  Expertly seared, juices running just so -- the sizzle alone of the perfect steak makes our mouths water. (Sun Media) |
It's the holy grail of any griller: Cooking the perfect steak.
Expertly seared, juices running just so -- the sizzle alone makes our mouths water.
And yet there are many who shake their heads in frustration after another failed attempt that renders an excellent cut of meat to something akin to shoe leather.
There is a secret to the perfect sear.
"Just keep it simple -- and don't play around with the steak once it's on the grill," says chef, cookbook author and famed Food Network personality, Robert Rainford of License to Grill.
Rainford says too many people poke and prod a steak once it's on the grill in an attempt to hurry the hurrah, when patience is the key.
Also "temperature plays a major role, it's all about high, evenly distributed heat to create a good carmelization," says Rainford.
"And one flip only. Steak should be on the grill a max of 12 minutes for medium-rare."
And here's the secret. "Finish the steak off with a nob of butter," adds Rainford, who rubs his steak with a combination of "salt, pepper and herbs before grilling them."
---
GRILLED T-BONE STEAK
Steak on a diet? You bet! Perfect with grilled skewers of cherry tomatoes with basil and scallions. From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook (Wiley).
4 tsp. (20 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. (10 ml) EACH finely chopped fresh rosemary and fresh sage
1 1/4 lb. (625 g) T-bone steak, at least 1 1/2-in. (3.5-cm) thick, trimmed of all fat
1/2 tsp. (2 ml) salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Spray grill rack with non-stick cooking spray; preheat grill. In a small bowl, mix oil, rosemary and sage. Rub steak with herb mixture; place on grill rack. Grill 3 in. (8 cm) from heat, turn once, 6 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer steak to cutting board; let stand five minutes before slicing. Serves 4.
MEDITERRANEAN GRILLED NEW YORK STRIP STEAK
Recipe courtesy of Certified Angus Beef LLC.
Mediterranean rub:
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) hand-crushed rosemary
1 1/2 Tbsp. (22 ml) thyme
1/2 Tbsp. (7 ml) EACH coffee, sea salt and cracked black pepper
4 12-oz. (375 g each) certified Angus beef New York strip steaks
1 beefsteak tomato, cut into 4 even slices
1/2 red onion, cut into 4 even slices
4 Tbsp. (60 ml) unsalted butter
Combine rub ingredients in a small bowl. Rub mixture onto beef. Grill over medium-high heat to medium-rare. Remove steaks from grill and allow to rest 4-6 minutes. Grill tomato and onion over medium heat. Top each steak with 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) butter, grilled tomato and grilled onion. Serves 4.
How to master the art of cooking the perfect steak
Accomplished chef and author Jamie Purviance -- who has taught thousands how to grill properly -- says there are five key steps to grilling the perfect steak. In his latest, Weber's Way to Grill, Purviance advises:
1. Salting early pays off: 20-30 minutes early lets the salt dissolve a little of the moisture, which in turns helps create a delicious crust.
2. Taking off the chill speeds up the cooking: "The goal of grilling a steak is to brown and lightly char the surface while also cooking the interior to a perfectly juicy doneness. Let steaks stand at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before grilling -- they'll cook faster all the way to the centre and stay juicier.
3. Searing equals flavour: Searing develops literally hundreds of flavours and aromas on the surface of the steak, so allow your steak to sizzle over direct heat until surfaces are a deep, dark-brown. That said -- don't let anyone tell you that searing "locks in the juices -- that's a myth," says Purviance. "But searing sure does make steak tasty."
4. You can't put moisture back inside a steak: As steaks grill over high heat, they lose moisture -- fat and juices are literally pushed out of the meat, a price we pay for making steaks easier to digest. The key? Don't walk away from a steak as it grills -- you have a small window of opportunity before your steak goes from medium-rare to medium to medium-well to shoe leather. All it takes is a few minutes for a steak to be overcooked.
rita.demontis@sunmedia.ca
