I throw some steaks on the grill now and then, but i'm not good at it.  Very inconsistant.  Sometimes it turns out good, and sometimes not so.  What's the secret?  How long should i cook on each side?  How often should i turn it?  I'm cooking t-bones tonight.

Charcoal or gas?

If charcoal, use plenty of 'em.  Lots of heat sears in the juices and flavors.  Add hardwood chips for flavor.

If gas, just cook indoors on the stove.

Man Card.....I need to see it.......

good hot flame.  Three minutes on 1st side, 2 minutes on 2nd.  Enjoy.

Get the grill as hot as it will go.  From now on you will be consistent because it will always cook at the same temperature - really f*ing hot.

Next, experiment with three steaks of different thicknesses, up to about 2 inches.  Let them sit at room temperature for about an hour before grilling.  No marinade - just press a lot of kosher salt and black pepper into the steaks before grilling.

Grill them for about 5 minutes each side - flame is okay, but you don't want to blacken them too much.

Let them rest for about 5-7 minutes after grilling.  Cut 'em open and see which one looks good.  That's your recipe from now on.

gas grill.

The most important thing is not to overcook the steak, and do not cut into it to see if its done.  

Coals.

Sear.

Eat.

Thick steaks, high heat, sear it on both sides, no more than 4 minutes a side.




Let stand 4 or 5 minutes before cutting.

If you cook it past medium rare, you ruin it!

Travis





Man i type slow, beat by 2 minutes!

Indeed...

Thanks for the idea for dinner tonight.

Buy New York strip, or Rib eye. Costco preferably.  Steak should not be brown. Steak should be very red.

Trim off unwanted fat off edges.

Edited to add: Let the meat come to room temperature before cooking.

You can rub olive oil on the outside of the meat if you want, this can make a nice glaze/crust. Just an option, dont have to.

Season both sides with Kosher Salt or Montreal Steak seasoning.  Dont use idoized salt, kosher salt is totally different.

Pre-heat grill. Should be 70%-75% heat that your grill can do. Too hot and it wont be right, too low and it will take too long resulting  in rubber steak.

sear one side for 2:00 - 2:30. Dont touch or move it.  and dont press it. Cook that first side until you have a good glazing with grill marks on the bottom, usually takes about a minute.

Flip once. Dont touch or move it. and dont press it.  You may flip it again if the meat starts to make a bowl shape.

Cook for 2:00-2:30 minute for rare, 3:00-3:30 med/rare, 3:30-4:30 for medium, 4-5 for medium/well.  5-6 for charred junk meat.  Steak shold be served idealy med/rare.  YOUR TIMES will be different, may be off by as much as 5-8 minutes!!! all grills are different. Heres a good way to find out what medium is: Press the pad of skin between your index finger and your thumb, the steak should feel like that to get it at medium.

Do not poke or cut steak to check on grill to check the inside. Precious juices will leak out leaving you with a dry steak.

Pull steak off grill and set on a plate. Cover it with aluminum foil to keep the heat in the meat. You must let the meat "rest" for about 3-5 minutes. This lets the juices get redistribute back itno the meat.    TRUST ME, YOU MUST AVOID THE URGE TO CUT THE STEAK BEFORE IT RESTS!!!...its very important.

your milage WILL vary, because every grill is different.  You can also do this on a cast iron skillet too with excellent results.

enjoy!

Steak Tartare and then you have no cooking problem

Quoted: Man Card.....I need to see it.......

I usually have the wife nekkid in the kitchen cookin my dinner, so i must admit, i'm not a good cook.

Sprinkle salt and black pepper on the steak and let it sit outside until it reaches room temperature (about 20-30 minutes).  Never put cold steak on the  grill.  Get the grill as hot as it will get before putting down the steak.  Do not cover the grill... you don't want to stream your steak.   For 1" steak I like 3 minutes on the first side and then 3 minutes on the second then flip it back to the original side for 1 minute more.  That will get you medium steak.  Don't press the steak down and don't poke it with fork... juice will steam or drip out and meat will dry out.  After taking it off the grill let the steak sit for about 2-3 minutes before serving.


 

Gas grill (in a snow storm) with a hot box sitting above the rock. In that a few chips of apple wood.
Also you need a beer to watch them with.

Quoted: Do not poke or cut steak to check on grill to check the inside. Precious juices will leak out leaving you with a dry steak.

↑ ↑ ↑  This is very important.

Pick up a digital probe thermometer, best way to tell donness. Stop cooking when steak is about 4 to 5 degrees from desired temp. Cover and rest steak for 5 min then enjoy.


I like the way Alton Brown teaches. You can check out his shows on DVD at the library.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_99,00.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_24087,00.html

Quoted: Quoted: Man Card.....I need to see it....... I usually have the wife nekkid in the kitchen cookin my dinner, so i must admit, i'm not a good cook.

hehe....Im justa playin with ya. I like Dales marinade on my steaks sometimes. Its good stuff but high in sodium so you have to take it easy.

Quoted: Buy New York strip, or Rib eye. Costco preferably.  Steak should not be brown. Steak should be very red. Trim off unwanted fat off edges. Season both sides with Kosher Salt or Montreal Steak seasoning. Pre-heat grill. Should be 70%-75% heat that your grill can do. Too hot and it wont be right, too low and it will take too long resulting  in rubber steak. sear one side for 1:00. Dont touch or move it.  and dont press it. Flip once. Dont touch or move it. and dont press it. Cook for 1:00-1:30 minute for rare, 2:00-2:30 med/rare, 2:30-3:30 for medium, 3-4 for medium/well.  4-5 for charred junk meat.  Steak shold be served idealy med/rare.  YOUR TIMES will be different, may be off by as much as 5 minutes!!! all grills are different. Heres a good way to find out what medium is: Press the pad of skin between your index finger and your thumb, the steak should feel like that to get it at medium. Do not poke or cut steak to check on grill to check the inside. Precious juices will leak out leaving you with a dry steak. Pull steak off grill and set on a plate. You must let the meat "rest" for about 3 minutes. This lets the juices get back into the tissue.  TRUST ME, YOU MUST AVOID THE URGE TO CUT THE STEAK BEFORE IT RESTS!!!...its very important. your milage WILL vary, because every grill is different. enjoy!

So you only cook the first side for a minute then do the rest of the cooking on the other side?

open fire, thats the only way  no gas grills!

Quoted: So you only cook the first side for a minute then do the rest of the cooking on the other side?

exactly  cook that first side until you have a good glazing with grill marks on the bottom, usually takes about a minute.

The idea is to sear the one side to lock in that side of juice leakage.

edit: You can flip it if the steak takes on a wierd bowl shape and then your meat will not cook evenly.  Its all about even cooking and temperature managment.  Flip it if you want.

+1 on the Alton Brown DVD's.  

oh, and should the cover be down, or open flame?

Not to highjack, but, why let the steak reach room temp?  What does this do?

Get USDA *prime* steak, ideally grass fed (not corn fed), dry aged for at least 3 weeks. Never frozen. Dry aging allows various enzymes to partially digest the meat and make it tender. Prime grading indicates better fat marbling. BONE IN Ribeye is my favorite (the bone gives better flavor). You should get a steack 1.5 to 2 inches thick.

JUST before cooking, rub a bunch of kosher salt into the steak on both sides. The salt will draw out moisture on the outer few mm of the steak, allowing for a better char.

Charcoal is best, it will give a much better flavor than gas.

Temperature must be as hot as humanly possible. Don't hold back. Invoke Satan at your grill. You want to create a nice 3-8mm char on the outside, and rare on the inside. The contrast of textures and tastes is part of what makes a great steak.

Knock the bottom out of your woman while you burn animal flesh over the raging fire like our ancestors did a million years ago. Some things never change.

Scrape off the salt after cooking.

I agree, let it sit at least 3 minutes after cooking to allow juices/blood to settle and the meat to relax some.

have fun!

www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811831973/sr=8-11/qid=1142816201/ref=sr_1_11/103-1253629-2889450?%5Fencoding=UTF8

Get this book.  It did wonders for me.

Most important - simple seasonings (kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, some olive oil, and maybe some McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning.)  Get grill hot, put steak on, usually about 4 minutes on one side, then flip ONCE for another 4, but check with a cooking thermometer.  140 degrees = medium rare.  Make sure to put the lid back on the grill for each side.

But get the book!

Quoted: Not to highjack, but, why let the steak reach room temp?  What does this do?

So you dont get a cold center if you cook it rare or med/rare.  

Get a good cut rib eye or strip. Better still, T bone. Massage both side with olive oil to a good lather.  Cook over a hot charcoal fire (preferred). Just before you remove the steak from the grill, brush both side with melted butter and garlic. Serve immediately. You may consider other seasoning as well. I like Montreal steak seasoning. Look for it on the spice rack.

You don't know rare, medium or well done? Hold your hand (either) out palm up. Keep it relaxed. Now, with your index finger of the other hand, press on the heel of your (palm up) hand on the meaty part below the thumb. That's rare. Now, close the distance between your middle finger and thumb about half way. That's medium. Touch the tip of your middle finger to the tip of your thumb. That's well done.

Only buy your steaks on the internet.


http://www.omahasteaks.com

http://www.cutabovesteaks.com

http://www.allenbrothers.com



 





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Tag.

Thread is useless without pics

Several of you have mentioned the montreal steak seasoning,  which i happen to be using.  Its my fav.

The key to a great steak is a lengthy marination period.

Quoted: The key to a great steak is a lengthy marination period.

I dont know about that. Marinades to me taste chemical and foreign to me, I just like "Salt & Meat", to each his own though.

Quoted: Quoted: Not to highjack, but, why let the steak reach room temp?  What does this do? So you dont get a cold center if you cook it rare or med/rare.

And meat retains moisture better when it's at room temperature. cut into a 500 degree steak and you'd better have some bread handy to mop up the juices.

I used to marinade the hell out of everything, but lately have just used Kosher salt, fresh-ground pepper, olive oil, and some montreal seasoning.

The reason to ONLY use kosher salt is that it seals in juices much better and is more flavorful overall than regular salt.

However, here is a killer marinade to use on steak or lamb.

Makes 3 cups, enough for 4-5 large porterhouses, rib steaks, or 1 butterflied leg of lamb.

1 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup Sam Adams Boston Ale
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1/2 cop soy sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper


Use a steak at least 1.5 inches thick.  Pierce the steak all over with a fork to allow marinade to penetrate the steak.  Mix together all ingredients.  In a non-reactive pan or bowl marinate the steak overnight in the refrigerator.  If marinade doesn't cover the steak, turn it once or twice.  Bring steak to room temp before grilling.

Whenever I cook meat I like to marinade the meat for a day before hand. Good marinade can make up for inconsistent cooking.

Quoted: I used to marinade the hell out of everything, but lately have just used Kosher salt, fresh-ground pepper, olive oil, and some montreal seasoning. The reason to ONLY use kosher salt is that it seals in juices much better and is more flavorful overall than regular salt. However, here is a killer marinade to use on steak or lamb. Makes 3 cups, enough for 4-5 large porterhouses, rib steaks, or 1 butterflied leg of lamb. 1 cup olive oil or vegetable oil 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 cup Sam Adams Boston Ale 1/2 cup lemon juice 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder 1/2 cop soy sauce 2 teaspoons brown sugar 3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper Use a steak at least 1.5 inches thick.  Pierce the steak all over with a fork to allow marinade to penetrate the steak.  Mix together all ingredients.  In a non-reactive pan or bowl marinate the steak overnight in the refrigerator.  If marinade doesn't cover the steak, turn it once or twice.  Bring steak to room temp before grilling.

The internet is amazing.  The things I learn every day never cease to amaze me!!!!

just walk it through a warm room.

Thanks for the help guys.  It came out pretty good.  I cooked it less time than i usually do (i tend to over do it) and resisted cutting into it.

The 3 B's          ---> Beer, Butter, and Breadcrumbs.    

Quoted: Thanks for the help guys.  It came out pretty good.  I cooked it less time than i usually do (i tend to over do it) and resisted cutting into it.

pretty good? thats it....  

we failed

Quoted: I used to marinade the hell out of everything, but lately have just used Kosher salt, fresh-ground pepper, olive oil, and some montreal seasoning. The reason to ONLY use kosher salt is that it seals in juices much better and is more flavorful overall than regular salt. However, here is a killer marinade to use on steak or lamb. Makes 3 cups, enough for 4-5 large porterhouses, rib steaks, or 1 butterflied leg of lamb. 1 cup olive oil or vegetable oil 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 cup Sam Adams Boston Ale 1/2 cup lemon juice 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder 1/2 cop soy sauce 2 teaspoons brown sugar 3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper Use a steak at least 1.5 inches thick.  Pierce the steak all over with a fork to allow marinade to penetrate the steak.  Mix together all ingredients.  In a non-reactive pan or bowl marinate the steak overnight in the refrigerator.  If marinade doesn't cover the steak, turn it once or twice.  Bring steak to room temp before grilling.

TAG. I'm gonna try this marinade this week sometime.  Thanks for sharing, Greywolf.

Quoted: Quoted: I used to marinade the hell out of everything, but lately have just used Kosher salt, fresh-ground pepper, olive oil, and some montreal seasoning. The reason to ONLY use kosher salt is that it seals in juices much better and is more flavorful overall than regular salt. However, here is a killer marinade to use on steak or lamb. Makes 3 cups, enough for 4-5 large porterhouses, rib steaks, or 1 butterflied leg of lamb. 1 cup olive oil or vegetable oil 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 cup Sam Adams Boston Ale 1/2 cup lemon juice 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder 1/2 cop soy sauce 2 teaspoons brown sugar 3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper Use a steak at least 1.5 inches thick.  Pierce the steak all over with a fork to allow marinade to penetrate the steak.  Mix together all ingredients.  In a non-reactive pan or bowl marinate the steak overnight in the refrigerator.  If marinade doesn't cover the steak, turn it once or twice.  Bring steak to room temp before grilling. TAG. I'm gonna try this marinade this week sometime.  Thanks for sharing, Greywolf.

No problemo - let us know how it works out!  The sam adams website has some great recipes using their beers.

This is an old post of mine.


Tonight’s dinner


I was hungry for the taste of red meat, which Mrs. Pic never serves any more. My carnivorous nature was beckoning and it had to be satisfied lest true ugliness set in.

So I decided that I had to take responsibility for my own dinner. Mrs. Pic seemed disappointed, as she had planned something wholesome for me, but she knew better than get between me and the red flesh of a dead animal when I was in this mood.

I wanted to return to my  basic roots and be a primitive man again, and the Outback Steak House was far too civilized. They serve steak dinners there and no matter what they say, they, nor for that matter, any other restaurants really have a clue. Besides, in a restaurant, you are expected to behave and use table manners, and in the mood I was in that was out of the question. On top of that, I wasn’t looking for a steak as most people recognize it.

I was craving fire-blackened flesh.

Screw a bunch of stoves, skillets, ovens, oven mitts and the like. Piss on this ‘preheat the oven to 350 degrees crap! And none of this King S Ford charcoal business, either. While we’re at it, Hank Hill can kiss my ass because propane is without a doubt totally out of the question.

Time to get seriously back into the basic roots of being a man. None of the frail trappings of civilization, this is food at it’s most basic. Time to apply raw fire to dead flesh!

I will share the evening culinary delight with you.

First, go to the market and don’t even bother with the meat that is in the display case, as the stuff there is only about 3/4s of an inch thick. Summon the meat cutter and ask for a pound and a half, inch and a quarter thick porterhouse. If he’s a savvy meat cutter, he’ll grin and fix you right up. Figure around 15 scoots. While you’re at the market, grab a small can of Bush’s beans. I like the maple syrup kind.

Break out the Weber kettle, but don’t even think of using any charcoal. Charcoal is for civilized people, and if you use it, you’ll ruin everthang. Instead, grab you a pile of wood. Pine is OK. Stack the wood in the Weber, add 1 cup of gasoline, and throw in a match. Take care to do this from a safe distance. Also, take a few seconds to enjoy the ‘Whoosh!’ as the fire takes off.

You may start the prep work as the fire burns a while. This will allow the gasoline to burn off completely. Take this time, also, to stuff an old sock or other rag into your back pocket.

Load your favorite firearm. Another animal may decide that he’s hungry, and a meal like this is worth defending. If you’re in bear country, load for bear. If you’re in the city, load for whatever is likely to try stealing your dinner. Do NOT use too much gun. Being in the suburbs, I found a .375 H&H to be just about right.

Open the meat and season to taste. I dumped some cheap cognac on mine and added some Tony Chachare’s Cajun Seasoning on top of the cognac. With a P-38, K-Bar, Boy Scout knife, wire cutters, or other manly tool, open the bean can 7/8ths of the way and lift the lid straight up. The lid is to be used as a serving handle, so don’t cut it open too far. Do NOT use a kitchen-type can opener or any other newfangled piece of equipment, lest the spirit of the meal be sent to the civilized world.

Put the beans on a cool section of the fire so as not to burn them, but a section warm enough for them to be heated. Let the beans start to warm up.



Now throw the meat on the hottest part of the fire and stand back and enjoy the aroma of burning beef. When the fireside is black and a bit crunchy, flip the steak and when the other side is properly burned, place on the center of a slightly rusty steel pie plate. The steak should still be close to raw in the center. The rust on the plate will also add iron to your diet.

If you have animal activist neighbors, a pretty good way of determining when it’s time to flip the steak is when they complain that it smells like Auschwitz or Bergen-Belsen in your back yard, but I don’t have these problems. My neighbors are pretty good.

Fish the rag out of your back pocket and grab the lid of the bean can carefully and dump the beans all over the steak. Park the plate on your reloading bench and plant your ass on the barstool you picked up when the Fox Trot remodeled. You should only use a fork and a K-bar, or some other utilitarian type knife. Do NOT use a steak knife, as it is too damned civilized.

Wolf it down greedily! Gnaw on the bone and lick the plate clean, washing it down with either cheap beer or good Irish Whisky. Cognac can do in a pinch.

If you licked the plate clean enough, doing the dishes should mean only having to toss out the leftover bones and the can.

I haven’t had a steak in over 3 months, and this is what I had, and damn, if it wasn’t just what the Doctor ordered. Veins in my teeth!


And, yes, I saved a bite for Kitty. You should have seen HIM tear it up!

My simple recipe:

2 steaks (your choice of cut)

place some kind of storage pan/rubbermaid container. Cover with 3 parts worsterchire sauce,  1 part soy. Make sure there is a good 1/4 inch in the pan. Season with some omaha steak seasoning salts. Cook 1 min/side high heat, then lower to medium.

Buy steak that is a minimum 1" thick, 1.25"-1.5" is best

Trim excess fat, biggest chunks.

Montreal Steak Seasoning both sides, let them set

Preheat gas grill on high, if it has a thermometer on the lid, it should read incinerate when ready.

Toss the steaks on the grill 3 mins per side if 1" or less, 4 mins per side if over an 1".  Only flip once.

That's it.

Quoted: Quoted: Thanks for the help guys.  It came out pretty good.  I cooked it less time than i usually do (i tend to over do it) and resisted cutting into it. pretty good? thats it....   we failed

Well, i guess for me it was really good.  They were sitting in a pool of juices on the plates  I didn't try any recipes posted.  I already had it sitting in a montreal steak marinade.  I mainly have trouble with the actual cooking of them.

YOU SHOULD MARK YOU STEAKS!!!!!

Trust me, I was a chef.  

Mark your steaks,  This makes you look like you know what your doing even if you don't

Marking a steak is easy.

I will explain cooking a rare steak, if you want it medium rare just add more time. until the sides of the steak are gray.

First get your grill nice and hot,  600 degrees if you can.  

Place your steak on the grill at an angle.  A steak is generaly an oval shape, if you steak is round like a tender loin no big deal.

To help you visualize:

put your fingers and thumbs together, as if you were going to do a karate chop.

look at th back of your hand.  put your hand out in front of you as if you were going to give someone the command: Halt.

Visualize the wall in the background as your grill.  Your grill's grills should be oriented going up and down, like the bars of a jail cell.

Now rotate your hand counter clock wise until your finger are pointing in the 10:30 position.

Now imagine your oval hand as your oval shape steak.  The steak in the orientation on the imagined gill is the starting position, and should be the way you lay your steak on the grill.

cook for 1 to 1 and a 1/2 minutes *DO NOT FLIP OVER*

Rotate your steak 90 degrees either clock wise or counter clock wise.  It doesn't matter which direction you rotate it, it only matters that you rotate it 90 degrees.

cook for 1 to 1 and a 1/2 minutes *NOW FLIP OVER, and repeat marking prosses on the other side the same way.*

after a total of 2 to 3 minutes on the other side, your steake will be done and will look awsome, but taste great too.