How to Grill the Perfect Steak
When it comes to grilling great steak the debate begins with Gas vs. Charcoal.
Simple Answer: Charcoal gives you the best flavor and gas, well, it gives you convenience.
Use whatever you have to cook on, just make it taste great
- Once you have spent some serious dough on some great steaks, you do not need to marinate them to tenderize. Only marinate if you want to add flavor. Personally I like to take a big rib steak or porterhouse and marinate it for a couple of hours in bottle of dark ale.
- Season your steaks at the last minute with lots of coarsely ground sea salt, black pepper and lots of garlic.
- For cooking a great steak, I prefer to use charcoal since it gives the best flavor but use whatever grill you have. But make sure you get it hot, 600 degrees F plus if you can. Once you start cooking the steaks remember; high heat lid open, be patient, never leave your grill, don't poke, cut or stick your steaks, and have a beer.
- Place steaks on a hot grill on a 45 degree angle at 11 o'clock. Grill for 2 to 5 minutes to sear, depending on thickness and doneness you want.
- Turn steaks 45 degrees to 2'oclock and cook for another two to five minutes.
- Flip steaks over and baste grilled surface with your favorite baste, like my King of the Q BBQ Sauces or whatever brand you prefer.
- Continue to grill for two to five minutes on a 45 degree angle. Turn steaks 45 degrees and cook for another two to five minutes.
- Flip steaks and baste again. Now you have that fancy chef/steakhouse diamond pattern.
- Remove steaks from grill and let rest for three to five minutes before serving.
Burgers
- Get your ground beef from your local butcher. Freshly ground burgers make for the best tasting burgers.
- Make your burgers and season how you like. Tip: keep the meat very cool before mixing in your seasonings.
- Form your burgers and refrigerate for one hour before grilling. This allows the burgers to set so they won't fall apart on the grill.
- Keep your burgers icy cold before grilling. Fresh burgers keep cold and Frozen burgers always cook from frozen
- Preheat your grill to medium-high, about 450-550 degrees F.
- Grill with lid open.
- Never leave your grill.
- Spray burgers lightly with cooking spray on both sides.
- Grill on a well-seasoned grill. A clean grill is a healthy and hotter grill.
- Never push, squish or cut burgers, leave them alone, have a sip of your favourite beverage instead.
- Use a sharp edged spatula to flip your burgers and flip them only once.
- Move 'em out of the way if a flare up happens.
- Test for doneness with meat thermometer. Burgers should be well done but still juicy. Juices should run clear and the internal temperature should be at minimum of 160 degrees F, 71 degrees C.
- Baste with our favourite baste or sauce.
- Garnish with cheese if desired.
- Toast your buns.
- Add your condiments.
- Chow down and ruin a t-shirt.
Salmon
- Buy salmon filets from your local fish monger or grocery store. Buy fresh and when in season.
- Buy skin on or skinless but make sure they be boneless. I like to use fillets rather than steaks.
- When buying fish remember fresh fish has no smell. If you smell it, it isn't fresh.
- Keep salmon icy cold prior to grilling.
- No need to marinate as salmon has lots of wonderful flavor. I suggest a baste at the end with a little lemon & melted butter or try sweet chili sauce.
- Preheat your grill to medium high 450-550 degrees F.
- Grill with lid open.
- Never leave your grill.
- Spray salmon fillets lightly with cooking spray on both sides. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper if you wish.
- Grill on a well-seasoned grill. A clean grill is a healthy and hotter grill.
- Start with the flesh side down. Grill for a few minutes until you can slide a sharp edged spatula under the flesh and it easily comes away from the grill. If it is stuck to the grill, be patient and wait for a few minutes and let the salmon continue to cook.
- Once it is cooked it should easily come away from the grill. Turn ¼ turn to make X grill marks. Flip once to skin side and continue to grill until just done through. I like my salmon medium to medium rare but if you like it more well done. Go for it. A medium cooked piece of salmon should take about 15 minutes.
- Baste during the last few moments of cooking
- My tip for telling when the salmon is done is that the flesh should slide easily away from the skin. When that happens, the salmon is perfect.
- Remove from grill and enjoy
About Ted Reader
An award-winning chef and food entertainer, who's parlayed his passion for food into a culinary tour de force that includes more than a dozen cookbooks, shelves of food products, live culinary performances, TV and radio cooking shows and appearances as well as culinary demonstrations, a catering company and teaching.
Ted was awarded two prestigious awards for his cookbook, Napoleon's Everyday Gourmet Grilling - Best Barbecue Book by the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards and it also won the Cordon d' Or - Gold Ribbon BBQ Cookbook Culinary Academy Award in the 2008 Awards Program. Then in 2009, Ted took home Best Barbecue Book at the Gourmand Cookbook Awards for Napoleon's Everyday Gourmet Plank Grilling.
Last year he launched two books, Beerlicious and the Complete Idiots Guide to Smoking Foods. Ted's newest cookbook for 2013 is Gastro Grilling, 135 delicious full colour recipes.
- The one kitchen tool he can't live without: My OXO 9" Stainless Chef Tongs, without them things just don't flip, turn and move as smoothly
- The one thing that's always in his fridge: Tabasco Chipotle Sauce
- His favourite meal: Charcoal Grilled Kansas City Strip Steak (that's bone in) cut 2 inches thick & seasoned with kosher salt and black pepper, grilled over hard wood charcoal and basted with a mixture of bourbon & butter. Grilled rare. That be my favorite meal any day of the week!
For additional information on Ted's World Famous BBQ, visit: www.tedreader.com
