How To Buy and Barbecue a Perfect Steak

Buy Carefully

The United States Department of Agriculture inspects the nation's beef supply and grades it according to tenderness, texture, and "marbling," a term that refers to the distribution of intramuscular fat. (Remember this equation: Fat = Flavor.) There are eight USDA grades, but only two -- "Prime" and "Choice" -- are of interest to steak lovers.

Only about 2 percent of U.S. beef is graded "Prime." Most is exported or sold directly to restaurants, but it can be found at specialty meat markets or through high-end Internet purveyors like Allen Brothers or Lobel's. "Choice" is the grade generally carried by supermarkets, and because the guidelines for classifying meat are fairly subjective, it can be as good as "Prime," in some cases. I often buy "Choice." Note: Costco and Sams Club sells prime for $11 per lb.

I advise you to make good friends with your butcher, and have him or her notify you when they have especially nice steaks on hand. Tender, generously-marbled cuts-I always prefer bone-in if that's an option-are best suited to the high, dry heat of the grill.

Good candidates include:

T-bone: This is a happy marriage of a New York strip steak and beef tenderloin;

Porterhouse: Like a T-bone, this cut contains the bone joining the top loin and the tenderloin, but the tenderloin must be more than 1-1/4 inches in diameter;

New York strip: Sometimes known as a shell or club steak, this cut is taken from the top loin;

Rib eye steak: very beefy and one of the most flavorful cuts. This same cut without the bone is known as a Delmonico steak;

Tenderloin: one of the tenderest cuts of beef, but the least flavorful. (Muscles that are used the least develop the least flavor.) Individual cuts from this muscle are known in restaurants as filet mignon, or if they are large enough to serve two or more, they are called Chateaubriand;

Sirloin: Adjacent to the short loin; moderately tender, but very beefy-tasting.Other, more fibrous cuts that have become popular with grillers are flank steak, skirt steak (the traditional meat for fajitas), hanger steak, and flat-iron steak.

Here are two other terms steak lovers should know:

Wet Aging: Meat is vacuum-sealed in its own juices in plastic, such as Cryovac, and kept under controlled conditions until natural enzymes tenderize it from within and deepen its flavor;

Dry Aging: In an environment where temperature, circulation, and humidity are scrupulously controlled, meat is held for two to three weeks. Again, enzymes tenderize the meat and deepen the flavor, but because the raw meat's exposed to air, dessicated parts have to be trimmed off; this makes dry-aged steaks more expensive as approximately 20 per cent of the meat goes to waste. Dry-aged steak is my hands-down favorite.

Barbecue Tips
1. Never thaw meat out at room temperature. Allow to thaw in refridgerator. This allows the meat to thaw slowly while retaining the natural juices essential for great flavor. Smaller items such as steaks, chops, chickens, etc will usually thaw overnight or within one day in your refrigerator. Larger items such as roasts may take a few days to fully thaw in your refrigerator.

2. Don’t be afraid to NOT season steaks with salts prior to barbecuing. Salts dry out meat during cooking. Personal preference should be utilized. If you prefer to season, here is my suggestion. Fill a small container with coarse kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic. Then, sprinkle over the meat to suit your taste.

3. Sear the meat on each side first. Searing traps flavors and juices in.

4. REDUCE HEAT during the barbecuing process. This allows the meat to cook slower and produces a more moist and flavorful taste.
Do not immediately serve. Allow meat to cool down for several minutes. The high heat from the barbecue allows for shorter cooking time, but it also drives the meats natural juices to the center of the cut. By allowing the meat to rest, you are allowing the juices to redistribute themselves throughout the meat.

Beef Steaks .....Gourmet .....USDA
Rare................... 125-130 F.. 140 F
Medium Rare ....130-140 F ..150 F
Medium .............140-150 F.. 160 F
Medium Well ....155-165 F ..170 F
Well Done NA