meetthemeat
So The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy hits the theatres today... I'm hoping that it actually turns out well.
As far as life goes, I've got a lot on my mind that I don't really have time to talk about, nor do I really want to. Suffice to say that I'm still worried about school, despite having been home for some time.
So I'm making another post about food. Enjoy.
Slow-cooked Steaks on a Grill
I've been complimented many a time on my steaks. Sure, there've been mishaps... (lesson learned, don't grill at night, you really can't see anything... of course, being me, I refuse to admit to those steaks being undercooked. They were just... very rare) but most of the time, I'm called upon whenever we have guests to do the grilling.
So here's my guide to grilling steaks. A note on this, I *hate* marinating. Despise it, throughly. I like my beef the way it is. So if you're the type who likes to have their meat all these funny flavors (sure, I add stuff afterwards...) then don't keep reading this.
Before you even switch on that grill... choose your meat carefully. Whatever cut you like (I'll presume you've some knowledge of meat...) but make sure it's well marbled. This is possibly the most important bit. I prefer a thickness of about an inch (I like thick steaks), but that in itself is your call.
Hit the grill. Heat it up till you've got a really, really decent fire. I assume you know how to use your own grill... I myself use a propane grill. If you're using charcoal, I also assume you've a system in place, (raising/lowering, slats, etc...) because if you don't, then you want a medium-high heat (I'm sure you can judge, you fancy charcoal griller you) all around, rather than the directions I am giving now. However... good on ya' for having a charcoal grill... I would love one right now.
When the grill's nice and hot, (high, high heat) put your steak on the grill, and leave it on high heat, flipping the steak after 15-20 seconds. The point here is to quickly seal in all the juices, so that you may slow-cook to your liking without losing all the juices. If, despite my warning against marination, you're STILL the type to dress up your meat before-hand, don't use salt, you'll lose tenderness. Simple olive oil (extra virgin) and fresh-cracked black pepper will do... maybe some spices too. It's your steak, after all.
Soon as you've flipped the steak, turn down the heat after 5-10 seconds. For a steak upwards of an inch thick, you'll want it slightly under a medium heat. For a thin steak, low, low heat. And for a thin steak, the previous instructions on sealing the juices should be slimmed to 5-10 seconds each side, or you'll overcook.
Flip once whenever your gut tells you to, or at the 5-minute mark.
To determine how done a steak is, poke it. If it feels like your bicep (unflexed) it's rare. If it feels like a tensed muscle, then it's well-done. I personally like my steaks medium-rare (and you should too, 'less you're a bloody atrocious barbarian), so I know how it should feel. However, the gauge I've also learned to use on occasion is to put your middle-finger and thumb together and poke at the fleshy bit in your palm right below your thumb (if you're using your left hand, palm up, it's left of your life-line). That's medium. Putting your thumb to your ring finger is medium-well, and your pinky is well done. Works the same the other way, medium rare with the index finger, and it's rare when your hand's fully relaxed.
Eating a well-done steak is like eating soft jerky. Eww.
Here's a thing about slow-cooked steaks now: They are not your average steak. So when you take them off, I would recommend serving them within two minutes. On steaks cooked at medium-high heat, you want to let them settle for a few minutes. Though you lose some heat that way, they gain a *lot* more flavour... but that's not what this post is about. We're talking slow-cooked steaks here.
Season THEN with whatever you like. Except salt. Salt and steak are mortal enemies. Sauces, if that's your thing... (I hate barbeque sauce) but for me, it's simple black pepper, and English Mustard on the side. Serve with whatever floats your boat. Potatoes are wonderful with steak.
Last direction: Eat.