Those Fourth of July cookouts are just around the corner, so the timing is right for a little advice from Texas' top chef. These are from Tim Love's
High Steaks Grilling demo at this year's
Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.
In addition to some very funny anecdotes, and a couple believe-it-or-not grilling war stories (
like drinking shots of canola oil), Love mixed in quite a few valuable tips and techniques, which I'd love to share.
Don't use olive oil on steaks before grilling. Love says the oil burns easily and gets bitter. He suggests using peanut oil or other vegetable oil with a high smoke point. Love was wearing a bright orange shirt during the demo, which he joked was a tribute to his friend, and lover of olive oil, Mario Batali.
The meat should not be ice cold. Allow your steaks to sit out at room temperature to take the chill off. This allows for even cooking.
Love says to always salt the meat before grilling to create a flavorful crust. His rule of thumb for home cooks is to salt the meat twice as much as you think is needed.
When cooking for a larger group, Love suggests grilling the steaks ahead of time. Once they're cooked medium-rare, they can be held on trays at room temperature for several hours. When needed, simply reheat on the upper rack of the grill, or in a 400 degrees F. oven until hot.
Once the steaks are ready to serve, Love suggests a little bit of acid, like a drizzle of lemon or splash of vinegar, which combines with the melted fat in the grilled meat to create a sort of vinaigrette effect, or as the chef called it, a "meat salad."
Carefully check the marbling of steaks in the meat case, since its grade may not necessarily be accurate. Love explained that just because a steak is labeled "Prime," doesn't mean it is. When inspectors grade beef, they only evaluate the rib eye between the 12th and 13th rib. Whatever grade that section gets, every other cut on the steer get.
For a change of pace, try skirt steak. Love says, if not over-cooked, it's easily the juiciest and most flavorful cut on the steer.
And, of course, it wouldn't be a grilling tips list without the obligatory, "Never cut into a steak unless it has rested." Five to ten minutes seems to be the accepted standard for patience.
Thanks to chef Love for all the great info, and if you ever get the chance to attend one of his events, I highly recommend it. They say the best teachers make learning fun, and it doesn't get much more fun than watching and listening to Tim Love.
Photo (c) John Mitzewich 
Comments