Best way to grill a Steak
Millions of people love to eat steak and if they could, they would probably eat it everyday. Whenever a person eats a steak they prepare it in a variety of different ways. Some people like their steaks well done with char on the meat while many others like to cook it to a medium rare texture. However, the vast majority of people like their steaks rare with a juicy pink center. Preparing meat in this way is not always an easy thing to do. Even though this is the case, everyone who loves this type of meat should know the best way to grill steak. The following information will show you how to do this.
Meat Selection Matters
Any person that likes to cook steak must first select the right cut of meat. Each type of steak has its own unique look, flavor and quality. You should choose a steak according to its flavor, thickness and fat content. Steaks with fat on them tend to have more flavor than steaks with little or no fat on them at all. Again, every person likes their steak, their way. So, there is no one type of meat that is best suited for all tastes. However, the most popular types of steaks that people eat include the Rib Eye, New York Strip Steak and Beef Tenderloin.
Keep in mind that Rib Eye is considered the best type of steak because it contains a lot of fat on the cut. This adds flavor and helps to keep the meat juicy. Filet Mignon is a popular piece of steak that has very little fat. Strip steak is a great steak that is loaded with flavor and easy to prepare. Top Sirloin is a great steak that is tender and lean. It is also very affordable. A Porterhouse steak is thick, tasty and it has a bone which adds extra flavor. T-Bones are similar to Porterhouses except they are smaller in size. Ultimately, you should buy the type of steak that you enjoy best and one that is of good quality.
Setting up your Grill
Many people often use a gas grill when they are making steaks. However, gas grills should be avoided because they do not get the best flavor out of the meat. Also, a person will run a risk of having a gas flavor added to their steak when they cook the meat. So, a charcoal grill provides the best flavor for grilling meats.
Charcoal based grills provide the best flavor for grilling. You will probably have to experiment with finding the best type of charcoal flavor that will accent the flavor of the meat. The coals should be set up to get hot spots from off of the grill. Hot spots are parts of the grill where the coals have the most heat output. Hot spots help to get a nice color and taste to the meat. You should also make your grill nice and hot before you start to grill the cuts.
Season your Meat Long before you Place it on the Grill
You must season your meat at least a half an hour before placing it onto a grill. If not, you will not get the best flavor out of the meat and you will end up dumping a bunch of seasoning from the meat into the coals. Most people use salt and pepper as the only seasoning for their steaks. Truthfully, this is all that a person needs. If you want to add other spices such as garlic powder, cumin or oregano then you should go ahead and do it. Remember you are cooking according to your own taste.
Cooking the Steak
Do not forget that different cuts of steak will be prepared in different ways. Thinner pieces of steak must be closely monitored will they are being cooked if not, you will burn them up pretty quickly. This is especially true for people that like to eat their steaks rare. Thick pieces of steaks will take a longer time to prepare.
Rare and medium rare steaks will generally require less time to make. You will have to closely watch them so that they will turn out right texture and color with the most flavor. People who like their cuts well done will not have to watch them as closely but they still should keep an eye on the grill.
When you cook your steak you should not flip it around a lot. You should only flip the meat a few times. Now, if you have a technique for cooking steak by flipping it around a lot then go ahead and do it. After all, it is your steak. However, when you leave a steak on the grill for a certain amount of time it will help to keep the cut properly cooked and flavorful. You can also use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak.
People who cook their steak should not place their meat back into the same spot after they done flipping the cut. The spot where meat cooks is generally cooler than the other parts of the grill where not meat is located. Instead, you should place your meat onto a hot spot. This is why the hot spots are so important to grilling. They will help you to get the best texture and flavor out of the meat.
Normally, it does not take a long time to grill steak. It will usually take between 7 and 20 minutes to prepare a cut. This will depend on the thickness of the cut and the desired flavor and consistency of the meat. A rare steak that is prepared on the grill will take between 5 and 10 minutes to prepare on average. A medium rare steak will take about 8 to 15 minutes to prepare on the grill. Well-done steaks take between 12 and 20 minutes to complete.
Keep in mind that cooking times will vary by size of the grill and the temperature of the coals. Some steaks will require more time and others less. Also, if you want to know if a steak is safe enough to eat then use a meat thermometer. If the temperature of the meat is 160 degrees or above then it is safe to consume. You can easily to use a meat thermometer to ensure the meat is well cooked.
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