How to grill the perfect steak, from purchasing the right grill to cleaning it up afterwards!
Grilling the Perfect Steak
Now is the perfect time to plan your summer cookouts. You can create enviable backyard barbeques, and tease the neighbors with the aroma of gloriously grilled meat. You have 13 weekends to perfect your craft! So, lets get started!
What kind of grill should I get?
There are many choices, from the basic open style Hibachi grill to the Gas grill, to the smoker. You can invest hundreds of dollars in a state of the art unit, or start with a simple and inexpensive Hibachi. There are wagon style grills, covered grills, and cylinder grills, too. For now, choose an inexpensive, open top grill. You can find one at your nearest home center or discount store, for $100 or less. You can choose a tabletop grill, or a freestanding unit with legs.
What other accessories do I need?
You’ll need an inexpensive oven mitt, one that you can throw out if it gets too close to the flames or too dirty to clean. You’ll also need a pair of thongs for handling the food, a few pastry brushes for basting, and a meat thermometer.
How do I start the fire?
You will need charcoal briquettes, starter fluid, and long, fireplace matches. There are many varieties of charcoal briquettes to choose from. You can purchase briquettes that have been saturated with starter fluid, or briquettes seasoned for flavor, or just plain old charcoal briquettes. Some of the cheap ones are made with sawdust and other fillers, and do not burn well. Your best bet will be to buy standard, good quality briquettes, without starter fluid or flavoring. For the starting fluid, make sure you buy a product that is made specifically for grilling. Never use kerosene, gasoline or other flammable liquid to start a fire, as it is unsafe. Buy a bottle of starting fluid, and follow the directions.
What kind of steak tastes best when cooked on a grill?
There are a number of good cuts to try. I recommend the best, choicest cut you can afford. The best quality cuts are porterhouse, New York strip, T-bone, rib steak, and of course, filet mignon. Choose any of these for delicious flavor, and tenderness.
How do I prepare the raw steak?
Many choose to marinate the meat with liquid or dry seasonings, up to 24 hours before the cookout. You can experiment with various flavors and marinades, buy one already made, or create your own. You can marinate a steak in Italian salad dressing, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, beer or wine. You can try lemon juice, orange juice, or olive oil. These liquids are fine as a base ingredient, and then liberally add your spices. The easiest way to marinate your steak is to put it inside a zip-lock style bag, then add the marinade. Squeeze extra air from the bag, and close. Leave it in the refrigerator for as long as you need, from 4 to 48 hours.
Personally, I prefer the taste of a great steak to the flavor of marinade. Generously rub black pepper and garlic on both sides of the meat, and place in a plastic bag. Set this in the refrigerator while you prepare your grill.
Time to light the fire!
The first thing you should do is line the base of your grill with heavy-duty aluminum foil. This will make clean up a lot easier.
Place the charcoal briquettes in a pyramid, large enough to cover the grill area that will have food on it.
Completely soak the briquettes with starting fluid. Make sure the entire briquette is covered, even the edges and corners. You should use about ½ cup fluid for each 25 briquettes.
Allow the starting fluid one full minute to soak into the briquettes.
Using your fireplace matches, light the briquettes in several places, around the edges of the pyramid stack.
If the fire is sluggish, fan the briquettes with a stiff piece of cardboard or small piece of wood.
Leaving the lid off (if your grill has a cover), allow the charcoal to heat for 30 minutes.
How will I know when the charcoal is ready?
Briquettes are ready for cooking when they are covered with a layer of white ash. Time to go get your steak!
How long should I cook the steak?
Depending on how you like your steak, the time on the grill will vary. This is where the meat thermometer comes in handy. The outside of the meat will cook much quicker than the inside, so use the thermometer to read the inside temperature. Here is a temperature guideline:
Rare Beef Steak – 140 degrees Fahrenheit
Medium Beef Steak – 150 degrees Fahrenheit
Well-done Beef Steak – 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Keep your eyes on the steak, turning it every few minutes. Use thongs or a spatula to turn the meat. Poking a fork in the steak will cause delicious juices to run out. If you saved any marinade, go ahead and baste the meat while it’s cooking. Just paint the marinade on, using your pastry brush. Yummy! Doesn’t that smell good?
It’s ready! What do I do now?
Using your tongs, remove the steak to a plate. You’re about ready to eat!
But what about that smoking grill?
If your grill has a lid, go ahead and close it. This will extinguish the coals. After the briquettes cool, you can shake off the loose ash and use them again. Just repeat the same process as before:
Place new briquettes over the used ones.
Saturate with starting fluid.
Light with matches.
Basic Grill Maintenance:
To prevent your grill from rusting, store it covered or under a roof.
Remove old ash from the base of the grill, or you may have trouble starting the grill at your next barbeque.
Keep your grill lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil, to facilitate cleaning.
Do not clean the grill grate too well, or food will stick to it. Before each use, scrape the grate with a wire brush, to remove particles.