Grilling the perfect steak is definitely an art form. If you over cook it, the chances of it becoming hard and chewy are more and if you under cook it, the meat would be too raw for your liking. It takes immense patience and a lot of practise to attain that perfectly grilled piece of meat. But once you have mastered the art of grilling, then it is one of the fastest and easiest food to grill. The most important part of grilling an excellent steak is to find the right cut and grade of meat. Next to that is the preparation or seasoning, and finally the way you cook it. Follow these simple steps and you are sure to enjoy a perfectly cooked steak this summer.
Complexity level:Basic
Time required:15-20 minutes
Resources required:1. Good quality meat2. A meat thermometer3. A pair of tongs4. Oil5. Clarified butter6. A grill7. Grill utensils8. Wire grill brushes9. Salt & pepper 10. other groceries, depending on the marinade
Instructions:
1. Prepare the steakCover the steak with a loose plastic wrap and bring to room temperature before cooking. Mix the oil and clarified butter together and coat the steak on both sides, making sure you don’t over do it. This can cause flare-ups on the grill. Season with salt and pepper or the marinade you have prepared and let it rest for a while. If the fat content on the steak is too much, you may want to trim off a bit and also try and shape the steak by gently pushing the sides into the center in order to create height.
2. Get the grill ready
Clean the grill by giving it a good scrub with the wire grill brush and proceed to lubricate the grates so that the meat doesn’t stick to the grill. This can be done with an oil spray or by using a grill brush to dab some oil onto it. Preheat the grill, making sure the heat is on high when you are ready to start cooking.
3. Grill the steakPlace the meat on the hottest part of the grill and after about 3 minutes, turn it over. The key here is not to flip them around or stab with a fork, but to use the tongs to gently flip it over. Cook the other side for a further 3 minutes and flip again ultimately grilling each side for a matter of 6 minutes at 3 minute intervals. So in order to get the rare consistency in the steak, you would need to cook them for 12 minutes in total, and about 14 minutes for a medium-rare. Any thing further than that would result in a dry and chewy meat.
4. Resting the steakAll steaks need to rest a few minutes before serving. This will ensure that the juices return to the center of the steak, thereby making it a gastronomic delight.
Frequently asked questions:
Q. How do you know that the grill is heated to the right temperature?A.Most of the time, a thermometer would be able to tell you the accurate temperature. But if you don’t have one, then the hand test should work just fine. Hold your hand, palm down, 2 to 3 inches above the hot zone and count the number of seconds before you are forced to remove your hand. You should place the steak on the grill when you can hold your hand over it for 2-3 seconds and over the moderate zone for 5-6 seconds.
Q. How do we get the fancy cross hatch mark on the steak?A. Place the steak on to the grill at a 45° angle to the bars and cook for the time mentioned above. Then rotate it at a 90° angle without turning over, for the grill mark. Flip and repeat the procedure.
Q. Is there any way to know when to flip the steak?A. Most of the time it depends on your choice of consistency. But when in doubt, look out for the tiny beads of blood beginning to form on the top. This is a sign that the steak is ready to be flipped.
Quick tips:
1. The thickness of the meat is more important than the weight. So select a meat that is much tender and thin cut. For example, meat that comes from the tenderloin or short loin.
2. There are chances of the grill flaring up when the oil or grease on the meat is too much. In this case, do not panic. Just move them to the outside edge by gently picking them up with the tongs and then returning them to the center once the flame is under control.
Things to watch out for:
1. It is always better to use fresh meat that you have just bought or refrigerated for up to 3 days. Using frozen meat makes the steak a tad bit unpleasant, with the meat being over-cooked on the outside while remaining very rare in the center.
2. While preheating the grill, remember to keep the lid closed. This keeps the heat trapped inside, thereby maintaining the heat needed to cook the food.
3. Never cut into the steak to see if it is cooked. This drains out the juices and makes it dry.
4. Don’t use overpowering rubs and marinades. You want to be able to taste the meat and a strong marinade or rub would only mask the true taste. A simple salt and pepper rub would also work well, when in doubt.
