Makin' good steak...help!

[yeesh]

I'm seeking some advice on the best way to properly grill a steak. I like to think that I'm fairly adequate in my kitchen skills, but whenever I try to do up a slab o' cow it is a hit or miss proposition.

So I put it out here to you fine citizens of Gotham- What are your secrets/hints/tips for prepping a juicy, flavorful steak. Is it the cut of meat? the seasoning? Skillet and/or grill? Or should I just resign myself to semi-frequent visits to Texas Land and Cattle?

[Budman]

Simple. Pick out a nicely marbled rib eye steak. 1-1 1/2" thick. Sprinkle with a little Lawrys seasoning. Marinate in teriyaki sauce for about 8 hours. Grill on high heat until rare or medium rare depending on your likes.

[Fancyinheels]

Secret recipe: Fire up the pit, call the Outback, get in car, pick up curbside delivery, go home, toss on grill for 10 seconds, plate. Ta daaaa!

I'm trying to remember the name of the guy on the Food Network who relates the history of a dish and breaks down its structure for at-home duplication. He did an excellent episode on steaks, explained where the different cuts came from on the cow, discussed dry and wet aging (VERY important), the cooking methods for getting great steaks, and even how to make the "perfect" grill.

[Fancyinheels]

Alton Brown! The show is "Good Eats," exploring the technique and science of good cooking. I remember one tip: let a steak "rest" for a few minutes after it comes off the heat so that the juices will settle. Cutting it open right away just lets all the goodness run out.

[guest031812]

leave your steak in the fridge for a couple of days. Now I know that this sounds a bit funny, but it will help a lot. Steak houses brag about dry aging their meat, and by leaving your steak exposed to the air in the fridge for a couple days, that's exactly what you'll be doing. Naturally occurring enzymes will start to beak down the proteins, both tenderizing and adding great beefy flavor. The air around the exposed steak will also suck moisture from the meat. This is good, as it will greatly concentrate the flavors. Buy your Saturday BBQ steak on Wednesday, take it out of the plastic (you can cover it loosely in a clean dish towel) and you'll be amazed how much better it is by Saturday.
Salt your steak raw
People will say that you shouldn't salt meat before cooking, and that is a bunch of baloney. The salt will draw out a very small fraction of moisture from the surface, but it will also draw out enzymes that will really help in getting a great brown crust on your steak. This brown crust can be the difference between average and extraordinary steak. It has to do with the caremalization of natural sugars, and it's definitely what you want to see!
Dry the steak before grilling
This will also help you get that great steak house brown crust. The drier the steak is, the less steam is created, and the better the caremalization of naturally occurring sugars.
Get your grill as hot as you can
You can always turn it down later if your steak is getting too browned, but you want to make sure you get the color and the texture of a great steak house crust...and that means really high heat. (another great tip for thin steaks is to cook them from partially frozen. This gives the outside time to brown before the outside is overcooked)
Be patient
A good rule of thumb is to let the steak rest off the heat for as long as you cooked it for. When the steak is on the grill, all the juices will rush towards the much hotter exterior. If you cut into a steak right off the heat, all those great juices will run out wasted onto the plate. By letting the steak rest, the juices will redistribute throughout the meat, and you will enjoy a much juicier more flavorful steak.

Of course the meat that you buy also makes a difference, but these tips will help you maximize the potential of whatever steak you buy.

[AC-DC]

The secret to me is getting a good sear and controlling flare ups. By far the most effective way to do this is a weber kettle grill. Pull the steaks out of the fridge a few hours before cooking - VERY IMPORTANT! Get a nice bed of charcoal white hot then throw on the steaks and put the lid on, NO PEEKING for 3 mins, flip and recover for 3 mins more and check temp after that. A weber with a lid on and vents closed will not flare up.

You can do ok with a gas grill but you must preheat for 15 to 30 mins at full on - temp should be >600. Problem with gas grills is they can not seal tight so lots of flare ups. So close the lid and watch for flareups and use a water spray bottle to knock the flame down.

If you are having trouble controlling finish just sear the steak on the grill and then transfer to a baking sheet and a 350 degree oven and check temps every 5 mins. That is what most steakhouses do.

Oh and I concur with AG's idea for dry aging in the fridge about 4 days - change out the towel every day or use paper towels. Serious dry-agers use a whole roast and let it sit in a dedicated fridge about 3 weeks and then cut away the mold. But you get 90% of the flavor and no mold in 4 days.

[GneissGuy]

I'll agree that LOTS of salt and fresh ground pepper before cooking helps the taste a lot.

If you're grilling and get the outside done, but the inside is still too raw, consider finishing off in the microwave. Yes, I know, it's heresy, but you can get it safe to eat without overcooking the outside. It beats burning the outside to get the inside warm enough to eat.

Get a good electronic meat thermometer. Leave the steak as rare as you can while still getting the meat safe to eat.

Texas Road House isn't fancy, but if you're looking for good meat vs. showing how rich you are, they're hard to beat, especially for the price.

If you can find it, bison/buffalo meat is really tasty.

[Fancyinheels]

Darn you people, now I'm drooling for a thick chunk of meat, er, a ribeye, medium with a nice charcoal. Can't even go out tonight for one as the roads here in Conroe are icing, so it's Hamburger Helper leftovers for me.

(I'm printing this thread for my first spring cookout. Thanks for starting it, yeesh!)

[gman45]

Marbled rib eye, Marinate in Lime, Salt and Pepper. Grill to medium rare....
MMMMMMMMMM GOOOOOODDDD

[rrrabbit]

Stab steak w/ a fork; don't be shy... I mean really stab it and make sure it's dead.

Then marinade and toss it into a ziplock bag for a day or two.

Then take out stake and let it get to room temp. Then rub some flower over it (helps with keeping the juices in and giving it that nice brown look).

Grill, but under do it a bit, as the flower will lock juices in and make steak feel like it's a bit underdone.

Invite your ATF, and have her test your meat.

[Fancyinheels]

Originally Posted by rrrabbit

...Invite your ATF, and have her test your meat.

<<<<---- Meat taster and tenderizer approved as FDA: Famished for Dick Action, and the sister agency, Fantastic Devourer of Anaconda.

[saj1000]

I like taking a cheap cut of meat...eye of round, sirloin, etc. Beat the crap out of it with the mouth of a beer or wine bottle...sprinkle it with Montreal Steak Spice, let it sit out for 20-30 minutes to reach room temp. Then, in a really hot skillet, cook it with butter and little olive oil. Once you take the steak out, add a few ounces of tea to the pan and this will make a nice runny gravy to put on the steak and the garlic smashed potatoes. Served with green peas, of course.

[northaustincouple74]

I'm far from a pro but i have given up on the gas grill as I find I can be much more consistent broiling my ribeye on a cast iron skillet at 600 degrees.
I like to rub the meat with EV Olive oil, then apply a dry rub like CharCrust hickory.