand to the world
of recipes like blue cheese stuffed steaks or teriyaki. There are thousands of ways
to make a great steak and I have more than a few suggestions in my Beef Section.


Steak: Grades & Cuts

A great grilled steak begins with a great steak. But how do you tell a great steak from
a regular steak? You go to the butcher whether it’s the corner meat market, supermarket
or online store and find what can appear to be an unending row of steaks. There are a
couple of things to look for when buying a steak. First there is the grade. The grade tells you
about the quality of the meat based on marbling and age. The second factor is the cut.
Different cuts have different qualities. Finding the right cut for what you want to grill is
probably the most important part of an excellent steak.


Grades:
Grading is typically performed by a third party organization or by a government
agency like the USDA in the United States. The age of the animal and the marbling
of the meat determine the grade of the meat. Beef are graded whole so you will find
some variance in grades of an individual cut. In the United States grades are prime,
choice and select with prime being at the top and select being the bottom. Actually, the
lowest rated meats are not for general retail distribution and become things like
meat by-products.

Prime grade beef makes up about 2% of all the beef produced in the United States
and typically ends up exported or sold to fine restaurants. What you will normally
find on the shelves at the store is choice and select. Since prime is difficult to find
your best option is to purchase a choice cut. I suggest you try it because you will
notice a difference. Since choice is superior to select you can buy a less
desirable cut to compensate for the higher price.

One thing to remember about grading is that these designations are designed to by
friendly to the multi-billion dollar Beef Industry. There is a considerable amount of
thought into brand names and marketing that shows up on that label on the meat you
so carefully read.

Marbling is an important factor in steak selection. To visually determine the marbling
of a steak take a good look at the texture of the meat. If the meat is free of all fat then
the cut has no, or little marbling. Though this is leaner and often more tender, it is not as
flavorful. Small streaks of fat through the meat will produce a more flavorful steak.
When selecting a steak always take a look at the marbling. Remember, generally the
more marbling the less tender but the more flavorful. This creates something of a
balancing act to find the steak that is both tender and tasty.

Marbling should be thin streaks of fat. Thick lines of fat mean the steak contains a lot
of connective tissue that will make it tough.

"What to look for in a good steak..."
What to look for in a good steak is the color. The meat should be bright red and the fat
a creamy white and evenly distributed through the meat.


Cuts:
Cuts of steak can be broken down into three sections. Starting on the upper back and
moving down to the mid-back you have the rib, the short loin and the sirloin. The rib
contains cuts such as the Rib Roast, the Ribeye Steak and the back ribs. This is the
least tender section of the three. The short loin produces the T-bone, Top Loin Steak,
Tenderloin and the Porterhouse. The Sirloin gives the Sirloin Steak, and the Top
Sirloin. Other steaks like the chuck, round and flank steak come from those respective
areas and tend to be tough cuts of meat. Strips steaks, like a New York is cut from
the T-bone.

The most tender cut of meat is the tenderloin. From this area you will get cuts like
chateaubriand, filet mignon and tournedos. Though these cuts are tender they are
less flavorful. The ribeye, or rib steak are less tender but far more flavorful. The
same holds true about the sirloin cut.


Steak: Flavor & Seasonings

Few things in life beat the flavor of a grilled steak. The smoky beef flavor, tender and
with just a hit of that sweet fatty taste. But there is so much more you can do with a steak.
Seasonings from rubs, marinades or sauces. Rubs can be as simple as fresh ground black
pepper or a complex mixture of a dozen spices and herbs. Marinades can make a tough
steak tender and a plain steak spectacular. Sauces added after the grilling can finish a meal.

Marinades:
Marinades are a mixture of wet and dry ingredients that you soak raw foods in to flavor
and sometimes tenderize. Acidic substances make meats tender by permeating the meat
and breakdown the connective tissues. The popular tenderizers to use are vinegar and
citrus juices. These provide a flavor of their own and may be all you need to make a perfect
steak. For instance a great way to make fajitas is to soak a flank steak in lime juice for a few
hours (or overnight), grill and slice into strips.

Of course some steaks don’t need to me tenderized. As you can see from the list below
there are only a few steaks that need to be marinated. This doesn’t mean you can’t
marinade a sirloin. Marinades based on oils will coat steaks helping to keep them moist
if they happen to be extra lean or extra thick (requiring longer cooking times), or if you
have a preference for a well done steak. If you decide to use salt (and I suggest you try it)
use a coarse or kosher salt. The coarser crystals last through the grilling better.

Don't Marinate             Do Marinate
Club                        Flank
Filet Mignon                Round
Kansas City Strip           Skirt
Loin
New York Strip
Porterhouse
Rib
Shell
Sirloin
T-bone
Tenderloin
Chuck
Sirloin
Top Round


Seasonings:
Beef has the great property of taking well to most any spice. Seasonings can by used
in marinades which can carry flavor deep into meat, they can be rubbed onto the surface
and they can be added to sauces poured over grilled steaks. There is a lot you can do to
add flavor.

Of course people will say that a good steak doesn’t need added flavor. I agree. If you
have a good cut of meat, grilled to perfection then you don’t need to add flavors.
However, poorer cuts can use some sprucing up. Also if you want to achieve a specific
dish like a Teriyaki Steak then you need to add seasonings before you cook.

Salt is a big controversy in the area of steaks. Professional chefs will tell you that salt
keeps meats from browning and browning is an important aspect of the properly grilled
steak. Some will tell you that salt will dry out a steak. Others will say that salt enhances
flavors. However the same chefs that tell you not to use salt will marinate steaks in soy
sauce. The trick here is that if you are going to use salt then you need to use it in moderation.


Steak: Grilling Perfection

Grilling the perfect steak is an art form. It takes practice and patience to master it.
If you follow these simple steps you will have no trouble grilling a great steak. I am
assuming that you already have the right cut of meat and know how to seasoning it
(or not) to your liking.

Let your steak reach room temperature before grilling. Some people might tell you
that this isn't necessary, however I feel that this helps grill your steak more evenly
and faster.

Trim the steak of excess fat. Any strips of fat should be about 1/4" thick. Also cut
through the fat strip about every 1 1/2". When grilling fat shrinks fast than the meat
and it can cause your steaks to curl.

Season. I light brushing of olive oil, maybe some fresh cracked pepper is all you want.
Seasoning is entirely up to you.

Preheat the grill. Hot as it will go for a gas grill. A single layer of ashy white coals
for a charcoal grill.

Oil the grate. An easy way to do this is to take a piece of trimmed fat, hold in tightly in
a pair of tongs and rub it on the hot grate.

Grill. Place each steak on the grill for one minute. Turn and grill on the second side for an
additional minute. Turn and rotate 45 degrees and grill for half the remaining cooking time.
Turn again. If you do this right you will get a nice diamond pattern of grill marks.

Remove when done. I use the pressure test to check my steaks. When you are getting close
to having a done steak press it with your index finger or the flat side of a grilling fork. A rare
steak will be soft. A medium steak will be firm but yielding. A well steak will be firm. Once
you get the hang of this trick you will be able to remove steaks from the grill at just the right
second.

8.Let the steaks rest for 2-3 minutes before serving. This will let the juices flow out from
the center so the whole steak is nice and juicy.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Grilling Times (by Thickness)        Thickness
1 Inch
Rare                                                 8-10
Medium                                          12-14
Well                                                16-20
Heat                                                High
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1 1/2 Inch
Rare                                                10-14
Meium                                            16-20
Well                                                22-26
Heat                                                High
-----------------------------------------------------------------
2 Inch
Rare                                                12-16
Medium                                           18-22
Well                                                 24-28
Heat                                                 Medium

These times are total cooking times. Divide in half for each side. Times are approximate and will
vary depending on the type of grill, fuel, weather conditions, etc..