Tips For Grilling Steaks on a Gas Grill
Grilled to Perfection: Tips to keep the Sizzle in Your Gas Grilled Steak
Are you tired of guessing the best ways to prepare the grill and the meat? have you eaten enough over-cooked, dry steak? have you wondered how restaurants produce those steaks with the picture perfect grilling pattern? if you answered 'yes' to any of those questions, then you will appreciate these simple tips. Here are some answers to common questions about grilling steaks.
- What temperature? before you get started, determine how everyone likes their steak cooked. use the highest heat for rare or medium-rare, and medium heat for medium or well-done. this sounds counterintuitive, but the rarer steaks need to cook fast at a high heat in order to sear the outside and keep the inside rare. the more well-done steaks should cook slowly on a medium heat in order to avoid burning the outside and drying out the inside.
- How to prepare the grill? Oil the grill by brushing a thin layer of oil on the grates. You can also rub the steak fat onto the grate using tongs.
- How to prepare the meat? While the grill is heating, remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature before placing on the grill. Rinse and trim the fat.
- How to treat the meat? keep the steaks moist and tender by coating with a thin layer of cooking oil and the seasoning of your choice. A little salt and as much pepper as you like are good default seasonings. You can also try garlic powder, or a dash of cayenne pepper.
- When to flip the steak? look for signs that the steak is starting to bleed through. You'll see small red spots, which will tell you it's time to flip the steak over.
- Although you only need to flip it once, flipping it multiple times will create a nice criss-cross pattern. Grill each steak for one minute. Turn on the grill on the other side for one minute. then, turn and replace at a 45-degree angle for half of the remaining cooking time. Turn once more at a different 45-degree angle for the final minutes on the grill.
- How long should it cook? Although a thermometer (see below) is suggested, it's good to have a general idea of how long to cook each steak. Here are some general guidelines, depending on the thickness of the steak:
- 1 Thick Steaks - Rare 8-10 minutes, Medium 12-14 minutes, well 16-20 minutes
- 1 1/2 Thick Steaks - Rare 10-16 minutes, Medium16-20 minutes, Well22-26 minutes
- 2 Thick Steaks - Rare12-16 minutes, Medium18-22 minutes, Well24-28 minutes
- When is the meat done? we all know the cut and look method to determine of the meat is done. this isn't ideal, because if it's too late, then you've overcooked the steak. if it's too soon, then you run the risk of drying out the meat. this is the perfect time to use a meat thermometer, ideally a meat fork.
- When is the meat ready to eat? the steak continues to cook for abut 5minutes after you remove it from the grill. keep this in mind when determining the optimal temperature for your preferred 'doneness'. Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before eating.
Few things say summer like the sizzle and aroma of a steak cooking on your gas grill. Grilling the perfect steak may be easier than you realize. and if you follow these easy tips, you'll be sure to dazzle your guests and family. just remember that with a little preparation, some patience, and the right tools, grilling the perfect steak to please everyone is easy. Follow these tips, and you can just sit back and relax. Let your grill do the work for you.
Char Broil Quantum Infrared Urban Gas Grill Review
Save up to 30% ▷▷▷amazon.com Char Broil Quantum Infrared Urban Gas Grill Review Got my Quantum Urban last week with high expectations based on glowing (no pun) reports from the highly satisfied 5-star group and the advertising hype for high heat searing, juicy meat, blah, blah, blah. Well I can’t get this sucker to pump heat above 450F with gauges set at full blast, even after multiple tries over extended warm-ups. What’s worse, a temperature reading at the grill surface with a Taylor surface thermometer peaks out at 400F. I did the troubleshoot routine several times of disengaging and reattaching the regulator after the recommended 30 second wait. Still no improvement. What adds insult to injury is the flagrant misrepresentation of easy setup within 30 minutes. Hey, I’m no slouch with tools and erector sets, but this beats all. It took several hours and contortionist pretzel bending to tighten bolts and screws in tight corners. my wife nearly got her finger lopped off helping me set the cooking unit on top of the base stand. if you’re tempted to try the Quantum in spite of my negative review, I suggest buying the unit from a local dealer that allows returns. if someone knows how to get the Quantum fired-up to its presumed potential, please post a response. Char Broil Quantum Infrared Urban Gas Grill Review Save up to 30% ▷▷▷amazon.com
Experimenting With Barbecue Sauce Recipes
In general, I am not a chef. In my house, I do very little of the cooking, although I do enjoy it when I get the chance. The one thing that I have always loves to cook, and insist on cooking every time, is barbecued meat. I love barbecuing, grilling, roasting, smoking anything that involves placing a good cut of meat over high heat and open flames.
I have to confess that one of the things I like about this form of cooking is that it is so easy to get good results. As long as you have the rights barbeque sauce, you can not go wrong. Until recently, I never had to try a barbecue sauce recipe, because there was a locally made barbecue sauce called Memphis Minnie's that was just simply spectacular. Unfortunately, it recently went under.
I tried cooking with other locally available barbecue sauce recipes, but it was just not the same. People who had praised my cooking in the past were much less lavish with their praise. I just could not get the same results. I looked everywhere for a barbecue sauce recipe that would duplicate the flavor of Memphis Minnie's, but it was all in vain.
Finally, I figured out that I would have to invent my own barbecue sauce recipe. I had no idea how to go about doing this, and had to learn all kinds of new things. Preparing a barbecue sauce recipe is not as easy as you might think. You have to strike a delicate balance between preserving the flavor, and creating something that is delicious immediately after it is cooked. Almost any good barbecue sauce recipe, it turns out, has to be used within a week of being prepared. Otherwise, it will become stale.
The fact that I lost my favorite recipe for barbecue sauce turned out to be a blessing in disguise. You see, once I started experimenting with barbecue sauce recipes, I found out quickly that you can make something that is much more delicious than anything you can buy in the store. As long as you are able to use it up within the next couple days, you can make something that is spectacularly flavorful and much more healthy than any commercially available barbecue sauce recipe. Knowing this, I have decided to never buy barbecue sauce again. Why would I, when I can make something that tastes much better? I never got so many compliments before...
Why We Love Grilling Outdoors
Brian Hill asked:
Millions of us enjoy outdoor cooking. It's part of the rhythm of our lives, as natural as the changing of the seasons. Guys whose only time spent in the kitchen involves searching for beer in the refrigerator jump at the chance to cook dinner on the outdoor grill. Why? It's just plain fun, and a great social activity, gathering in the backyard with friends or family for a relaxed cookout. Becoming a competent backyard chef doesn't require any prior cooking skill or experience. You can start with the basics, such as grilling burgers or steaks, and as you gain confidence, expand your repertoire to more complex dishes. You can experiment with spice rubs and sauces, until you create your own signature recipes.
If you pay attention to what your doing, grilling or smoking meats is difficult to goof up. It doesn't require exact measurement of ingredients, such as baking does. In fact many a backyard grillmeister has discovered his or her best dishes after uttering the phrase: "What if we try this..." The major challenge is "doneness," recognizing when to take the foods off the grill so you don't end up with dry, grey overdone meats, scorched fish or undercooked chicken. But that just comes with experience. You reach the point where you don't have to cut into the steak to see if it is medium-rare. You just know.
These days, the sky's the limit in terms of the types of dishes you can prepare outdoors, and the flavors you can produce: even desserts can be prepared on the grill. Grocery store shelves are crammed with exotic marinades from every type of cuisine.
Let's not forget the most important part: grilled or barbecued food just tastes better than food cooked in the oven or on the stove. Searing meat over a high flame adds that delicious crust or "char" flavor. And what's better than the rich flavor of meats slow cooked over wood smoke?
Smoking or Grilling
Generally speaking, grilling refers to cooking foods quickly in an open cooker, over high heat. Smoking is a process of cooking more slowly, over a low heat, often with the cooker closed. But these processes are not mutually exclusive. You might sear a pork tenderloin over high heat, and then move it off the fire and let it finish cooking more slowly, adding wood chips to the fire to give it additional flavor, and closing the lid on the grill unit. Many outdoor chefs have two distinct cooking units: a gas or charcoal grill and a meat smoker. But many grills can serve double duty as smokers.
Enjoy yourself but keep safety in mind
Take precautions when you're grilling. Keep food icy cold until you're ready to grill. Salads and side dishes should be kept in a cooler until ready to serve. Don't cross contaminate utensils, plates, or the grill surface.
A fire extinguisher in easy reach is a must. It's also a good idea to have a pitcher of water nearby and a bowl of ice cubes. If you do burn your hand plunge it into the ice cubes for fast relief. And of course keep the grill out of busy pathways.
Millions of us enjoy outdoor cooking. It's part of the rhythm of our lives, as natural as the changing of the seasons. Guys whose only time spent in the kitchen involves searching for beer in the refrigerator jump at the chance to cook dinner on the outdoor grill. Why? It's just plain fun, and a great social activity, gathering in the backyard with friends or family for a relaxed cookout. Becoming a competent backyard chef doesn't require any prior cooking skill or experience. You can start with the basics, such as grilling burgers or steaks, and as you gain confidence, expand your repertoire to more complex dishes. You can experiment with spice rubs and sauces, until you create your own signature recipes.
If you pay attention to what your doing, grilling or smoking meats is difficult to goof up. It doesn't require exact measurement of ingredients, such as baking does. In fact many a backyard grillmeister has discovered his or her best dishes after uttering the phrase: "What if we try this..." The major challenge is "doneness," recognizing when to take the foods off the grill so you don't end up with dry, grey overdone meats, scorched fish or undercooked chicken. But that just comes with experience. You reach the point where you don't have to cut into the steak to see if it is medium-rare. You just know.
These days, the sky's the limit in terms of the types of dishes you can prepare outdoors, and the flavors you can produce: even desserts can be prepared on the grill. Grocery store shelves are crammed with exotic marinades from every type of cuisine.
Let's not forget the most important part: grilled or barbecued food just tastes better than food cooked in the oven or on the stove. Searing meat over a high flame adds that delicious crust or "char" flavor. And what's better than the rich flavor of meats slow cooked over wood smoke?
Smoking or Grilling
Generally speaking, grilling refers to cooking foods quickly in an open cooker, over high heat. Smoking is a process of cooking more slowly, over a low heat, often with the cooker closed. But these processes are not mutually exclusive. You might sear a pork tenderloin over high heat, and then move it off the fire and let it finish cooking more slowly, adding wood chips to the fire to give it additional flavor, and closing the lid on the grill unit. Many outdoor chefs have two distinct cooking units: a gas or charcoal grill and a meat smoker. But many grills can serve double duty as smokers.
Enjoy yourself but keep safety in mind
Take precautions when you're grilling. Keep food icy cold until you're ready to grill. Salads and side dishes should be kept in a cooler until ready to serve. Don't cross contaminate utensils, plates, or the grill surface.
A fire extinguisher in easy reach is a must. It's also a good idea to have a pitcher of water nearby and a bowl of ice cubes. If you do burn your hand plunge it into the ice cubes for fast relief. And of course keep the grill out of busy pathways.
