| Step 1 - MarinatingFor a grilled piece of meat to truly | | | | hotter the better. A hotter grill cooks faster. Faster |
| be great it must have been marinated properly. Let | | | | cooking equals a juicier steak.Put the steak on the |
| me give you two rules of thumb. The first is that | | | | grill. Now watch the sides. You're looking for the sides |
| you need to let the meat have some time in the | | | | of the meat to start turning gray. When that |
| juices you are soaking it in.Marinating for three hours | | | | happens, flip the meat. There should be good grill |
| won't cut it. (Naturally, there are exceptions, but this | | | | marks on the meat.When the sides have grayed up |
| is just a rule of thumb.) It needs time to soak the | | | | completely, look for good grill marks on the other |
| flavors up. The other rule of thumb is that the | | | | side. If they are present, it's time to check for |
| marinade should include some kind of acidic | | | | doneness.This little test that I'm going to tell you was |
| component (e.g. vinegar). This not only gives the | | | | taught to me when I worked a restaurant by an old |
| meat flavor, but it also acts like a tenderizer. It | | | | short-order cook.Take a fork or your spatula and |
| breaks the toughness in the meat down.Here is a | | | | press on the center of the steak. Try to move it |
| simple steak marinade. You can find a whole bunch | | | | side to side. Raw meat will total squish and move |
| more on the internet. Just search Google for "steak | | | | side-to-side.Well-done meat will not. It will be harder |
| marinade recipe"1/2 cup soy sauce | | | | to press down, and none of the side-to-side |
| 1/4 cup brown sugar | | | | movement will be there. By the way, a well-done |
| 1 tablespoon lemon juice | | | | steak isn't worth eating. You might as well consider it |
| 1/4 cup red wine vinegar | | | | burnt.When the steak is ready to eat, it will be |
| 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce | | | | slightly harder to press and have a little side-to-side |
| 1 cup of waterDirections: | | | | movement. If you are still unsure as to doneness, |
| Mix all ingredients for marinade. Pour over steak. | | | | take a knife with a thin blade. Make a cut half way |
| Cover and refrigerate overnight. Turn meat over one | | | | through the meat in the center about one inch long. |
| time.Step 2 - GrillingThis is really an easy step, but so | | | | Twist the blade to reveal the center. It should be a |
| many people get it wrong. They're afraid of | | | | light pink.Step 3 - RestThis is a very important step, |
| overdoing the meat. Perhaps it's the other way | | | | yet seems to be skipped far too much. Remove it |
| around. They are afraid of it being underdone.Side | | | | from the grill and just let it be for 5 minutes. This will |
| note: I have a slightly mischievous side to me. I can't | | | | result in much more succulent steak. It needs this |
| help it. Speaking of underdone meat reminded me of | | | | time to reabsorb its own juices.If you did make a cut |
| something. Next time you see someone eating a rare | | | | in the meat when testing for doneness, make sure |
| steak, wait until the meat just touches their mouth. | | | | the cut is facing up.And that is how to grill a great |
| Then make "mooing" noises like a cow. It can be | | | | steak. Obviously the more you do it, the better you |
| quite humorous. It's even better if there is a | | | | will get.Nathan Pennington is the webmaster of Visit |
| vegetarian present.Okay, I'm back. I promise I won't | | | | the Meat Lodge today for great recipes, how-to's, |
| let that happen again. Telling when a steak is done is | | | | and an occasional insightful article (e.g. does meat |
| easy. But before you even put the steak on the grill, | | | | really cause diabetes?)Go to the today! |
| you want to make sure that the grill is hot! The | | | | |