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Old     (lugwrench)      Join Date: Jul 2002       03-16-2015, 9:33 AM Reply   
All the carnivores out there, help me out, I still don't have steak perfected. Before someone says go charcoal, yes I do like charcoal better but for convenience I can't get rid of my gas Webber.

At best, I'll end up with one charred side and one done side and it will be correct in the middle, but I have no consistency. Or worse yet, having to commit the sin of cutting it because the 2 sides are so uneven I can't begin to judge what the inside looks like.

So what's up, lid closed or open? Super high heat and a quick sear on each side or lower and multiple flips? Judge by time or temp or punching or what?

Thanks
Old     (fouroheight68)      Join Date: May 2006       03-16-2015, 9:40 AM Reply   
High heat, 2 flips each side. I like to use the infared burner and both burners turned up to get the grill up to about 600 degrees. 3 mins each side, then 2 mins each side for about 10 mins total cooking time. Season with salt and pepper only.
Old     (diamonddad)      Join Date: Mar 2010       03-16-2015, 9:42 AM Reply   
On my known webber grill, I use a timer. I preheat red hot and do a 4 time sequences of high-high-low-low (HHLL) with the lid closed. I use a timer that counts up so I know the exact time from zero.

Medium Rare:
Flank: 2-2-3-3
Filet: 2-2-3-3
RibEye: 3-3-3-3
NewYork: 3-3-3-3
TriTip: 3-3-5-5

Try it and perfect it for your grill and altitude. Touch the meat so you start to understand the bounce method too.
Old     (behindtheboat)      Join Date: Aug 2006       03-16-2015, 9:51 AM Reply   
High heat at first, normally flip a little early, then lower the temp and do an extra flip or two. I find gas grills have all different areas of heat/temperature. I'm sure you do, but get to know your grills areas.
Old     (phathom)      Join Date: Jun 2013       03-16-2015, 12:20 PM Reply   
I cook exclusively on gas. I love the steak I make. I love the steak my dad makes. I can not stand steak made from any restaurant, even specialty steak houses just because I am very picky. Anyone that has our steak has given it top marks and has even called us up asking when we're having them over again because the steak was the best they've ever had.

First off, you start with a good cut of meat. We normally only ever do a Porterhouse, sometimes a T-Bone.

Both of our preparation methods are different, but the cooking is the same. They taste somewhat different, but both are very flavorful and cooked perfect.

My dad prefers to put it on a plate and spray it with teriyaki sauce and sprinkle it with garlic salt and let it sit like that for about 15-30 minutes before putting it on the grill.

I put a little bit more time and care into my prep. I will put it in a ziplock bag and marinate it in a mix of worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, minced garlic, fresh ground pepper, lemon juice and vinegar. I let it sit there for at least a hour, sometimes even from the day before.

The cooking is where it stays the same. Preheat the grill, put it on low, stick it in the top rack. Let it sit there for about 15-20 minutes depending on thickness. Flip over, put some of your left over marinade on it and leave it there for 10-15 minutes. Make sure you keep it moist with the marinade every few minutes. I put mine in a spray bottle to make it easier and quicker.
When the color gets to where you want it, take it off. With this method, I get very juicy and delicious steaks that are just a hint over medium rare. It will still have some pink in it and some blood/marinade, but not be gushing.

If I want to get fancy with it, I'll throw in some sliced sweet onions and baby portabellos on top of it while marinating and grilling, but normally I'll just make it straight.

It sounds a little bit opposite than a lot of people do, but it is delicious. It's taking grilling to more of a slow cooking. The longest I have done this without drying out the meat is about a hour. The longer it cooks at the slower temperatures, the more tender it gets as long as it retains it's moisture. That's where the marinating and basting come in.

Also to answer one of the questions, lid closed. "If you're looking, you're not cooking"
Old     (diamonddad)      Join Date: Mar 2010       03-16-2015, 12:29 PM Reply   
I forgot to add a very important thing. I often take the steaks off a bit early when they are rare and let them sit covered in foil on the cutting board for 10 minutes to become medium-rare. This also helps keep the juices in the stake. I am seeking a grill marks and a char on the outside with deep medium rare on the inside. The thicker the steak the more important it is to go slow after the sear.

Last edited by diamonddad; 03-16-2015 at 12:30 PM. Reason: typo
Old     (timmyb)      Join Date: Apr 2007       03-16-2015, 12:50 PM Reply   
I do high heat (550-600) on my grill and then do 3 minutes per side on a 12-16 oz Ribeye and that gives me a perfect med-rare steak every time.
I think the key for me is taking the steak out of the fridge and letting it come up to room temp before throwing it on the grill.
Bobby Flay Tips:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/a...ling-tips.html
Old     (augie_09)      Join Date: Mar 2011       03-16-2015, 1:16 PM Reply   
We do the high heat first approach to. The 'good' steak houses around us use a grill at 1000 degrees and quick sear the steak, then cook it at a very low temperature. Our grill only gets up to 700, but that works. Done right, you get a thin outer brown layer of sear and even pink layer all the way through. Done wrong, its bloody and purple in the center, browning goes too deep into the meat.

Another approach is to cook it in the oven at a very low temp until it hits 135 or whatever on a meat thermometer, then quickly sear it to get browning. This approach gives you a perfectly consistent pink meat all the way through.

One good thing to learn is the finger test using your thumb muscle for comparison. cutting steak to see if it's done is just wrong. http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes...eness_of_meat/
Old     (snyder)      Join Date: Feb 2006       03-16-2015, 2:04 PM Reply   
Anyone do this:
Sear it in an well seasoned iron skillet in the house first, then to the grill?

At great risk if having to turn in my man card, my wife does this and grills a better stake than I do. The cut and freshness of the steak matters a lot.
Old     (Cabledog)      Join Date: Dec 2013       03-16-2015, 2:34 PM Reply   
[QUOTE=timmyb;1906458]
I think the key for me is taking the steak out of the fridge and letting it come up to room temp before throwing it on the grill.
QUOTE]

Room temp is the key for me too. I also often use Diamond Dads method with the foil loosely over to rest. Allowing your meat to rest for a minute is crucial. We do a lot of thicker cuts tri-tip, etc in addition to a varity of steaks so I dont' have it measured out to a specifc time. Usually 1-2 beers = 2 flips for Med/ Med-rare & that nice cris-cross pattern. + 1/2 cigar for Tri-Tip.
Old     (john211)      Join Date: Aug 2008       03-16-2015, 2:37 PM Reply   
I can't help I'm surely worse than the OP.

But ... my friend ... his brother ... and his cousin are all BIG men. And they can cook steaks on gas grills out of this world. I go out of my way to bring him steaks to cook. He lives on a 900 acre property (I posted pictures of it here once before regarding morel mushroom hunting). I always offer to bring down food for several meals and several people. He says sure, pork steaks or hamburger. I bring down T-bones or Porterhouses in spite of his humble request.

I one time jokingly asked him, what's your secret. He says, you just keep flipping them ... " flip, flip, flip." I didn't ask the question seriously, and he didn't answer it seriously.

But sadly I think the true answer is ... you either have the "stuff" (genetics?) to develop a natural knack for it, or, you don't (I don't). I've watched this for 15 years or so. I've noticed that they are paying more attention to what's going on than I originally thought. But really, they look casual while they're cooking ... they're multitasking (more than just drinking beer but entertaining also) ... and they look as unconcerned if they are going to succeed as if the task were tying shoelaces.
Old     (onthecreek)      Join Date: Apr 2013       03-16-2015, 2:59 PM Reply   
Alot depends on the cut you have. A 1" thick steak will cook differently from 3" for example. Timing is really important to let the steak cook evenly on each side. You might not hit the mark for rareness but it'll be evenly cooked provided you carefully watch the time. From there perfect your timing better so it's cooked evenly and to the desired done-ness. There's no way to tell you how to get both right the first time since the size of the steak, temp of your grill, any hot spots make it impossible to know. It's a learning process for each grill.

Cook the first side a minute or 2 longer than the second side. The reason is the first side starts cooking from a lower temp than the second side. Even though the top side isn't on the grill until you flip it, residual heat is still causing it to cook more quickly than the first side did.

If you want a good grill marks, don't flip it very often. The meat needs time on the grates to create those marks. Pro style is to leave cross marks like Xs. To do that, determine how long each side will get grilled...for example 4 mins. At the 2:30 mark, rotate the steak 90 degrees. That will create the X marks. Then flip it over when time is up. Do the same on the second side...flip 90 degrees. It's best if you can move the steak to unused parts of the grate each time. Those spots will be hotter but be careful of cold spots on the grill. You don't want to move it to a cold spot.

Don't stick your steak with a fork, juices will run out. They can also create flare-ups that you don't want.

Let the meat rest for at least 5 mins once done. The meat will continue to cook a little so plan that into your timing. If you want medium rare, you'll pull it off the grill when it's just past rare. By the time it's done resting you've got medium rare.

Touching the steak with your thumb is better than a meat thermometer. The thermometer will work fine but the juices and flareups thing happens. Search the internet. It's an easy method to use and you don't need a thermometer.

Lid closed. Burners on full blast. If you get really thick steaks you might need to sear on hot side of grill and then move to a cool side for some more time.

Personally, I only use salt and pepper on a nice cut of meat. Alot...make a crust. Kosher salt works MUCH better than granulated though. The crust works better with thicker cuts, too.
Old     (john211)      Join Date: Aug 2008       03-16-2015, 3:27 PM Reply   
"Anyone do this:
"Sear it in an well seasoned iron skillet in the house first, then to the grill?"

Somewhat I do ... under different circumstances ... when making a pot roast. I saw this suggestion on television some 15 years ago.

If for example the roast is a 5 lb tri-tip (go bigger or less than that ... whatever you like). (Or do this to a deer ham ... clean it yourself, take the silver skin off, soak ... for some hours to half a day)).

The two most key spices for rub are rosemary and thyme ... with salt and pepper.

Put the rubbed roast in an oven at anywhere between 180 and 205 (less than boiling temp). The lower the temp, the longer. 8 - 10 -12 or 18 hours. Lower temp and longer is good.

Feed in your vegetables according to required cooking time. Carrots, parsnips and bay leaf can go in, at the beginning. Onion, shallots and potatoes ... halfway through. Potatoes, parsnips and (fresh raw) garlic ... about 3 hours before serving.

You can read up on the Indian dish "Keema." You have the option of adding all kinds of things ... like ginger, turmeric, cardamon and cinnamon ... but those are more likely to be healthy for you ... and in contrast upstage rather than compliment the flavor of the basic roast.

Last edited by john211; 03-16-2015 at 3:29 PM. Reason: sp
Old     (lugwrench)      Join Date: Jul 2002       03-16-2015, 6:30 PM Reply   
Lot of good info, and recipes, thanks guys. While I normally do dry rubs, I think I have to give your marinade a try Surf to try something new.

I hear ya Jonathan, I enjoy cooking but the grill is something I just seem to not have a knack for. I've tried all the "finger tests" with steak and just can't get it, where I have a friend that can't screw up a filet if he tried.

I do think I need to aim for consistency and go for the same cut of meat a few times to figure out my times/areas of the grill etc. Are different cuts harder to get right than others?
Old     (DenverRider)      Join Date: Feb 2013       03-16-2015, 10:10 PM Reply   
Most of it is covered but, in addition to what has been said, I like to get a ribeye or tenderloin roast as opposed to precut steaks. Then I can cut my own. To get the thickness I want I would need to cut a steak twice as big as I an eat so I cut the steak in half the other way as well creating two smaller but equally THICK steaks. If you go to The Keg (I think that's a national chain) they call this a "baseball" cut because it has similar dimensions to a baseball. My grill is a cheap piece of trash and it doesn't get hot enough. This way I can cook the crap out of the outside with some Cajun seasoning getting it nice and blackened the way I like it but still have a nice tender rare middle. Otherwise I end up with well done (ruined) before the outside of the steak is properly cooked. It's also an easier almost fool proof way to ensure that you aren't going to overcook your steak.
Old     (DenverRider)      Join Date: Feb 2013       03-16-2015, 10:12 PM Reply   
Try adding some red wine to that marinade.
Old     (timmyb)      Join Date: Apr 2007       03-17-2015, 7:06 AM Reply   
Red wine or red wine vinegar both work great for marinades. I like some seasoning on my steak so I buy the Montreal Steak seasoning in the big container at Costco for $7 or whatever is and it lasts forever. Brush some olive oil on the steak, rub in the seasoning and let it marinate for at least 2 hours.
Old     (buffalow)      Join Date: Apr 2002       03-17-2015, 7:37 AM Reply   
Lots of good info. I have cooked on just about every style of grille, smoker, pellet cooker,etc.

I would go high both sides. Pull at 130 internal temp

Best thing you can do is by a THERMAPEN. I give them for gifts everywhere I can. It will change how you BBQ in the future. Worry about internal temps and never worry about time or outside conditions.
Old     (smitty75)      Join Date: Jun 2013       03-17-2015, 7:42 AM Reply   
I'm known to cook a pretty damn good steak, here is my method:

Grill set at max temp, allow to preheat as necessary. Steaks should be patted dry and close to room temperature, this is critical for a consistent cook. Put a light coat of olive oil and dust with crushed black pepper and coarse sea salt.

Place steaks on grill and let sit with lid closed for 2 minutes (may need to adjust for thickness, but 2 is about normal for strips or sirloin. 2-3 for t-bone or PH). After 2 minutes rotate steak 45 degrees and place on a fresh grill area still at max temp. After 2 minutes, flip steak and repeat steps above (2 minutes, rotate and another 2 minutes). With my grill at 750 degrees, this will usually give me a medium cook perfectly even. If it's company or fussy wife, I check with a temp probe. Usually pull them at 130-135 and allow to come up a few more degrees on the counter. Remember to give them a few minutes before serving or cutting. Also, quality of steak is everything. A Walmart steak will not cook like a fresh market steak.
Old     (snyder)      Join Date: Feb 2006       03-17-2015, 1:53 PM Reply   
What about flare up? If I put my grill on high (600+) drop a steak in and close the lid, it'd be charred to a crisp in no time.
How do you prevent that? Is it a grill prep issue? I have a Webber and it has those drip guards that are supposed to keep the drippings off the direct flame. but they don't seem to work.
Old     (migs)      Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: SF Bay Area       03-18-2015, 10:30 AM Reply   
preheat weber to 450+
all 3 burners on high
4mins first side
5 mins other side
Closed lid at all times.
Perfect, no flare ups, no burns.
Old     (jefefitz)      Join Date: May 2002       03-18-2015, 1:05 PM Reply   
i'll put my .02 in...an ideal steak is cooked from edge to edge the exact same temperature, this raises a problem for the super high heat from the start leave I on one side for x minutes (not an ideal method by the way as each and every grill heats differently, has different hotspots, the afore mentioned flare ups etc.). The ideal method to achieve a perfect edge to edge temp (whatever your preference may be) is to bring the steak to room temp, salt and pepper well in advance, the thicker the cut the earlier you would season, seasonings other than salt and pepper are your personal preference, but I enjoy the taste of the beef so that's all I use. heat one side of the grill to max but place your steak over non direct heat, then flip, flip, flip, the more you flip the more evenly it will cook. This takes time, and attention but we are looking for perfection here aren't we? the constant flipping and the indirect heat keep the steak from getting the "bulls eye" effect where the steak may be the preferred med rare in the center but gradually works its way out to the edges to a med well/ well done. Here's where it gets even more weird, if you are seeking an internal temp of say 130, pull it at 125, rest it a good 15 minutes uncovered for a nice thick steak (over 1.5"). Once rested throw it back on the super heated side of the grill to build the crust. I know this sounds back wards but if you think of the science behind cooking a steak it makes sense, you are essentially trying to bring a piece of protein up to certain temperature, you want the entire piece of protein to be that temperature without exceeding said temp, a gradual approach is best. This is NOT how restaurants cook their steaks, because they cant afford the time and attention to one piece of meat like you can at home.
Old     (alans)      Join Date: Aug 2005       03-18-2015, 1:36 PM Reply   
We eat a lot of red meat at my house. I have a Weber 3 burner Summit on Natural Gas. I preheat on high to about 600. Throw steaks on, 1.25-1.5" cuts, back the knobs back to Med.
Cook for 3 min, rotate 90, 2 min., flip, 3min rotate 90, 2min. take off. That is usually medium-rare depending on thickness and cut.
Old     (onthecreek)      Join Date: Apr 2013       03-18-2015, 1:54 PM Reply   
Jeff's process for cooking longer at a lower heat works great for prime rib and whole tenderloins. But, those are much larger roasts. Cooking that way the meat is almost entirely pink without the more well-done gray borders around the more rare middle of the roast.

Jonesing for a steak after this thread!
Old     (jefefitz)      Join Date: May 2002       03-18-2015, 2:08 PM Reply   
also, if you're looking for an awesome "how to" cooking site, check out www.chefsteps.com, some of their stuff is a bit out there and requires special equipment, but a lot of it is just awesome. their biscuit recipe is amazing.
Old     (alans)      Join Date: Aug 2005       03-19-2015, 8:10 AM Reply   
Guess what I had laying out on the counter when I got home. 3,2,3,2.
Attached Images
   
Old     (fouroheight68)      Join Date: May 2006       03-19-2015, 11:21 AM Reply   
Has anyone here tried the cooking technique "sous vide"? It is basically the next generation slow cooker. Supposedly the BEST way to cook any kind of meat (steak included).


Basically, for a steak you sear the outside for the char, put it in the plastic and cook it for say 12-24 hours

Here is how to make the PERFECT steak (supposedly) using this process http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/03/h...ide-steak.html
Old     (fouroheight68)      Join Date: May 2006       03-19-2015, 11:22 AM Reply   
You can get a precision cooker for fairly inexpensive http://www.cnet.com/products/anova-precision-cooker/
Old     (tonyv420)      Join Date: Jul 2007       03-20-2015, 11:58 AM Reply   
This thread is hilarious! 2,2,2,2 is all you need, as soon as you see it start to bleed out the top, its a perfect medium!
Old     (tn_rider)      Join Date: Dec 2009       03-23-2015, 8:07 AM Reply   
All you need is a green egg...best grill ever ha
Old     (jonblarc7)      Join Date: Jul 2006       03-25-2015, 7:42 AM Reply   
Best marinade I have ever used. 15 mins in a zip lock bag makes the steak so tender. I love steaks but after using this stuff I don't like ordering steaks at restaurants any more.

I do the high heat method too and also let the steaks come up to room temperature before putting them on the grill too.

3 mins high each side

then

2 mins on low on the top rack to finish them off


Sometimes the wife wants hers cooked alittle more than mine so I put hers one 2 mins earlier.
Attached Images
 
Old     (jonblarc7)      Join Date: Jul 2006       03-25-2015, 7:43 AM Reply   
You can find it at any grocery store!!!!!

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