8.04.2010

grilling tips

Our family made the change from store bought beef to buying grass fed, organic beef from a local farm (you can find more info on Wagon Wheel Ranch here). Not everyone does this, nor is this the way to go for every family, but it has proven to be a very cost effective option for us and we have spent less per pound on beef that I was able to in the past.

Today, the owner sent out an email with these tips on grilling steak that I found incredibly helpful.

1) A good steak should not need steak sauce when cooking or when eating.

2) Spices - it is better to cook your spices into the meat than put them on after cooking. Coarse salt, sea salt, no table salt should be put on both sides before grilling. Fresh ground pepper also.

3) Temperature - you never want to cut a steak to see if it is done, you let the natural juices out. Check your steak by sticking a meat thermometer into the side 140 degrees is medium rare.

4) Remember to let the steak sit for 3 to 5 minutes after you take it off the grill again to let the natural juices spread thru your steak and not run out.

Last, the use of butter. It seems all the high end steak houses put butter on their steaks. They first boil the butter and remove the white foam that forms at the top,by doing this it keeps the steak from being "greasy." Most add some spices to the butter. Some will also boil wine to reduce the wine and then add it to the butter. Personally, I do not do this. If you have a piece of meat that is flavorless or tough using butter can help.

Most chefs paint the butter on every time the flip the steak. Some will actually put some on after the steak comes off the grill. Some chefs will even soak the entire steak in a butter vat (the butter has been boiled and spiced) for 20 minutes before cooking, the butter is at 110 degrees, this really helps make a tough steak tender.

Happy Grilling!

5 comments:

Beth W. said...

Ok, so I'm curious about spending less on grass fed beef. I'm all for buying it and right now we're getting it from whole foods and looking into local farms, but I've found it's only cost effective if you buy HUGE portions. Is that what you guys do?

Anonymous said...

We use grass-fed beef from a local farm. Thanks for these grilling tips, they were great. I am really hungry for a steak now!

Janet said...

Beth, the farm we buy is actually the supplier to whole foods in our area so you really realize how much whole foods marks it up. ugh.

We went in on a whole cow with 3 other families and were able to get it for $3.50/pound.

Also, now that we have bought from this farm, he also offers odds and ends to us throughout the year that we can buy at the same price.

Heather and Mike said...

My husband and I are first time grillers this summer and we are addicted now. Everything must be grilled! Wonderful tips :)

Alex Staff said...

Hey, what about for sweet marinated steak. How can you avoid overcooked meat? Sugar and other sweet marinated sauce can make the meat easily burn. So how can you avoid it for sweet steak?

 
Site Design By Designer Blogs