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est.1997

Updated October 29,  2019

How to Grill The Perfect Steak
Step 1: The Prep
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First, Know Your Beef

 

What you want: 
When you're ready to buy, you should be looking for Grain-Fed beef, richly
marbled that will give you the sweet flavor that you get at top American steakhouses.  

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Thickness of the cut is critical and here's why:

One-and-a-half to two inches is NOT an arbitrary measurement when it comes to thick cuts like Rib Eye or New York Strip, rather this measurement ensures that your steak will achieve the optimum char on the outside just as it achieves the ideal temperature on the inside. 
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Let it Warm Up

NOTE: If you're buying your beef in large quantities and have it frozen, it will need to be completely thawed prior to this step.
Take your steaks out of the fridge several (6 to 10) hours before you cook them and let it completely come up to room temperature. If you skip this step, the outcome will disappoint you. As Rob Levitt of Chicago's The Butcher & Larder describes it: "The outside will be charred and the inside will be mostly gray meat with a little nugget of red in the middle."

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Seasoning is Critical !

Salt
A few hours before you grill, lightly sprinkle both sides of the steak with salt, put it on a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet. The salt helps the cells retain water, guaranteeing juicy meat.  Before placing it on the grill, pat dry with paper towels, and generously salt the meat again.  Bigger grain salt make for a superior crust.  I prefer Mediterranean Sea Salt, renowned for its ability to draw out the natural flavors of food.   

Pepper
Crack your Own Pepper. Pepper not only adds an element of spice to steak, it also adds texture. You want a combination of fine, medium, and big pieces. To achieve this, pour whole peppercorns in a resealable plastic bag and crush them with a heavy skillet.  Or you can do as I do, and buy Indian Malabar Peppercorns and grind them yourself in your pepper grinder.
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How to Grill The Perfect Steak
Step 2: The Fire

 
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How to Grill The Perfect Steak
Step 3: Let it Rest

Letting it Rest

The advice is right, and it is no small matter. Ten minutes of calm does wonders for a steak. Fibers relax. Juices spread. Colors are re-calibrated and flavors retained.

If given the time to rest the meat will lose less juice when you cut it and when you eat it the meat will be juicier and tastier.
The time taken to rest will depend on its size. Steaks should stand for no less than 5 but no more than 10 before serving.