Barbeque 101—Basic Steak

Summer is the season where much of the cooking moves outdoors to the grill. Men who couldn’t find their way in the kitchen during winter now find themselves “masters of their domain” on the porch or in the back yard. Cooking meat outdoors must reach back to our caveman heritage because food cooked this way not only seems to taste better, but it feels good, too!

I know everyone has his own “tricks of the trade,” but I would like to share some of my basic tips for those who are novices and those who would like to improve a little.

Gas or Charcoal?

Purists insist charcoal makes food taste better and go through the ritual of lighting the coals—please no lighter fluids—stacking them properly, adding more coals as necessary, washing dirty hands and spending much time with a water pistol to keep the flames down. I changed over to a gas grill many years ago for the convenience, versatility and lack of stress. I only use my charcoal grill when smoking a turkey or roast. (See “wood chips” below.)

Getting Started

First, make sure you have enough propane gas to finish your cooking. The gauges on most gas grills are not very accurate, and, when in doubt, check the weight of the propane tank and refill when it seem light. Some locations that sell propane will only charge for the amount they re-fill. Check around.

Start with clean grates. Good cleaning tools are available everywhere and should be used immediately after you have finished cooking a meal while the grates are hot. I have stainless steel grates and find them worth the extra cost as I can clean them in my self cleaning oven at the same time. While this method will discolor the grates, they will come out clean and will last longer.

Before turning on the gas, oil the grates with either a spray can or a paper towel soaked with a tablespoon of cooking oil and wiped over the surface.

Wood Chips

I love the taste of food that has been exposed to smoldering wood chips. I use hickory most of the time, but apple, cherry or mesquite are also good and can also be used. You can find them in the hardware store or any place that sells Weber grills. Soak a handful or so of wood chips in a cup or two of water for at least an hour before starting to cook so that they smolder and do not flame. On charcoal grills, the chips are spread right on the coals.  But on gas grills, the chips must be put in a metal container placed on the lower left corner under the grate.

Pre-heat

With a clean, oiled grill and soaked wood chips in place, we are now ready to light up. Turn all burners to “high.” Close the lid and give it at least 15 minutes to reach 500°. The wood chips should just begin to smoke. This is a good time to prepare the salad, boil water for corn and have a glass of wine.

Great Steak Recipe

First, when buying steak, look for well-marbled meat as the fat flakes provide much of the flavor. Most important is that the meat be at least 1 ¼ inches thick. I try to buy meat that is 1 ¼” to 1 ¾” thick. Ask the butcher to cut it. If this results in too much meat, I cut the portion in half and freeze the rest. Grilling calls for thicker cuts, so don’t compromise.

Season the meat with seasoning salt. (I use Jane’s Crazy Mixed Up Salt or a special formula I get from The Salty Chef, Web site in development.) Add little pepper and tenderize the meat by poking lots of holes with a four-pronged fork. Slosh on Worcestershire Sauce. Turn the steak over and repeat. Let the steak marinate for up to a half hour. You can use this method for strip steak, rib eye, Porterhouse or sirloin. Don’t forget to tenderize both sides well.

With the oven at 500°, the chips beginning to smoke, put the steak on, shut the middle burner off, and close the lid. I give each side about six minutes or so for dark on the outside and rare in the middle. If you are unsure, use a digital meat thermometer –140^o for rare, 160° for medium, 170° for well done. Use tongs to turn the meat—not forks! Keep the lid closed to maximize the smoke flavor and keep the temperature up.

I love using my grill almost all year. Please let me know how this recipe works for you. Happy cooking! 

Chef Rick Levy

chefricklevy@hotmail.com

7-6-5 Grilled Pork Tenderloin

If the weather cooperates, in a few weeks it will be time to get out your grill. This master grilling recipe works perfectly, no matter how you flavor the pork. Choose one of the glazes I suggest for a beautiful crust or use your own favorite dry rub, as long as it’s low in salt. Be sure to buy pork tenderloins that haven’t been treated or soaked in any kind of solution by the producer.

Serves four to five.

·        2 pork tenderloins (about 2 lbs. total) brined.

·        1 recipe concentrated fruit glaze (use Rosemary-Orange Glaze) or one of your own creations or other seasoning.

·        Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Brine the 2 tenderloins – in a medium bowl, mix ½ cup kosher salt and ½ cup kosher salt and ½ cup sugar with 1 quart cool water until dissolved. Trim the tenderloins of excess fat and silverskin and submerge them in the brine; let stand about 45 minutes. Remove the pork from brine, rinse thoroughly and pat dry.

Season and grill – Rub the brined tenderloins all over with the glaze and then season with the pepper. Or, season to taste with another flavoring of your choice.

Heat a gas grill, turning all the burners to high until the grill is fully heated, 10 to 15 minutes.

Put the pork on the hot grill grate. Close the lid and grill for 7 minutes. Turn the pork over, close the lid, and grill for another 6 minutes. Turn off the heat (keep the lid closed) and continue to cook the pork for another 5 minutes. At this point, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the thickest end of the tenderloin should read 145° to 150°F. (If not, close the lid and let the pork continue to roast in the residual grill heat.) Remove the pork from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before carving. Cut across the grain into ½ inch slices and serve immediately.

Rosemary-Orange Glaze

This glaze is equally good made with 2 tsps. dried rubbed sage instead of the rosemary.  Yield enough to glaze two pork tenderloins.

·        ¼ cup frozen OJ concentrate, thawed

·        1 teaspoon brown sugar

·        4 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

In a small saucepan, bring the concentrate, brown sugar and rosemary to a simmer. Simmer until the mixture reduces to about 2 tablespoons. Set aside to cool slightly.