Comments on: Basic Grilling: Tips on Grilling a Great Steak America’s backyard gourmet delight!

By: CB

CB — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 01:35:10 +0000

Tedd – the 6-7 minutes per side seems a bit too long for a steak that’s only 1 inch thick – unless you put it on the grill nearly frozen (not joking)

The answer will result from a little trial and error on your part…I’d say sear on the highest setting using just a lite spritz of canola oil, until the sear marks appear and the meat releases from the hot grates. Then lift with tongs, spritz the other side lay that down on the grates to sear. How long is that? Honestly can’t say because of the variables unique to the weather on the day you are grilling, the type and quality of the steak and even the actual temperature of the steak when you put it on and the actual temp of the grates when you begin the cook. Also, if you prefer to leave the hood open or closed.

In spite of the above variables and generally speaking, once you’ve achieve sear marks on the first side – I’d say use an instant read thermometer inserted into the side so that the tip of the probe gets to the cent of the largest section of meat (not fat) and get a reading. That will give you a ‘educated’ sense of what you need to do to get it to the next stage of ‘done.” When you’ve seared both sides and got one set of sear marks – then lift with tongs and check the internal temp again. If you like it more done, then let it rest on indirect heat to rise the final degrees to the level of ‘done’ you prefer -or- repeat the searing on one or both sides to cross-hatch the sear marks and check again.

Does this help?

By: Tedd

Tedd — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:02:43 +0000

Hi, love all the tips but need a little help when searing a steak on my charbroil red how long for each side then how long set aside for indirect heat? you listed 6 to 7 min a side for a 1 inch steak at medium. Is that searing, or total cook time? if total cook time how long do you sear for?

By: CB

CB — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 01:21:00 +0000

Great comments and help. Really like the “glazing” recipe…I’ll have to try that! – CB

By: Genetica

Genetica — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:58:58 +0000

Bromelain, an enzyme found in fresh pineapple and kiwi also breaks down protein and aids digestion. It is most abundant in the core (along with numerous cancer-fighting compounds currently under intensive research, for those grillers who also have a keen interest in eating healthy). It all but disappears if you cook the fruit even lightly, which is why fresh pineapple and kiwi will keep gelatin from setting up, but canned will not. Fresh pineapple juice from pureed cores is a good and flavorful way to tenderize tough cuts of meat. For good cuts of meat worth eating as a stand-alone entree, I prefer to just inject with a tiny bit of light sesame oil and I finish on a tin plate with a very thin rub of cola, peanut butter, molasses and chili powder, crusted on with a plumbing torch. I never lay it on very thick……maybe 1/32″ on a 2″ steak. But I find that the flavors complement the beef so well and the color blends in with the beef so well that people don’t even know it’s there–they just know it’s the best steak they’ve ever had.

–Genetica

By: Johnny

Johnny — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:25:19 +0000

CB, it is papaya. The enzyme is called papain. I can’t wait for warmer weather to be here so I can start grilling again!

By: CB

CB — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 22:22:14 +0000

dick, with you on the watch I know I have to always be on my toes!!!

Please note that only my recipe is called CB’s EZ. And it is for the regular guy – like me. The other recipes are for folks who like spices and challenges. The Bistec recipe is from one of our guest chefs and I suspect he is used to butchering his own beef in the kitchen – thus the comment about trimmed fat. I like your dressing idea – I think it could make an excellent ‘cure’ for pork or beef prior to going into the smoker or the barbecue. And as you are a true outdoor camp cook, you may not know the secret of many restaurants is to add just a touch of brown sugar and butter to the steak after it comes off the grill and is plated. As it sits waiting under the ‘hot light’ for pick-up by the wait-person the brown sugar and butter meld into the grill marks and if there are any burnt areas from a scorch (especially true when cooked on electric grills in some restaurants) it will combine with the carbon to make for a better taste with the first bite. – CB

By: dick

dick — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 22:16:43 +0000

CB – Your grilling steak article was good as expected, though your 4 suggested recipes included some strong seasonings for a guy who professes a dislike of marinades and rubs! I will try the Bistec recipe as I find eye round otherwise inedible. I do however occasionally roast an unadorned eye to 115, chill and run on the slicer THIN as sandwich meat. Your recipe calls for trimming excess fat from the eye. Where do you get an eye round with any fat to trim?

You will perhaps be horrified to learn that for steak, I use my gas grill primarily for searing. With 1.5 to 2.0 cuts I then remove to a pre-heated cast iron pan in a 375-400f oven to finish. Like you, I eschew the tangy steak sauces but make frequent use of compound butters. Another acceptable dressing is to de-glaze the cast iron pan with a big hunk o’butter and a splash of Worcestershire. If you are tempted to add minced shallots and garlic, don’t!

And here is a nice dressing for rib or strip:

Make a paste as follows:
3 lge cloves garlic minced finely or pressed.
2 tsp. packed brown sugar.
1 tsp. chili powder.
1/2 to 1 tsp. crushed chili flakes
1 tsp. kosher/sea salt.
1/2 tsp. coarse black pepper

Mix above ingredients.
Moisten with veg oil till a thick spreadable paste.
Apply to both sides and wrap steaks in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate 4-8 hr.
Grill (not to hot) due to sugar.

dick

By: CB

CB — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:26:48 +0000

Johnny – thanks for the comment…right you are. The only enzyme that will actually break down meat before it gets into your system is contained in mango – right? Uh, or is it Papaya? I use the term “break down” to refer to tenderize and that’s sloppy on my part. – CB

By: Doug in Omaha

Doug in Omaha — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:49:14 +0000

CB, I enjoy your column. Just last night I grilled steaks for my wife (Valentine) and myself. It was only 5 degrees outside so it took a little longer to cook. She prefers a rib-eye and I like the strip steaks. Of course we have a bias as we believe Nebraska beef is the best and cannot be beat. What is interesting is I grill steaks almost exactly as you described above. Always have, always will. A good steak cooked properly will never need a marinade, a rub, or steak sauce in my opinion. Thanks and keep those articles and recipes coming.

By: Johnny

Johnny — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 11:26:25 +0000

CB, The acids in marinades aren’t strong enough to really break down the meat. What they will do is permeate the meat and leave it tangy to the taste. That tangyness (is that even a word?) will cause your mouth to water and in your saliva is the necessary enzymes to break down meat.

If I’m doing steaks, I like them with just a little bit of salt and then grilled. If I’m doing a larger cut such has flank steak, I like to marinade or put a rub on it before grilling. Flank steak will respond well to BBQ sauce (but only if you put it on at the last minute to prevent the sugars from burning!).