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