Secrets to the Best Barbecue Steak | The Good Pour

Secrets to the Best Barbecue Steak

Posted by Susie Hindle Kher in Food and Drink on March 10, 2012

You can say what you want about chicken wings or hamburgers, but steak is always the main attraction at any barbecue. It?s is a symbol of what barbecue food is all about ? home-cooked, wholesome, juicy, and loaded with bold flavor. When it comes to steak, a frying pan or indoor electric grill never comes close to the authenticity of barbecue. It is perhaps the ultimate pairing of a food and a cooking process that result in something entirely unique. And the best thing is, you don?t have to be a trained chef to the grill restaurant-quality steak in your own backyard. You do however, have to be willing to put in the effort to building up your own skills while buying quality cuts of meat. Let?s take a look at some secrets for getting the best barbecue steak the next time you fire up your grill.

Your Cut of Meat

It?s really a simple matter of science here. Different cuts of meat have different fat compositions and they will be more tender or tougher depending on where they come from. You don?t necessarily have to go with the most expensive either since something like filet Mignon might not be the best fit for a more old-school meal. Porterhouse is always a great choice, or a cheaper alternative is a classic T-bone steak. Strip steaks work well too if you want something leaner without being super tender. A good all-around choice would be top sirloin which mixes flavor with affordability.

Salt or No Salt

There is a bit of debate in the barbecue community over whether to salt beforehand or not. You can do a bit of your own research to see what your favorite chefs say. But whether you do it an hour beforehand or right before your steak hits the grill, no one will deny that you have to put salt on your steak for basic flavor. Pepper too!

Room Temperature

Don?t take your steak from the fridge and put it right on your grill. This can serve as a shock to the meat that results in a less tender product. Let your meat reach room temperature first and you?ll have a much easier transition towards a well-cooked scrumptious steak.

Gas or Charcoal

This is a matter of personal choice and what you already own in your backyard. Traditionalists will claim that charcoal BBQs (like these ones) are the only way to barbecue high-quality cut of meat. It?s hard to argue this fact, but it?s obviously not as convenient. So if all you have is a gas grill, you can still get a nice charbroiled effect, especially if you happen to have a Weber model with a sear station.

Cook it Right

You might be dealing with high temperatures and flames dancing all around your grill. But the process of cooking shouldn?t be hectic or fast-paced. In fact, all you have to do is let your steak sit on the grill until that first side is done. You can rotate it once if you like to get those signature barbecue marks that everyone loved so much. But after that first side is nicely seared, all you have to do is flip it over again to let the process finished. And that?s it, don?t start moving it around or pressing down with a spatula to speed up the process. And no matter what, don?t cut into it beforehand to see if it?s ready-to-eat. All the juices will spill out into your grill, and you?ll be left with a dry piece of overcooked leather.

Let it Rest

Barbecue is truly an exercise in patience because you?re not allowed to eat just yet. Let your steak sit and rest comfortably so that the internal juices can redistribute. This will ensure that you get a fully juicy steak, and don?t worry it?s not going to get cold.

The Perfect Sides

Steak is a main feature but it?s only as good as what goes alongside it. So make sure that you put some thought into the perfect sides that combine help with flavor. There?s lots of choice in the world of vegetables, and you might find its duration from other cultural foods as well. When you come up with a creative medley of sides to go with your perfectly grilled steak, it?s an experience like no other.

The Right Wine or Beer

Grilled steak is best complemented by a hearty, tannic red wine or a hoppy brown ale. A big California Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, will stand up and match the steak?s intensity. A white wine paired with steak isn?t a no-no, but the steak will overwhelm the flavors of your white wine. For beer lovers, a red, like Elysian Brewing?s ?The Men?s Room? Original Red Ale, would be a perfect complement to a hearty steak. And, it wouldn?t be any fun to barbecue if you didn?t pour a mug or glass of our favorite beer or wine while you?re grilling your steak on the BBQ.

This look at grilling steak comes to us from Gas Grills and BBQ where you can find more recipe ideas and information on outdoor cooking. Or more importantly, it?s a perfect place to find reviews if you?re looking to upgrade your current model.

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Source: http://blog.letspour.com/wine2012/beer03/secrets-best-barbecue-steak/

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