Perfectly Grilled Steaks
Summer is lurking around the corner, with a twinkle in its eye. Time to dust off those BBQ grills and get ready for some fun. I don’t think there is anything that screams summer, more than to light up the grill and toss some steaks onto it.
Let’s talk steaks first. We like to use strip steaks when the urge for grilled steaks hits. This cut of meat is cut from the short loin, and includes the muscle that does very little work; making it tender. If the bone is still attached to the meat it is sold as the T-bone or Porterhouse steak. The Porterhouse will be a larger portion. This cut of meat is very flavorful and requires minimal seasoning. A little salt and a little pepper. If, it is within your budget, spring for grass-fed. The flavor has more depth, and the meat is ultra buttery. Be sure to take the steaks of the refrigerator 30 minutes before putting them on the grill.
Gas vs charcoal. We are all about charcoal. Less chemical, better for the environment. As well the smokey flavors will really enhance the flavor of the meat. We use the standard Weber charcoal girl, and begin by stacking about 40 pieces of charcoal in the center of the kettle. Let the fire burn until half of the coals are white; about 20 minutes. Spread the hot coals out, from side to side, leaving a cool space off to one side. Cover the grill with the lid and wait about 10 minutes, to really heat things up. You want the grill to be hot enough to leave those sexy grill marks on your steaks.
How long should you cook your steaks? Well, that is really up to your taste-buds. We like them on the rare side, which is about 8 minutes per side for a 12 ounces steak. It really depends on how hot your grill is. To help out, we shot a great video of BBQ Pitmaster, Chris Lilly, sharing the secrets of the perfectly grilled steaks.
Now go fire up the grill and start enjoying summer!
Denise Woodward believes anything can be made at home as long as you have a little patience, and time. All of her recipes are made using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her recipes have been featured on Eat Boutique, the Mushroom Channel, Saveur.com, Foodies of the World, PBS and Fine Cooking.
Denise also creates the recipes on the popular food blog Chez Us. Saveur has featured Chez Us as one of 50 Food Blogs You Should Be Reading as well as one of the Sites They Love. Be sure to read more about what they are cooking up over at Chez Us.
