I like to grill steaks over a fire, there’s something primal about the sizzle, and the flames flaring up, reacting to the fat dripping on the hot coals. The smoky, charred flavor and the red-hot grate searing hash marks into the steak. Not much is better than that.
Ok, here’s a little science for you, salt is hygroscopic, which means that salt absorbs moisture. What that means for food and protein, in particular, is that it holds onto moisture thus keeping the meat moister.
I like a method called ‘dry brining’ for steaks. Basically, all you’re doing is adding the same amount of salt that you normally would, the only difference is that you salt the meat a couple of hours in advance. This gives the meat time to absorb the sodium deeper into the flesh rather than it just being on the surface.
I like the Strip steak, this is also known as a striploin, a shell steak, the Delmonico, New York or Kansas City strip steak. Cut from the strip loin part of the sirloin, the strip steak consists of a muscle that does little work, and it is particularly tender.
Here’s how I grill steaks:
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 1-Pound Strip Steak
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 Garlic Clove, Crushed and Chopped
- 3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
PROCESS:
- Take the steaks out of the refrigerator about one hour before they go on the grill, let them come up to room temperature before cooking. I like my steak rare, so I don’t want it to still be cold in the middle.
- Salt the steak at least an hour before grilling. My basic rule of thumb for beef is 1 teaspoon of salt per 1 pound of steak. Rub the outside of the steak with olive oil prior to grilling
- The only seasoning I put on the steak prior to grilling is salt. A lot of seasonings people like on steaks actually burn at direct high temperatures and taste bitter. Black pepper and fresh garlic are great, but I add them to the steak after the steak is off the direct high heat
- For a 1 inch thick steak, I like about 4 minutes on each side for rare, use the touch method ‘HERE’ to determine if your steak is cooked to your desired doneness, add additional time as needed
- Rest the steak after grilling, add additional seasonings at this time. For a one-pound steak, I use 1 clove of garlic, crushed and chopped finely rubbed onto the surface, 2 tablespoons of butter, ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper and a couple sprigs of fresh thyme
