Grilled Steak Recipe
For those who don’t know the meaning of the word “Vegetarian.”
I usually cook this on a charcoal grill. (with real charcoal, not briquettes the extra buck in cost per a bag is well worth the taste difference) But you can also use Alton Brown’s method of cooking in a cast iron frying pan although it doesn’t work as well in my opinion.
Ingredients:
About 1/2 pound of meat per person.
Fresh Ground Pepper
1 1/2 TBS of Soy Sauce (buy from an Asian store, most the US stuff is too weak.)
1 1/2 TBS of Teriyaki Sauce (as above – if you can’t read the label it’s good stuff)
2-3 pieces of garlic cut into slivers
1/4 cup of Apple Vinegar (helps add liquid to the soy sauce and teriyaki sauce and starts breaking down the meat making it more tender)
With a sharp knife poke holes into the meat. Insert garlic slivers into each one. Mix the rest of the ingredients and pour over the meat. Turn the meat until each side is covered. Place in fridge for 15-20 minutes. I usually do this while the grill is heating up. Take this time to also prepare a piece of aluminum foil into a bowl shape. Fill half way with water and place on the grill, usually away from the hottest part.
After the grill is sufficiently hot (test by holding hand 3-4 inches away and count. You want to count to 3 or 4 which will be about 400 degrees F) shake the excess moisture off the steaks. Place on the hottest part of the grill. Wait about 5-6 minutes then turn over. The bottom side should be a reddish brown. 5-6 minutes more pull them off.
Between the vinegar and the water you should have a pretty tender and moist piece of meat. Buying organic meat helps a lot too.
Garlic Blue Cheese Sauce:
Make a basic white sauce base, milk, flour, little butter heated in a frying pan. Add garlic and crumbled blue cheese. Mix well but be sure to not over heat and melt the blue cheese. Makes a good topper for the above steak, fried potatoes, stuffed tomatoes, even a pizza dip.
Next time you grill steak, give this a try:
1) Let your meat come to room tep (65-70 F)
2) Bank you coals to one side, put on some wood chips (Alder or hickory are my favs) and cover your grill (I use a Weber Ketel) to suppress the temp. to about 225F.
3) When the temp is down and the smoke is going aggressively, put the room temp steaks on NOT over the coals.
4) Smoke the steaks for 20-30 min (depending on thickness.) This allows the enzymes to tenderize the meat. they kick in about 100F and inactivate (denature) at about 145F. don’t worry, there’s a lot of time lattitude at that temp.
5) Pull the meat off, uncover the grill, spread out the coals and allow them to get very hot again.
6) Put the steaks back on and grill as usual.
I find this technique can raise the tenderness of a cut of meat by a whole grade! As well as add an incredible smoky flavor.