Issue No. 3 March 9th 2010
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Key to Better BBQ
This simple $9 thermometer is a key accessory for producing consistently great food.
By using it you will learn exactly what temperature it takes for your food to be done the way you like it and then you'll be able to repeat that doneness time after time.
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Grilling the "Perfect Steak"
As I write this (March 4th) we're having a sunny, warm spring-like day and I've got a big chunk of tri-tip steak in the fridge, ready to grill for dinner.
BBQ season is coming and I'm psyched. (That's tri tip in the picture)
I'm amused at articles, recipes and people that purport to have the secret to the "perfect steak". "3 minutes on each side and then let it rest for 10 minutes for perfect medium rare" or some variation on this idea.
The problem is there are too many variables for something so formulaic:
How thick is the steak? The thicker the steak the longer it takes to cook
Did it just come out of the fridge or has it been sitting on the counter while you fired up the grill? If it starts colder it takes longer and visa versa
How hot can you get and keep your grill? More fire power gets the job done faster, but that's not always a good thing
What's the weather like? Cold, wind, and or rain can significantly cool your grill & mess with the "perfect steak" formula
How do you and your family like your steak done? Rare? Medium? (Gasp) Well Done? By the way, does rare mean just a narrow band of rare sandwiched between to bands of well done?
To me (meaning it's what I like) the perfect steak is, seared to a crust on the outside and medium rare edge to edge on the inside and can be executed regardless of the aforementioned variables.
How is this culinary feat accomplished?
- A ragin' hot grill to sear and carmelize the sugars and proteins directly over the fire (how long depends on the firepower)
- A 5 minute rest off the grill, while you turn the fire down to low and let the grill cool a bit
- Finish cooking off of direct heat and with a low fire, checking for doneness with a probe thermometer (also a good time to add a chunk of wood to get some smoke on the meat)
- A 5 minute rest off the grill before serving so the juices stay in when you slice it up
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Daily Specials March 9th thru
March 29th
Lunch - Add 2 Ribs for a
Buck to Any Basket or June Bowl
Dinner - Joe's Rib
Baskets $7.95
Take Home - Add a Pound of Ribs to Any
Family Pack for Just $3
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Tonight, I'm grilling tri tip steak, about a pound and half, 2" thick triangular shaped cut of meat (I usually get it at Costco, $4.89 a pound for a two pack). It's lean, has a nice beefy flavor and is tender when sliced across the grain.
This is the cut we use in our Grilling 101 class and what I like at home, not only because it tastes great, but because once I slice it up, everyone takes only what they can eat, so there's less waste (no partially eaten steaks left on a plate).
To get started, I fire up the grill on high, all burners, lid down if I'm using gas, lid off if I'm using charcoal to get more air flow, so that while I'm prepping the meat, the grill is getting as hot as I can make it. Prepping the steak only takes a few minutes, but I always pre heat my grill for at least 15 minutes so I'm sure to get a good sear.
For seasoning, nothing beats salt & pepper in my opinion. I use kosher salt because the big flakes are easy to see and easy to control how much goes on ( I like a fair amount). For pepper, I like fresh ground black pepper (coarse grind). I also plan on using a lemon sized chunk of hickory to throw on the fire to add some good smoke flavor to the meat.
With the extra time while the grill heats, sometimes I'll oil up some thick slices of onion to grill along side, or make up a little garlic butter and spread it on some hoagy rolls to grill. Sometimes, I'll use the extra time to play some cribbage with my daughter Laura.
When the grill is ripping hot, I'll give the grate a quick, thorough scrubbing with a wire brush so it's hot and clean, and lay the steak down over the hottest part. I leave it there for 3-4 minutes, and if I'm trying to impress anyone, I'll pick it up, rotate it (not flip it over) about 90 degrees and lay it down again on a different part of the grate for another minute or so. This will give me some cool crosshatched grill marks.
After 3 - 4 minutes on one side I'll flip it over and give it another 3-4 minutes on the other side. No need to create crosshatched grill marks this time, because this side will be down against the plate.
Next, I'll pull the steak off the fire completely, put it on a plate, and then turn off all but one burner or bank my coals to one side and put my chunk of hickory over the burner or in the coals so it will start smoking. If I'm using charcoal, I'll put the lid on and damp down the vents to cut the air flow and cool the fire.
After 5 minutes or so, the steak goes back on, opposite the coals or lit burner (not directly over the heat). I"ll put the lid down to keep the smoke in and so the heat can cook it from all sides (about 275 degrees is great if you have an accurate grill thermometer, which you should). About every 10 minutes I'll flip the steak to help it cook evenly.
After about 15 minutes, I'll check the temp with my probe meat thermometer to see where I'm at. In my house, I'm shooting for 138 degrees - medium rare. I'll keep slow cooking and checking for doneness until I reach my temp, and then pull it off the grill to my plate and loosely cover it with some foil, while I get the rest of dinner ready. If I've had some good smoke going the steak will be dark, bronzy brown.
Tri tip has a definite grain, all the muscle fibers running the same direction across the width of the steak. It's best to slice it across the grain and "on the bias", that is at an angle from top to bottom, thus you'll cut those long muscle fibers into little short pieces that are easy to chew. Tender.
By the way the tri tip steak in the picture at the top was cut with the grain. If it was cut correctly, each slice of meat would run the length of the steak (yes, I'm a judgmental foodie, but ultimately that's to your benefit).
Obviously (hopefully), you can see that what I'm trying to share with you here is method for cooking and not a recipe per se. It works great for any steak, pork tenderloins, or burgers. Summer's coming, get psyched and get grilling!
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Save 50%
On Ribs!
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$12 Racks of Ribs
2 Rack Limit
Deal Good Once per Customer
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Offer Expires: 3/29/2010
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