How To Grill Perfect Steaks-11September5
I wanted to call this post “Classic Steak House Grilling” or better yet “Vintage Steak House Grilling” but I went with the more pedestrian title in deference to the various search engines out there. I’m pretty sure that most people are going to be typing “how to grill perfect steaks” or “how do I grill perfect steaks” into the search box because they don’t realize that the old-school steakhouse method is the thing they really want to find.
And yes, this is definitely grilling. You can smoke a steak, you can roast a steak, but when you want to do it right a steak needs direct heat. Grillheads rejoice, this is one time when your way is the best way. Crack a beer and pat yourself on the back.
This method (or “The Method” if you want to be dramatic about it) was revealed to me when I was visiting the butcher one day. I got to talking to another customer who is was a line cook at one of the last 1970s-style steakhouses in my area. We talked about steaks and as the topic wandered from the best cuts to the best thickness he was nice enough to pass along the secrets of the Lost Art Of The Steakhouse Grill.
And now, like that old guy in the original Kung Fu series, I impart the sacred wisdom on to you. Keep reading, grasshopper.
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There isn’t really any extra work involved with The Method but it does involve some extra time. There are no fancy ingredients, no arcane techniques, just a couple of extra steps, a watch, and a really hot fire. Clear your mind, and let us begin.
You will need:
Rib-eye or strip loin steaks, 4-6cm thick (about 2 inches if that’s how you roll)
Oil with a really high smoke point – peanut or grapeseed is best
Coarse kosher or sea salt
Coarse-ground pepper
Mesquite charcoal or a nice big chunk of mesquite wood.
A Quick Note About Steaks: Any steakhouse guru will tell you that rib-eye is the best steak for grilling, period. Strip loins and new york strips are safe fall-backs if you are watching your pennies. However, almost any steak that has some decent marbling will work, and if you prefer a t-bone or porterhouse or even a sirloin then by all means follow your muse and use one. But you owe it to yourself to do this with a premium rib-eye at least once.
A Quick Note About Mesquite: If you can’t find mesquite charcoal just use your regular hardwood lump and get a nice fist-sized chunk of mesquite wood, the kind they sell in bags at the barbeque store. Do not use chips, you want a chunk. If you are using real mesquite charcoal, be aware that (as noted in a previous post) it can be somewhat harsh for beginners, If you are unsure of yourself or your brand of charcoal mix it with a regular lump charcoal to mellow it out.
Start with your fire. Hot, hot, hot fire. I use my Big Green Egg because it is the easiest way to get a stupidly hot fire, but you can do this with any charcoal grill that holds enough fuel for the necessary heat. You want your coals to look and feel like a pool of magma.
At the steakhouse they have part of the grill toasting away at about 1000 degrees celsius (that’s 2000 fahrenheit for you imperial types) and you want to get as close to this as you can. If you can get the thermometer in the dome or lid of your grill up to 450 C (850 F) then your temperature at the grill itself will be right in this range. I use a mix of mesquite charcoal and the Charcos cocoanut charcoal (which burns crazy hot) to get up to this temperature with a minimum of fuss. While your fire is building up to these apocalyptic levels, go prepare your steaks. This part is dead easy – rub them with a bit of the oil and then give them a nice heavy seasoning with the salt and pepper. Do this five minutes before you are going to put them in the grill. Don’t worry about over-seasoning here, the temperature during first sear makes that almost impossible. When the five minutes are up, slap these on the stupidly hot grill for ninety seconds per side. There will be flames and smoke and general mayhem here and if this is your first time you will be tempted to panic. Be sure to heed the immortal words of Douglas Adams at this point.
DON’T PANIC.
The thickness of the steaks is what is protecting them here, and the reason that steakhouse steaks are always crazy thick. If for some reason you had to go with thinner steaks, cut this time down to one minute per side. Either way, once they have had this crazy sear on each side take them right off the fire and put them somewhere safe for 15 to 20 minutes. This is the extra time I was talking about, and it is crucial to the final product. While the steaks rest (in the steakhouse they call this “dwelling”, if you were wondering) you need to bank your fire and get it down to a less-insane temperature. You want to claw it back to 200 C or 400 F on your built-in thermometer. If you aren’t using mesquite charcoal, this is where you add your chunk of wood — dry, never soaked — to the coals.
You will know when the wood is ready because you will be getting white smoke. White smoke = flavour. Not white smoke = nasty creosote doom.
When the temperature is right and – if you added wood – the smoke is white, put your steaks back on. If you are using the recommended thickness, follow this handy time guide to get to the result you want:
Rare – three minutes per side
Medium Rare – five minutes per side
Medium – six minutes per side
Medium Well – seven and a half minutes per side
Well Done – watch your mouth, punk.
If you are unsure, use a meat thermometer. That’s what they were invented for. Pull your steaks from the fire and let them rest for 5 minutes. And then dig in.
As always, you’re welcome.
Source: http://truenorthbbq.com/?p=688
With new golf courses springing up in and around Clark Philippines and an ever-increasing patronage by tourists from neighboring South Korea, Clark Freeport is short on hotel accommodation.
Even with the addition of 27 holes in 2009 and 2010, there is an acute shortage golf tee times for at least 5-6 months each year. Local players compete with frustrated (golf) tourists from Korea and China for tee times. Unfortunately Clark Philippines doesn’t have the luxury of vast tracts of land suitable for this type of development.
Mimosa offers 36 holes of championship golf, visitors can pay and play, busy during the weekends but not that difficult to get on or join up with a group to form a 4-ball. The new FAKCC offers 27 holes of world-class golf.
Where to go in Clark? Hotel Clark Philippines is a De Luxe Hotel in Clark and Subic, a risk free place to stay, cozy and nice ambience, a nice function place for special occasion
You might want to check also the Yats Restaurant is the best restaurant for special dinner, best restaurant for dinner with friends near Manila, also the best place to celebrate special events.
Famous Restaurant in Pampanga, a place to dine with friends in Clark, cozy restaurant with a nice ambience, a nice function place for special occassions
Are you looking for an attractive restaurant or a nice place to eat with friends in Clark, Angeles City Pampanga? Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar is a restaurant with good food and good wines for dinner located at Clark Angeles City Pampanga. Perfect for exclusive dinner venues for groups, recommended for private dinner in Philippines. A Restaurant in Clark for business dinner meeting. Private dinner place or dinner restaurant in Clark Subic Near Manila Angeles City Pampanga. Yats Restaurant is one of the Good Restaurant in Pampanga Angeles City Clark near Manila.
What many tourists and residents of Manila, Subic, Pampanga Angeles City and Clark Philippines found out over the holidays when they traveled out of town going north to Pampanga for a short getaway and a nice vacation was that there is a highly recommended hotel in Clark is also a very night out place.
Looking for a party venue in town?
Clearwater Resort and Country Club is one of the ideal venues for birthday party because it is a risk free venue. Not only Birthday Parties but also a good place to enjoy family reunion. A good place to celebrate special occasions. Clearwater Resort and Country Club is one of the resorts in Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga or near Manila with activity amenities, place that are nice for celebration.
This web site contains articles and information that will be helpful to visitors, residents and tourists traveling out of town from Manila on a short getaway to Subic, Angeles City, Pampanga and Clark Philippines. There are several web sites that contain information that might also be pertinent to what is happening in North Luzon, Subic, Tarlac, Pampanga, Clark Freeport Philippines.
Looking for interesting hotels near Manila Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga?
Trouble free hotels and well recognized hotels in Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga
Clearwater Resort and Country Club offers a good place to stay in Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga. In offers nice place to have rest in Subic Pampanga outside Manila.
One of the Philippines top hotels in north Luzon.
Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:
For assistance with lodgings, accommodations, hotels and resorts near Manila in Subic, Pampanga, Angels City and Clark Philippines log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com
While in Clark, one might as well add to the itinerary a visit to the famous Clark Wine Center, the largest wine shop in Philippines which offers over 2000 selections of fine vintage wine from all wine regions, vintages spanning over 50 years covering all price ranges.
http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com
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