The Real Man Guide to the Perfect Steak
What is more manly than barbecuing a steak? Raw meat, open flame, and beer – the only thing manlier is to make a game winning touchdown and nail a cheerleader after consumption. Seeing as I can’t teach you to be Al Bundy, what I will train you how to do is to grill the perfect steak. I refuse to eat steak at restaurants anymore, simply because I’ve yet to have any steakhouse match what I can grill at my house – in price or in flavor. Even today, I have ex girlfriends calling me and lamenting that they miss my steaks, so I concluded I’d toss out a few pointers and aid my fellow bros out.
Step One – THE CRITICAL STEP – deciding on a good cut of meat. Honestly guys, if you’re going to go to a restaurant and shell out $30 for a steak, you may as well be prepared to shuck out $15 for the home version. And have faith in me, it is going to be better when you do it yourself. So locate a butcher, even if it is at the local Kroger/Harris Teeter/Whatever Food Chain that has butchers that is near you, and man up. Here’s a list of your options:
Rib-eye: this cut is a top choice because it has abundant marbling. As the rib-eye cooks this marbling melts into the meat and creates a juicy, delicious tasting cut of meat.
Porterhouse: this cut also has ample marbling. The porterhouse has a top loin that is moist and succulent and a smooth buttery soft tenderloin. This cut is a favorite choice in restaurants offering specials such as ‘try to eat all our 26 ounce steak and your entire dinner is free’. Be prepared that this is a whole lot of meat, I have observed many brave souls try and solely one succeed. He had a stomach ache for a couple of days.
New York Strip: this is actually a t-bone with the tenderloin and bone removed. This is a good caliber cut of meat and can typically be found at a lower price per pound than the above cuts.
T-bone: this is an outstanding cut for couples who like to share. The smaller sized tenderloin is a few delicate bites while the New York strip can fulfill the heartier appetite.
Filet Mignon: this option is usually a more costly choice but is really worth the extra expense if you are searching for the most tender and moist cut of meat. You will not come across the intense flavor of a rib-eye or porterhouse but this is still a great cut of meat. Personally, I normally go for the Porterhouse or the Filet Mignon – again if I intend to grill a steak at home, let alone the perfect steak, I intend to do it right.
After selecting your cut of meat, you must select how thick you want it. Ideal thickness is about 1-1.5 inches.
Step Two – Seasoning and temperature. Steak purists will tell you that you only need salt and pepper. Personally I prefer to blend in a small amount of garlic powder and cayenne pepper as well for my steak, but to each his own, yeah? Permit your steaks reach room temperature before you cook them. Or else, the temperatures will vary too much through the steak and cause uneven cooking. You cannot afford a perfectly cooked exterior and a cold/bloody interior! Except, of course, you’re like me and like a rare steak…
Step Three – The Grill. Get it as hot as possible. Provide it 10-15 minutes or longer, to come up to max temperature. This is incredibly important!
Step Four – Searing. Once the grill is incredibly hot, throw the steaks on the grill at a 45 degree angle, and let them rest for 30 seconds. Searing is significant since it seals in the juices, which is where all the greatness of a steak rests right? After the 30 seconds, flip the steaks and let the second side sear. Flip it in place, at the same angle, and let it stay for another thirty seconds. The positioning/angling is essential since I am OCD and strive for the cross-hatched grill marks.
Step Five – cooking. Decrease the heat to medium, and flip, this time rotating the steak 180 degrees so we get those wonderful perpendicular marks. After being flipped, take a little pat of butter and let it melt on the steak. A tiny bit goes a long way here. Depending on how well you wish your steak, you ought to leave it on the grill for 2-3 minutes. Keep in mind, it is going to take less time to cook given that we allowed the meat rise up to room temperature.
Step Six – Almost finished. Flip the steaks in place again, putting a dab of butter to this side as well. Now you hold out until your meat is done. I have cooked enough steaks that I generally know just by feel when they’re done, so the wait conditions will take a little getting used to. I’d claim 2 additional minutes for medium rare, 4ish for medium, and 5-6 for well done.
Step Seven – Finishing touches. Take steaks off of the grill and place on a plate. IMPORTANT: let the meat rest for 5-7 minutes (depending on thickness) before you cut into them! This will enable the juices to redistribute throughout the steak, as the hot heat of the grill will cause the juice to stay in the center of the steak.
And there you have it! The perfect steak. Pair with a frosty beverage and some steamed broccoli and a baked potato. To date, my favorite beer to pair with a perfectly grilled steak is Kronenbourg 1664. The intense flavors go really well together.
Want more manly tips like How To Cook Steak, then visit Jason Green’s site Bros Before Hoes for everything manly.
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