From our Food Goddess, TaMara:
Since it’s Labor Day weekend and I’m ready to go out and play, this will be quick and easy. We’re going to grill some steaks. And while you’re waiting to flip them over, let’s talk about what you’re gonna do this weekend for fun.
For recipes, let’s start with this week’s Dinner Menu: Grilled Steaks with Coffee Rub (click on over here).
Yum, Cranberry Pepper Steak (recipe here).
And my all time favorite: Steak with Spicy Blueberry Sauce (click here).
If you just need to drool over some great photos, here’s a round up of Jeffreyw’s steak portfolio (click here if you dare).
And finally, here are some basic steak grilling rules:
My version is here. But my all time favorite version is from John Cole at Balloon-Juice:
(Warning, some salty language ahead)
Not to go all Anthony Bourdain (or McMegan) here, but everyone was commenting that the ribeyes were delicious and the best steak they had had in ages, so I am here to do a beef PSA.
You know how you have a good steak? It’s easy.
1.) Unwrap it, wash it in cold water, pat it dry with towels. Season it with salt and pepper, then let it sit out on a plate for an hour or so until it is room temperature. NEVER EVER EVER EVER COOK UNSEASONED MEAT. NEVER EVER EVER THROW COLD MEAT ON A GRILL. EVER.
2.) Have a hot grill where you can get a good sear. Sear for a minute or two,turn 45-90 degrees, cook for another minute or two or three (depending on thickness). Flip. Get a good sear after a minute or so, turn 45-90 degrees for the nice markings, let finish.
3.) Never ever ever ever ever ever ever poke or prod your steak. Use tongs. Period. You seared the steak to keep the juices in, right, you fucking clown prince? WHY WOULD YOU POKE IT WITH A FORK AND SEND ALL THE JUICES INTO THE COALS? If you want to know whether it is rare, med. rare, or well done, use the method involving the ball of your hand. BUT NEVER CUT INTO IT TO LOOK FOR COLOR. You do that, you might as well just fucking microwave your meat.
4.) Take your steaks off, put them on a plate, let them sit for ten minutes so the juices redistribute throughout the cut. If you take a steak off the grill and immediately cut into it, you have just committed a felony. Hell, this is not hard, it requires you doing NOTHING. Put your steaks off to rest, open a beer, slowly sip it for ten minutes. Congratulations, you have just saved your steak from a capital crime.
It’s really that easy. Grilling cuts do not need to be marinated in vinegary bullshit or overwhelmed by spices and seasoning. It needs salt, it needs pepper, and if you want to give it a steakhouse flair, throw a small pat of butter on it when you let it rest.
I’m sorry for this post, but listening to my guests as they watched me grill just fucking depressed (and mortified) me, and I realized how many cows go to their grave only to have Americans murder them a second time. How does a society this obese not know how to fucking cook?
Make the madness stop.
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That’s it, now you’ve got your instructions, go out and start grilling. Have great holiday and see you next week – TaMara
Friday Recipe Exchange: Labor Day GrillingPost + Comments (35)