 Dads, all eyes are going to be on you this Labor Day whether you like it or not. Might as well thrill 'em at the grill with a few moves that'll take your burgers and steak from yum to YOWZA! Fire it up Charcoal briquettes and lighter fluid are just dandy - if you like the acrid taste of chemicals and extra carcinogens added to your food. Gas is quick and clean, of course, but maximum fire flavor comes from hardwood lump charcoal. It's generally not treated with extra chemicals and it's a cinch to light, once you know the trick. Tuck that into the bottom of the chimney starter and pour the coals into the top portion. Make sure you're in a cleared area - outside, always outside - with no ambient, flammable branches, grass, untucked sleeves, hair, children, dogs, etc., around. Then light the paper through the bottom vents. It will catch fire, igniting the coals from below. Scrub it up While you're waiting for the coals to ash, scrub the grill grate. That caked-on gunk from last Labor Day doesn't "add flavor" like some folks say. It's just gross, and it adds funky flavor. You're better than that. Scrub the grate with some balled-up heavy duty aluminum foil and once the goo is gone, slather it with some cooking oil so food won't stick. Cook it up Once the coals are no longer glowing and have a light layer of white ash, pour them - carefully, as they tend to spark - into the bottom of your grill. If you feel like getting a bit fancy, throw in a few sprigs of water-soaked rosemary or a handful of mesquite or hickory chips that have been soaking in beer. This adds an irresistible smoky scent and bang-up flavor to just about any food - even tofu. Replace the grate and close the lid. The grate should be screaming hot when the meat hits it, and this will help. A closed lid will also aid in cooking your burgers and steaks quickly and more thoroughly once they're in. Beef it up Yeah, you've got it down to a science, but these little tips will take your burger game to the next level. - Don't skimp on fat. yes, you're trying to eat healthily, and we applaud that, but we've never met a 90 percent lean burger that's not painfully dry. Opt for 80 percent or even 70 percent and just skip the extra slice of cheese. - Consider using grass-fed ground beef. It's better for the environment and the flavor is outta this world. Just try it once and see how it stacks up against plain old supermarket beef. - Don't handle the meat too much. Form it into loosely packed patties that are slightly lower in the middle than on the sides. The dimple will even out as the meat cooks. - For the love of all that is holy, don't mash down with a spatula while the patties are cooking. Yes, it's big, manly fun to hear the tsssssssss sound as the juice hits the coals, but that's flavor you're wasting. - Don't fuss with the patties while they're cooking. Cook on one side, flip once and cook the other. That's it. Steak it up - Most of the burger tips apply to steak as well - grill screaming hot, don't move it around too much, just the one flip, don't skimp on fat. - We will, however, make an exception for grill marks. Halfway through cooking a side, lift the steak and rotate it 45 degrees for a killer, professional-looking crosshatch. - Blot the meat with a paper towel before you season and cook it. Wet spots just steam the meat and you're cheating yourself out of delicious char. - Speaking of seasoning, kosher salt, fresh-ground pepper and olive oil all are you really need. It's great to get fancy with marinades, but it's STEAK. Just enhance the glorious flavor of it, and you'll be good to go. - Once you take the steak from the grill, let it rest on a board for about 10 minutes to let the juices redistribute. It'll be uniformly delicious and cut like butter. Happy grilling! See all our best grilling advice at Grilling 101 |
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The tip about using hardwood lump charcoal is great. I love it!! But I must caution....this type of charcoal pops like popcorn from time to time, so please be careful. Small floating embers can cause a fire if the surrounding area is dry. My Super Bowl Sunday almost turned tragic! BEWARE...I suggest wetting the surrounding area down prior to starting and keep the water hose near.
use the electric coil starter for the setting the lump wood charcoal on fire. Real fast....and i totally agree with the flavor quality of using wood charcoal..
Actually, some of this contradicts what I've heard before. I heard that with steaks, you should turn them often, that seals in the juices better.
What about the lesbians?! Where are they in all of this?!
Любимая кинолента на твое мнение !
Участники форума eatocracy.cnn.com поделитесь
Мой – Форрест Гамп
I prefer guava wood chunks and kiawe wood chunks from hawaii!
our range hood is already several years old but still going strong",`
If a man doesn't know these "tips", are they really a man?
One thing that wasn't mentioned is that italian dressing should never, ever, ever, ever be used to marinate a steak. Nothing burns me up more than seeing a bunch of amateurs talk about how great their steak is when they marinate it in craft zesty Italian. Idiots. It goes on salad.
I have another tip. Try not to be drunk off your lousy @$$ while you're grilling. Paying more attention to how fast you can gulp down that 11th beer instead of how long the steaks have been atomizing over that 9000-degree blue-flame fire that you created by using plastic chairs for fuel instead of charcoal... yeah, that's not gonna cut it.
This makes my soul hurt
These are all very good tips, but lets give credit where credit is due. All of these tips have been shared by Alton Brown on his show Good Eats. Pieces of this article appear like they were stolen word for word. Its a good summary, but its missing a big special thanks or references section at the end. Phonies!
45 degree turn will get you sissy grill marks; try 90 degree.
http://cancer.about.com/od/foodguide/a/grillingmeat.htm For those who wonder whether or not grilling can cause cancer. According to this site and their MD's, it can.
If you want burgers that are tender and juicy as f, mix 2 or 3 tblsp of white cooking wine or water per patty.
I got my first Big Green Egg about 16 months ago. The lump charcoal is a huge difference in taste. Using lighter fluid is history for me. I'm so happy I found this store here in Nashville that has been selling grills for over 40 years. They a so fully of tips from years of experience. Chef Jeff has some great recipes as well. They are The Hearth & Grill Shop and can be found at http://www.hearthandgrill.com
I still cannot believe how great the Big Green Egg is for grilling and smoking any kind of meat or fish.
Try this, you will love it. Mix 1 part horseradish and 3 parts mayonaise and spread over the steak just after you take it off the grill. I found this recipe in a cookbook written by a former Cattle Trail Cook. Sounds weird, but just try it. It is delicious!!!
this is so not news...
Why does this article refer to Father's Day like it's around the corner? Are we reusing material here? It seems to me this article should have been centered around Labor Day.
For great BBQ and grilling ideas and recipes visit http://www.therecipesource.net !!
"springs of rosemary...to just about food..."
I won't be grilling this year.
I go laid off and can't find a job that pays anything more than minimum wage. After paying child support, alimony, and taxes, there's nothing left.
Labor Day is a great holiday. On Labor Day, we can celebrate the greatness of our country.
Charcoal only leaves a tast if you rush it. You have to let it get gray first. Once that happens the checmical lighter fluid has burned off. Thats what leaves the taste. Also, clean the grill top but leave it greasy. You dont want old food chunks but the old grease leaves it seasoned so the meat doesn't stick.
I agree about the lighter fluid. Make a pyramid of the charcoal and squirt the fluid around the bottom. Let the coals stay in the pyramid or cone until they're glowing ALL the way through. Then there's never any aftertaste of lighter fluid.
But I clean the grate thoroughly thank you. I don't want ANY residue. Never had a sticking problem either.
As these are all good tips from everyone, do what you like when you grill. Everyone has their own "tricks" and "secrets". I have known a few people that it's just not in their blood to grill anything so this article may help at it's most basic. Too bad I won't be home to grill for the family this weekend, but I have the green light from the wife to do some ribs and a pork shoulder upon my return.
Even easier to start your "lump charcoal" with a chimney is to use the gas burner on the side of your gas grill. Those of you that have a gas/charcoal combo grill will know what I'm talking about.
Go straight to the butcher and ask for whatever steak you chose, cut at least an inch and a half thick. They will know what you're talking about. I never buy beef that is sitting in the packages at the store. The best beef I've come across is from Costco. Steaks are good, ground beef is 90/10 or 85/15 and is perfect for grilling.
1) To the vegetable only people – go choke on a rutabaga
2) To those discussing cancer charring eating – go away
To the rest of us who enjoy cooking out, grilling, smoking – enjoy the day
Enjoy your killing.
Really, all the vegetarian/vegan wussies shouldn't even be reading this, let alone posting their ignorant, whiny drivel here. Just go have some milk toast with your mommies and stfu.
This is mediocre advice and, in some cases, dead wrong. Check out America's Test Kitchen's show and website for the ultimate grilling advice. Bridgette rocks!
Eating too much red meat clogs the arteries of your heart.
Thanks, Captain Killjoy!
Not true. Cholesterol and fat that you eat is burned up by the body and not stored as fat. The cholesterol that your body MANUFACTURES in your liver in response to eating a lot of carbohydrates is what gets stored as fat and clogs your arteries. People should eat more meat and less carbohydrates.
You'll all grill just nicely in HELL!
you NEED to STAY on your medication...
Recycling an article from June is a bit lame. Although I didn't grill on Father's Day (hey, it's supposed to be our day off), I grill year round two or three tines a week. Since my family doesn't eat beef (I do), most of my experience is with seafood and poultry. I do like to cook meat slowly (after marinating for a few hours in a mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, herbs), flavored with the smoke of wet wood chips (mesquite for chicken, shrimp, mahi mahi, swordfish; hickory for salmon). Regarding the chimneys to get the coals started, there are 2 disadvantages. The chimneys are small and you may need two of them. By the time the coals on top are ready, the ones on the bottom are almost gone. Lighter fluid will burn off long before you put your meat on. We'll probably do a mixed grill today, steak for me and salmon for the family, and mixed marinated veggies on shish kabob skewers. Yum.
Great tip for grilling on barbque !!!
I like to get cooking ASAP so i squirt lighter fluid under the coals on the old ashes at the bottom to start the fire with a bang. Watch out for the 3 to 4 foot flames, be careful. I'm cooking in 10 minutes because the fire is intense and gets the coals lit from underneath quickly. Just make sure to let all the lighter fluid burn off and you will have no fumes left. When no more black smoke comes out your ready to go. 8 to 10 minutes tops and your coals are ready for cooking.
My father back in the day used a coffee can with both ends removed and vent holes at the bottom........Now you gave it a fancy name....Chimney....I'm a purist......I use what I call the 'Ponzi scheme"....I have jewish friends who don't like the pyramid reference.......Stack your coals like a mountain.....Squirt your fluid into the middle , bottom of the mountain and light.........After the coals grey up, knock down the mountain and grill away......
Funny picture. If you look close you can clearly see the charcoal and it aint lump! Those are the same briquettes they say not to use! Lump charcoal varies in size and shape. Grass fed beef? Good luck finding that! Supermarket beef may be grass fed if you live in the sticks. Cattle farmers operations have to be so large to make money your chance of finding a cow that eats grass for 2 years and not processed feed for 1 year is about 1%. Typical CNN crap, do as I say, not as I do.
CNN says: "You had your chances on Father's Day and July 4th and blew it. The steaks tasted like lighter fluid, the burgers were like hockey pucks. So, again, here are some tips."
Wrongo, charcoal-breath. I didn't blow anything. The steaks were magnificent–the burgers were certainly tastier than those at any barbecue or restaurant I've been to. But thanks for your concern!
http://www.original-bbq-recipes.com
No better place for recipes and tips.
The charred portion of the item, whether grilled or toast in the toaster is called pyrobenzene and is a known carcinogen. It was first directly linked to cancer back in the days of chimney sweeps and why they were predominently men and getting testicular cancer. So, yes the stuff is dangerous but what really isn't these days?
The two are unrelated. Carbon on cooked meat and toast has never been linked to cancer.
As a vegetarian, I am disgusted to see those chops right there as a headline news.
As a human being designed by nature to eat meat to stay healthy, I find you ignorant. The veggies you eat are still alive when you eat them, and science has shown plants feel pain. At least our meat was killed and feels no pain in the processing, cooking, and eating process. Unlike the poor suffering alive plants you eat.
And by the way, we are not designed to eat meat. You have to cook it in order to it. Try it raw. Let's see how that goes.
...eat it.
"plants you eat feel pain"
How can plants feel pain? They have no nervous system.
"eating meat raw"
Yeah its called tartare and is very delicious.... so is raw fish... which is called sushi.
YUM
Plant don't have neurons. Get an education.
Get an education yourself, D.A. Those are STEAKS not CHOPS.
Human beings evolved intelligence from hunting and eating meat. It doesn't take a lot of brains to sneak up on a leaf. Eat your tofu and milk toast you ignorant wussy. Just go away and stfu.
Well, charcoal and lighter fluid do NOT in fact leave any taste, nor are there any toxins at all. That is a scientific fact. Another fact is that the "alleged" carcinogens in brunt meat is the exact same as what you get in your oven or stove. It's so minimal it doesn't matter. You get more damage to your body from the beer you're drinking cooking the meat. Wood chips do not leave anything tasting bitter, in fact, unless you're slow smoking food, you can't taste any of the smoke flavor at all. Smoke takes at least three hours to effect meat in any way what so ever. Unless you're burning it rather than smoldering it.
What gives grilling it's flavor is not any smoke (unless you cook 3+ hours, scientific fact), is the grease and fat dripping from the meat itself, hits a hot surface, can be charcoal, lava rock, or stainless steel commercial cooking element. The fat and grease hits that heat, explodes into fumes that contain natural chemicals that the meat then readily absorbs.
There is not taste or carcinogen difference between charcoal (which is wood, not coal) and butane. That is a simple scientific fact. So many grilling myths going around, it's a shame.
Do NOT pat hamburgers with a paper towel, you draw out fatty oils that need to drip into the grill to flavor it! There's no "water" you're pulling out that would ruin anything! What a crock of urban myth!
Low fat meat cooks just as well at high fat meat, there's NO scientific difference! Lean meat does NOT cook dry! The author is a moron and did not research. Grass fed beef is no different in taste than any other beef. Nor does organic produce tasted any different than commercially grown produce. There is also zero nutritional value difference. Several scientific studies have proven this over the past several years.
Soaking anything in beer to smoke on the heat is STUPID! The flavor is simply not there, and they will BURN UP faster due to the lack of pure water. Soak everything that should smolder and smoke directly on coals in nothing but WATER, plain and simple. Anything else will BURN and give you horrible smells and "if" it's on for 3 or more hours, will taste funny. Another FACT the author didn't bother to research.
This article is for idiots. The author should have consulted a pro who has actual professional kitchen training that includes a chemistry class. Idiots....
I find that wood chip smoke does indeed add flavor to the meat (lid closed). Mesquite is especially good on chicken and shrimp, hickory for salmon.
I had a friend grill hamburgers with a foil-covered brick on top of each one. Talk about hockey pucks! That was the driest, most tasteless burger I've ever had.
Charcoal, lighter fluid, & a Weber grill are the ONLY way to go. I want my burgers, chicken, and steak to have flavor. The first sentence is ridiculous.
"just about food – even tofu."
That typo made me LOL. Yep, tofu is just about food, but not quite. Give me a big ol' porterhouse, medium rare, and you enjoy your tofu. Happy Labor Day, everyone.
Tofu is for gurly men and wussies. Vegans and vegitarians are wimps and whining babies.
so many of you bone head americans that really dont know how to BBQ. keep up the bone head comments. i can always use a laugh at them
Labour Day weekend.
BQ steak..beer ..hunting....and my wife...is life sweet or what!!!!
why would this be on cnn's homepage?
cause it's important.
grilln'....sweet.
I wonder how many people know about the benefits of using indirect heat. I use a metal pan, filled with a mixture of water and apple juice. That is where I set my meat, top covered, and let the indirect heat do the work. It took a little bit longer, but no flareups and great steam from the juice made it flavored enough to forgo the steak sauce.
I will agree with this article about keeping your gril clean and cleaning it while it is hot. But as a PSA, if you have cast iron grates on your grill please do an internet search and learn about taking care of cast iron used for cooking. Your grates should be treated just like a cast iron pan. Please be kind to the seasoned seal that is supposed to be on your cast iron and do not use soap or a wire brush on it. Best to clean it with hot water or while it is hot.
If you dont want to take care of your cast iron correctly the next time you get a new gril make sure it does not have cast iron you want need. There is a reason why alot of experts never recomened cast iron for grils for the average joe.
Governor Tarkin. I might have known I'd find you holding Vader's leash.
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Jose made this steak at your favorite restaurant. Vote for Pedro.
Those steaks in the photo were NOT cooked on that grille. They both have cross hatch grill marks. But the grill does not have crossed bars!
The article specifies how to get the "crossed grill" effect by lifting the meat partway through and rotating it 45 degrees. You would have known that had you read the article before commenting!
Meat? Yuck! Never eat the stuff
Then why the hell are you reading this article, limp wrist?
Hahahaha. Limp wrist. LMFAO!!!
I've been cooking with charcoal (and fluid) for 45 years. The idea of tasting the lighter fluid on the meat is ludicrous.
best steaks and burgers I've ever had...mix in a little Daddy's BBQ original rub. It won 1st place at the Hot Pepper Awards in New York. It's awesome stuff. http://www.DaddysBBQSauce.com.
O roccomond propono ond propono occosoroos.
Good article, but a few more pointers:
Use a crumpled-up brown paper bag from the supermarket instead of newspaper to start your fire. That was you're not burning bleach and ink – or, at least, not as MUCH ink.
Soaked applewood chips are a nice alternative to mesquite and hickory.
Try two-zone cooking. Put all the coals on one side of the grill, and use the other side for indirect cooking. Sear both sides of the burgers in the "hot" zone, then move the burgers to the indirect zone, throw on your smoking chips (applewood or whatever), and put the cover on the grill – with the vents open, of course. Depending on how hot your fire is and how well-done you like them, they can take five to ten minutes or more. Personally I consider them done when the juices turn grayish and start coming out of the middle of the burger. That's basically well-done. Slow-cooking them that way makes them come out very juicy.
Giving your burgers a quick dunk just before you put them on the grill cuts down on carcinogens a lot. I use a mixture of soy sauce and Worcestershire, heavy on the soy. That mixture is also great when you're re-heating burgers; put a burger in foil with a bit of the marinade, then put it in an oven at 450 for around 10 minutes.
Instead of oiling your grill, look into non-stick spray. Weber makes a non-flammable one that you can re-apply even when the grill is on the fire.
Oh, almost forgot: wear a long, fire-resistant leather glove when you're dumping the coals from the starter into the grill. The sparks really can fly, and the handles of some starters get really hot.
It's a 90 degree turn, like in your picture. lol
This is clearly the most important thing happening in the world right now, to warrant front page headline status on cnn.com. Then again, judging by the enthusiastic comments here, I guess that's what the sheeple want.
It's Labor Day. People want to grill out. They need to know how. Every story does not have to be about the economy or Washington politics. CNN.com readers have regular lives too.
More to the point, who is so jaded and curmudgeonly that they bother to type in a nasty little post like yours that criticizes this article (and the people reading it) withouit adding anything whatsoever useful to the discussion?
I smell a conservative.
90 degree turn please.
Z
Yeah... so we're cooking on the grill... charcol, wood, or gas – who cares. Get the grill hot – 450 or so – put the meat down and watch for the blood to rise.... flip the meat.... watch for the blood to come up again and remove it from the grill. Let it rest for a few minutes and serve. It's not rocket science.
NONSENSE
All you need is a quality steak.
Shame on CNN for showing meat pics which is disgusting to vegetarians!
CNN knows that vegetarians are a minority, and hence does not care! Displaying meat on home page, and forcing all to see it is pathetic!
Any vegetarian who does not know that a 'Grilling' title will not include meat – and then makes an issue of it – came here to just make an issue of it. Grow a pair – or ask your 'significant other' to grow a pair – and get over it.
To Ash,
You are offended by a picture of steak. You demand to view scenes of placid vegetables. Fine. I recommend you tune into CSPAN, most of them are mental vegetables. Or perhaps a copy of the Chinese Politburo Cheesecake Calendar. In the meantime. bugger off.
Tomorrow, I am grilling/smoking an entire prime rib roast – it's marinating in beer and spices right now, Ash. I hope it it turns out well enough to disgust you.
Oh, for goodness sake. A picture of a steak on Labor Day is offensive, so much so that it should not be printed?
You my friend, are way, waaaaay too full of yourself. Grow up.
You should call the cops and press charges...
The author forgot to tell you what to do with the oil, salt, and pepper.
You put olive oil in a small bowl. Add salt to taste. Then depending on your love of pepper (yes you MUST use some), I usually use equal amounts of salt and pepper, add these to the bowl. Take a brush (hint – the non traditional brush such as the rubber ized ones work best as they clean better) and mix the oil, salt and pepper. Then brush onto the meat. The olive oil helps sear the meat quickly. This locks the flavor inside the steak, helps prevent it leaking out. The salt and pepper adds great flavor. The oil will also help capture the 'smoke' flavor.
got to say y'all have brilliant ideas! Love anything to do with food!
I disagree with what some of CNN says. I cook steak all the time, and my steaks are better than most restaurants, here's what I do.
Ingredients:
1 choice (or prime) rib eye with bone in
Carne asada and chile lime seasoning (season steak on each side with around 1 part chile lime, and 3 parts carne asada seasoning)
2 slices of butter, each at least 1/4 inch thick
Directions: Turn two burners on high and leave it with the lid closed to heat up. DO NOT use any kind of oil at all anywhere, this will only add an unwanted flavor to the steak.
Put steak on, let one side sear and get grill marks, then flip and put 1 piece of butter on the seared side, close lid and wait for butter to melt. Once melted, flip steak. Put 2nd piece of butter on side facing up, close lid and wait for butter to melt. Once melted, flip steak.
NOTE: Make sure you have a good 6 feet of vertical clearance above your grill and pay attention to the direction of the wind as the butter will cause a big flame.
Once flipped, let steak cook evenly until desired cooking level is achieved. When done, put steak on plate and cover with foil for 1 to 2 minutes, then enjoy!
NOTE: I have only tried this on a propane grill and not any other type of grill
any thoughts on how to change the oil in my truck...thanks...shud I do it hot or cold.
Rick,It should always be hot so here's what to do-Place your Grill under your truck and lite it up. Make sure the hood is open when you do this as some old grease and oil may burn off from the engine. When the oil pan starts to glow firmly grab the oil plug and give it a twist. Now don"t worry about the oil spilling on your driveway as the grill will be there to catch it. It should only take a few minutes so grab a beer and enjoy the holiday.
Youtube BBQ Pit Boys have numerous videos on dry rubs, marinades, homemade BBQ sauces and how to cook steak, burgers, chicken, and various cuts of pork and beef, ect... Check 'em out – you'll be glad you did !
I would like to know the trick of getting the grid pattern on those steaks by using the grill shown in the picture. Yes you can get the squares by positioning the steaks just right but in this case the grid line spacing does not even match the burn lines on the steaks. Did you notice how prestine the grill grid is? No evidence whatsoever that the steaks were actually cooked on the grill in the photo.
Try using Mangrates. They are great!
Just want to say one thing about the SCRUB UP section. The best time to clean your grate is when it is hot, so try to get it cleaned up before the fire goes out.
Most of this advice is really bad and just plain wrong. I think this guy just got a gas grill last weekend and taught himself how to cook on it.
You want to rotate the steak 90 degrees (or a right angle,) not 45 degrees. I think that's what the editor meant.
It also helps to smear Olive Oil on the grill grate after or while cleaning it. This will make the marks look better and make the whole thing taste better. Wrap a paper towel around your spatula and dip it in olive oil, then add it on with that.
A few more tips that I haven't seen here, yet.
To clean a grungy grill, put it as close as possible to well-lit charcoal and put a piece of aluminum foil directly on top of it for about a minute. Most of the grunge will burn away. The remaining ashes can be wiped off with a paper towel held with tongs.
Let steaks come to room temperature before you cook them.
If you want to use a meat thermometer with steaks and the like, insert the probe through the edge to the center of the meat. Unless you have really thick steaks, it won't be stable if you insert it through the flat side.
This column is a carcinogen..........I've been cooking for 45 years and have learned a bunch of stuff on my own.....First: Women shouldn't be allowed to barbeque.........Second: If you close the lid, you strangle the flame you want to char your steaks and burgers............Third: I don't want steaks and burgers cooked "thoroughly" .........I want them rare or medium rare (if you get sick, that's what drugs are for)........Fourth: If burgers taste good, I don't care if the meat comes from a cow raised in a basement, I'm buying it..........Go back to your other job.
I like your cooking style...don't forget the cold beer.
The worst barbecue I ever had was cooked by a bunch of men. Hard to know what to make of your blatantly sexist remark. Enjoy your steaks!
Self taught, Chan? Yep, you're a moron. You have no clue what you're doing. Keeping a grill lid open is the biggest rookie mistake. If you knew how to operate a grill properly, you'd know that an open grill produces the worst food possible.
With all the world's ongoing crises, what does CNN give us to blog about? Eatocracy. Way to go CNN-you become more irrelevant by the day!
Yea let it sit for 10 minutes if you like a luke warm steak. 2-4 minutes should be fine for juice redistribution and you'll still enjoy the piping hot temperature.
nice article. just want to add about the steaks – use tongs, not a fork. Don't pierce the meat!
While I use a chimney starter when I grill, saying that starter fluid adds chemicals and carcinogens to your food is a bit of a scare tactic. By the time you put your food on the starter fluid will be long gone. Chimney starters are better because they save you money and work better. You can get one for about $10 and use it year after year. Also, you don't need to spend extra money on lump charcoal, just grab a big bag of Kingsford when it's on sale.
Wood Pellet grills are the only way to go. No flare ups and they can do anything from smoking temps to high temps for grilling. Flip of a switch to light them and wood smoke flavor. I use my Traeger just about every day of the week.
I think anything goes when it comes to grilling...it's about getting together with family and friends and of course food.
http://dmanburger.wordpress.com/
Couldn't agree more, grilling isn't a science, enjoying yourself should be your top priority.
Only crude Americans would sear raw beef on a piece of wire while swilling beer favored by commoners. You peasants lack culture and are culinary barbarians. Signed -The French
Hey leave me some more of those rib eyes that you don't want. I'll pull the cork out of your French wine with my teeth while enjoying that rib eye with a little blood dribbling down my chin... If you think that is barbaric... fine... You are the one missing out!
Imagine this... a bottle of French wine in one hand, a steak in another... Life is good! Life is funny like that! even if it is a bit barbaric!
Guys if you're into grilling check out Man Cave! We have made it possible to make money by simply grilling, drinking beer and having a good time. Check out http://www.mancaveworldwide.com to learn how to earn FREE BEER FOR A YEAR!
These comments are proof positive that our national unemployment figures are vastly underestimated.
Damn I just got hungry!!!!!
Every body is a grilling expert! Jeff, you are way off base with saying that lighter fluid burns off and doesn't leave a nasty taste, the only way to combat the nsaty taste from lighter fluid is to drop some of the meat fat onto the coals, and let it burn off, before putting the meat on the grill.
There are many good ideas, from all across the country here. Most seem to agree that charcoal is the way to go and I have to agree. Since the invent of the chimney starter. Another way to light the charcoal with a chimney starter, If you have one on your grill is the side burner. I converted my gas grill from gas to charcoal when I learned of the chimney starters. I hate the taste of the liquid stating fluids. I was able to keep the side mounted flat/pot/pan gas burner intact. I fill my chimney starter light the side burner and sit it on top. Charcoal is ready in about 20 minutes if gas is applied constant. Ready in about 30 to 40 minutes if gas is only applied to get the charcoal lit and burning on its own. HAPPY GRILLING TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT....!!!!!!!!!!!! P.S. HAPPY FATHERS DAY TO ALL THAT APPLY....!!!!!!!!!
I disagree with one thing: When cooking steaks on the grill, you should leave the lid open. Closing the lid will roast the meat. You get the best flavor if you cook a steak really hot and fast, one side at a time. If the flames lick the steak, that's even better.
OK, two things. There's nothing left of the lighter fluid once it burns off. There's no need to worry about chemicals, etc. By the time your coals get hot and turn white, that lighter fluid is long gone.
No better joy then have a Ribeye grilled medium rare
I just find it amusing that when CNN posts an article about "Paris Hilton's latest antics" or "why people don't care about proper spelling or grammar anymore", people are so quick to not only read it, but then post that it was a waste of their time and it isn't news and CNN should stick to news.
I couldn't find a single "this isn't news" comment this time. The topic of grilling truly unites us all.
yes it does, one nation under-a-grill!
This is why I hate to grill when my friends are over. Our ability to grill must determine our rank in the pack. The best griller is the alpha-male. Get over yourselves everyone and get a life! Its meat for goodness sakes!
BTW – I liked the article. The other day I accidently did what the author recommends. One of the best steaks I've ever had. As good as or better than any steak I've had out.
Ah heck, if you are doing the grilling the only thing I'll do is make sure you have a cold one handy. There is something about food that makes it taste better when somebody else does the cooking :)
Actually you will get more smoke flavor from briqettes than hardwood lump charcoal. Much more. I use both quite often. Briquettes burn at a lower temp and leave more ash, but they do add more flavor. And they are only as much a carcinagin as the lump charcoal.
Want to point out that Alton Brown scientifically compared lump charcoal with briquettes and found no difference in temperature between them. Surprised me too because I though lump was hotter too. Note also that briquettes are a combination of coal and charcoal, while lump coal is pure hard wood.
From a food science perspective, the author of this article is spot on with almost all of his tips. You can't really argue with science, although it seems several commenters have tried to wiggled their way around it. But for some, cooking is more by feel that by rote...and that's okay too.
About the only thing I would have added: take your steaks or burgers out of the fridge at least 15 min before you plan on cooking them. That way it'll be somewhat closer to room temperature by the time they're on the grill.
This is important because when you sear red meat over high heat (direct cooking method), you basically transfer a lot of heat (conductive with the grate, infrared with the glowing coals) in a very short time to the first few mm of muscle fibers on the surface. If the meat is too cold, not only will it take longer to sear, but the surface may burn before the inside is at proper temperature.
If you pat the meat dry and then salt it before cooking, the salt draws a small amount of amino-acid rich solution to the surface. In the high heat conditions of the grill, these amino acids, salts, and sugars undergo maillard reactions giving us that tasty crust we all savor. We want to do this fast and uncovered because the longer the meat spends on the grill, the faster the inside of the meat raises temperature. Unfortunately the inside of the meat just steams and melts fat which, while tasty in its own right, never undergoes the maillard reactions that happen on the surface. If you cook the steak too long or cover the grill, the inside of the steak gets too hot before you can even flip it (resulting in a medwell or well).
We add oil to the surface of the steak to even out the heat during the sear, resulting in even more delicious browning. It doesn't really matter what oil you use because it drips off during the sear and vaporizes almost immediately. We brush oil on the grate because under high heat conditions, it semi-polymerizes on surfaces, creating a temporary nonstick surface that prevents proteins from sticking during the cooking process.
We want fat inside the steak (or burger) because this helps lubricate the muscle fibers during and after cooking. This is where the "moist" mouth feel comes from, not the actual water content of the muscle tissue, and why 80% lean is perceptually much "juicier" than 90% lean. The author wasn't trying condone eating saturated fat, per say, but rather to have you make smart choices about where that fat comes from.
The best recipe I've ever found for cooking steaks is from America's Test Kitchen and works especially well for leaner cuts like filet or sirloin. You look for (or cut yourself) a slightly thicker steak and pre-bake them in a low oven (225-250) for about 10 min until their internal temperature reaches 95-100 (well below rare). They'll look anemic and slimy. Then just hop outside and toss them onto a hot grill for about 30 seconds-1min for each side and remove promptly. Or use a hot cast iron skillet for even more surface contact and browning. This results in the perfect sear, the perfect internal temperature (medrare for me!), and almost no grey ring on the inside.
Did I miss anything?
Also, I know that olive oil has great flavor, but it's got a low burn temp, so it can make your steak taste bitter if there is flame up. A higher temp oil, like a good vegetable oil is better in the long run, and only a little.
I have a regular sized smoker/grill and my best success has been when I create a HOT fire in the side chamber, sear the steaks directly over that fire on both sides, then put them in the grilling chamber without any charcoal or heat source in the grilling chamber, and finish them with the indirect heat from the side chamber, keeping the lid down and the thermometer on the lid should read around 350 – 400 degrees. Let them sit there for 8 min or more, depending on how done you like it. Take them off and let them sit 10 minutes and enjoy one of the best steaks of your life.
All I put on them is kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper along with a small spray of vegetable oil. Follow the advice in the article and soak some hickory chips in water or beer and put them on the hot coals once all the steaks are seared and in the grilling chamber. I'm not sure why mesquite seems to be pushed as a decent wood to use, but it's not very good for most grilling in my opinion.
As a rancher I have raised and eaten grassfed Angus beef. I personally don't like it. The fat is yellow, it is usually very lean, not as tender, it has a grassy, and slick taste that varies alot depending on exactly what they have been eating. If they grazed any wild onions or young wheat its way worse. And recent research has shown it is less healthy than grain fed. The only people I've met that like it are the people selling it. But it still all comes down to a matter of personal taste.
Kat, good for you for noting that the type of beef itself is worth paying attention to first, i.e. 20-30% fat and grass-fed for burgers.
I've cooked steaks and burgers as per many of the comments (charcoal, lump charcoal, gas, wood, pan, even broiler) and host blind tastings. Outside of burning or overcooking the beef, what influences the flavor and texture (and whether you like the steak or not) more than anything is the origin of the beef – the specific farm, breed, growing region, diet, aging time and technique, and the talent of those who raise and age it.
I used to blame myself for a crappy tasting steak. Nowadays, I know better. The steak or burger from one farm might appeal to me more than that from others. It's a matter or personal preference. If you want to have a reasonably consistent, pleasant beef experience it's important to know who raised & aged it and how. If you find one you really like, you can stock up the freezer with more.
All pretty standard stuff for outdoor grilling. But, to be honest, I prefer using a cast iron griddle indoors these days. Almost no prep time, and works wonderfully. I also prefer to coat both sides of my burgers with melted butter(obviously not worrying about health), before cooking.
On the subject of burgers, how does everyone like their burgers done? I prefer medium rare, especially when I'm cooking at home.
^^^ Gonna add the M, so no one gets confused between Johns.
With ground beef, you are taking chances eating it less than well done. Ground beef gets ground in a machine. You don't know for sure if that machine is cleaned properly. A lot of the meat's surface area has interacted with the air, and bacteria could have formed. You're better off getting it at least up to medium well.
I'll take my chances. E coli is very rare in most circumstances, and I find that the burger is best with some pink in the middle.
Buy your ground beef from a butcher you trust. Don't get the stuff in tubes from packers that have recalls every other week. Some people bungie jump. I eat medium rare burgers.
When cleaning the grill, use vinegar to kill bacteria.
First, if you're vegetarian, why are you commenting on an article about grilling in the first place? You actually saw the title and lied to yourself saying "those people will value my opinion"? Second, for those who want to say animal fat is unhealthy, you have a valid point by all means, but that belief is not ENTIRELY true. The amount of fats consumed by the average American is excessive, but in proper amounts, animal fat is extremely beneficial to maintaining overall health, many vegetable-based fats don't provide some of the muscle maintenance benefits animal fat does.
I recommend propane and propane products.
Crazy thought: +50 pts to the dad who can make an awesome meal without using dead animals. Can't wait to cook up some cruelty-free dishes for my future kids!
Get over yourself.
Justin +1
Are lions cruel when they eat a gazelle?
50 points in a game that starts at 100,000 points...good start tardpants.
Vegan and Veg are not bad, but start slamming meat, and we will walk down the path of cutting your garden goat for dinner hippie,
Just think of it as environmentally friendly and contributing to the earth when we crap out the meat from your family pet.
WOW...it is TRUE...men are worse than women sometimes...talk about catty….. Meow! This is hilarious...some of you are open to others ideas, and realize that not everybody likes to do things the same way, but boy, some of you are outright bitchy to each other...
Come on...people have grilled since the beginning of time and there are a multitude of ways to do it. And I am sure they are ALL as good as you think yours are....instead of trying to 1 up each other in know how...why don't you try each other’s ideas out...some of you may end up eating those words...or at least a good steak...
Happy Fathers Day to all of you, and hopefully you won't be doing the work; hopefully your families will be grilling for you! I just lost my dad a few months ago unexpectedly, and his favorite father’s day celebrations were having my three brothers and I with him as HE grilled....that was heaven for him,
Happy Fathers day daddy...I miss you...
I have an old pit made from a worn out steam boiler from a chemical company in South Texas. All the old Germans in that area have one of them. It is thick metal. It sits on the ground with circle open on the bottom and top. Think of a glass sitting on a table. The ground is the floor. A large door is cut with heavy hinges allowing it to sway open. Expanded metal is used for the rack to hold the meat. I found a heavy lid from an old cotton seed oil mill to cover the top. I build a fire using mesquite limbs and chunks from my pasture and let the fire burn down to hot, hot coals. I then throw the well marbled meat which has a coating of Worstershire, pepper and garlic on the pit. I cover it and let the smoke billow! In about 6-7 minutes I flip the meat and cook for 4-5 more minutes. The neighbors have no doubt what I am having for supper! Heck if they want they can throw something on it too when I am done!
Don't overcook the meat. Leave a little blood in it to run down your chin and it is just about right!
Charcol or bundled wood... it is for sissies! Get the real stuff. Use real wood...
By the way I am not as much of a redneck as I use to be. I can drink wine from a bottle that has a cork rather than a screw cap now... Life is funny like that!
Great post!!! HAHA!! (fellow Texan)
Why does everyone insist on hardwood lump charcoal? Why not cook the way people have for thousands of years? Dried hardwoods like alder, apple, and oak over an open fire. It imparts the taste that everyone tries to copy with facsimiles. It seems that the more we get away from the original way the more we try to find ways to get back to it.
Wow, lots of debate going on here. Too bad none of you realize that you have no more authority than the author of this blog. The only way to prove the best way to make a steak is scientifically. Try each method, then have taste tests. Sign me up!
I like to wrap my steak in tin foil and place over the manifold of my 'Cuda hemi on the way to the beach. A little Quaker State flavor makes it for me. Heck, with the oil now in our food chain in the gulf, we might have a lot of dishes tasting of 40 weight. heh heh
NEVER put salt on a steak before you cook it – it draws the juices away. A good steak (ribeye, filet, porterhouse) should be cooked naked. I like to have a serving dish heated in the oven with melted butter and coarsely ground salt. When the steaks are done on the grill, take the serving dish out of the oven and place the steaks in for 5 minutes before cutting into them.
That's not entirely true. The salt draws out the WATER from the inside of a steak. This is helpful, because if your steak has a lot of water weight, it will be essentially boiling itself internally. I know a lot of people, who liberally salt steaks 20-30 minutes beforehand with coarse sea salt, and let it set. They then rinse the steak off and pat it dry. I have tried this method myself several times, and found that it's quite tasteful(with proper grilling technique, of course).
buy your steak from a butcher shop or farm. NOT a grocery store, that way there will be no water in it, and it will actualy taste like meat.
for a great crust i put an iron skillet on the grill and let it get screaming hot. Rub the steaks with grapeseed oil and lawrys. and put them on the pan when its so hot they squeek. I'll put some wet mesquite chips on the fire too to impart some natural smoke flavor. Take em off early and tent under tin foil. Had NY strips like this last night for my wife's birthday and they were as good as any high end steak house I've had. Also – you can dry age at home! 3 or 4 days wrapped in papertowels and then hand cut your steaks...over the top crazy good ;)
Buy a Webber proformer (gas start, charcoal grill) simply the best grill ever
If you want to have a really good steak what you need is the big green egg smoker and smoke the steaks with jack daniels soaked chips
The Big Green Egg is a good smoker but steaks aren't really suited for smoking, unless they're in roast form, like a rib roast. The reason for smoking meat is twofold: 1) To slowly break down the fiber of tough, cheaper and large cuts like ribs or big roasts. Chicken works out pretty well too as long as you use a whole or half chicken (or turkey). 2) Aside from that, smoking has also been historically used as a preservative method where refrigeration or tupperware isn't available.
I’m sorry but I disagree with your statement. Having a BGE (along with Weber’s, Lang’s, Brinkman’s, and even an ‘Ugly Drum Smoker’) I’ve found that you can get the Egg up to and even beyond 800* for searing.
In fact, I like to get it as hot as I can, sear the steak, close the cooker down and let the temperature stabilize to 400*. I then return the steak and cook to the preferred doneness (Medium Rare for me).
The BGE is a direct heat source. GREAT for high heat searing. I purchased my BGE this summer and have been pleased with the results. I have pics of steak @650 degrees. Puts CNN pics to shame.
Love my trusty weber propane, but it does not get anywhere as hot as lump charcoal in the BGE.
Did baby back ribs last night for 4hrs on it. So it can do the low and slow Q as well.
Pickup the "Serious Barbecue" book by Adam Perry Lang
Of course everyone thinks they have the best steak recipe. And maybe they do...at least for their taste. Not sure why the animosity here about searing though. After all, that's how most steakhouses do it, but most people don't have the $$$ to buy infrared broilers that get up to 1800 degrees.
And one option no one's brought up here is the pan-seared method. I wouldn't try it in your kitchen unless you've got a commercial quality range hood, but it's easily done on the side burner of a propane grill (haven't tried it with charcoal though).
Give this a shot (and this seems to work best on fattier steaks such as rib or t-bone):
1. At least 6 hours and up to 24 hours before you plan to cook your steak, coat it lightly in oil (I use peanut oil) and apply coarse ground pepper and kosher or sea salt on both sides. Place in sealed container and put in fridge to marinate.
2. One hour before you plan to cook your steak, pull it from the fridge to let it warm up some. This helps prevent a cold center. (Leave it in the sealed container though...unless you like food poisoning)
3. Fire up the side burner on your grill and preheat your well-seasoned cast iron skillet. You want this thing as screamingly hot as possible.
4. While waiting for it to heat, cut some butter pats (salted or unsalted...your choice...and no margarine!) and let it warm up a little too, so it's softened and near room temp. Also, have a timer handy along with a warm plate, some foil and a clean dish towel (for each steak)
5. When your skillet is as hot as possible (usually about 10 minutes on full burner), it's time to cook. Using tongs (no forks!) put the steak in the skillet for exactly one minute. Flip your steak at that time (again...tongs!) and cook an additional minute. If you want rare, then that's the time to pull it off the skillet. If you want medium-rare, repeat the flipping: 1 more minute each side.
6. There's some disagreement about when to add the butter. It's either in the last few seconds of cooking while in the skillet or after you've plated it. Keep in mind you're essentially "frying" this steak but in an extremely hot pan and butter burns easily. Also, if you want it seared a little more you can brush on the remaining marinade during the last two flips (and yes, the temp. is high enough in the pan that it'll kill off any potential bacteria despite what everyone says about discarding your marinade)
7. Anyway, it's time to plate your steak. A good idea is to have it warming in the main firebox of your grill so you're not grappling with a white-hot cast iron skillet while making you're way back to the kitchen. Restaurant-style steak plates are a good option (the little cast-iron skillets on a wood base...they retain heat better) but stoneware plates work as well. Put your steak on it's plate, apply the butter pats if you haven't already, put a foil tent on it, then the towel and let it rest for 10 minutes. This is because your steak isn't finished cooking, but since you've pan-seared it it's still cooking inside (I don't care what anyone else on this thread seems to believe).
8. If you really think your steak needs sauce then take that 10 minutes to make some au jus. Put the skillet back on the burner (low heat) and add chicken or beef stock, wine or whatever and using a spatula scrape all the drippings and mix with whatever liquid you've added. Maybe a little garlic or shallots. Depends on what you want it to taste like. Even if you don't use it with the steak it makes a good base for other things, like soup. Why waste the drippings?
Anyway, I've done it this way many times (and I still grill a steak once in a while too), but it seems to be about the closest I've ever got to a true steakhouse-quality steak. Your mileage may vary.
This is a great method for times when it's too cold to grill outside. (I used to live in northern Minnesota; grilling outside is no fun, and too much of a hassle when the wind chill is -25.) I'd like to add one thing to TGS's excellent method: use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet (itwill keep the meat from sticking to the skillet), and preheat it in a 500 degree oven before moving the skillet to the stovetop. Don't use an aluminum non-stick skillet. A heavy gauge stainless steel skillet will work, just not as well in my experience. Just stick the cold skillet in the oven while it heats and then leave it for an extra 10-15 minutes once the oven has reached 500. I prefer a steak grilled outside, but sometimes this method is more convenient.
You expect Dad to grill out on Father's Day? What the??? Guess you're the same folks that expected Mom to do all the work on Mother's Day.
Give Dad the day off and cook for him. And clean it up for them. He will be thrilled to cook for you all the rest of the year, and Mom will enjoy the break, too.
I agree with this whole-heartedly! Since when did we start celebrating the father by making him work on his day? Next mother's day, I am going to tell my wife, "Happy Mother's Day, now go make me and the kids a sammich!"
Grilling is not work for a man.
TGS, I totally agree. The best Q (normally my own) and steaks need no sauce. Sauce is for covering up the lack of real flavor.
Just had to respond to my post just above. I am not the "Tom without a Clue" from way above. And I stand by my comment, if it is cooked right, you don't need a sauce!!!!!!
Heh! I grew up in a household where my mom thought that doing a steak involved pounding a chuck steak (literally, with a meat mallet) to the thickness of a shoe sole and then broiling it to the toughness of same was the way to deal with them. So the steak was mostly a vehicle for Heinz 57 to be added to.
I remember this Weber animated ad from a decade ago where the character bought a Weber and said something like "I never knew that steaks were supposed to be juicy...or have flavor. That about sums up my childhood.
(BTW, I'm not a shill for Weber...it just happens to be the smoker and grill brand I own. Lots of other good equipment out there. The Big Green Egg has an almost cult-like following.
I make the best steaks in the world. Period.
1. Never use charcoal or gas.
2. Always use wood and only wood. Mesquite wood–only.
3. Don't soak the wood in water, beer, blood, or any other liquid. Just use dry Mesquite wood. Period.
4. Make a pile of wood in the center of the grill and cook your meat around it, not directly over it–you will burn it.
5. Never sear meat. Seared meat is burnt meat. And burnt meat tastes terrible, it's dry, and it's tough.
6. I've never met a person who cared about the "grill marks" on a steak. They only thing they care about is the taste, juiciness, and tenderness.
Although I don't eat beef of any kind,wood is by far better as a heat source and for taste. I do grill chicken occasionally and it does taste much better this way, so does shrimp and other seafood. Tex, you're hot.
The first line of this persons comments clearly show that there's still a lot of bull, as well as you-know-what, in Texas.
Boy do you suck.
This is how you make a burger;
1-use only top of the line chuck, woodchuck. It tastes great and if you grind them fine enough you wont even notice the teeth or claws.
2-Screw a grill all together, tip over a shopping cart and by a 10 pack of bic lighters...and it has to be bic because those cheap butane llighters are for the birds. live it up, your worth it!
3-oh and for the flare ups I use tucks.
Happy shopping carting!
You need help....ahole
You are clearly an idiot.
I have and use both Gas and Lump Charcoal for girlling, wood for smoking, etc. Having both yields fun and different cooking techniques. Have fun cooking and do not get caught up in mystery and opinion. Learn to cook out and have fun. All styles from BBQ to grilling can be fun. Whatever you select learn it well and it will yield excellent results.!
Heck.. why grill? I eat my steaks raw. Nothing beats the sight of blood oozing down the sides of you mouth and scare the shit out of your mother in law while she's watching Twilight Moon. Bwahaha.
You must be related to my Uncle Don. His theory on steak was "cut of it's horns, wipe it's butt, and throw it on a plate".
You are an idiot.
I agree with most comments depending on what is being cooked. Slow & low for ribs/roasts/chicken (300deg). Quick & high for steaks/burgers. I have soaked and also used dried wood – it don't make a bit of difference unless you are really anally retentive – just use good & large wood chunks (I recommend apple & cherry for pork from my back yard dried and seasoned for each summer – hickory for beef – mesquite for chicken or fish). Seems a lot of grill manuf. say to oil the grill and yes even the pros at Food Network say so too i.e. Flay but you know I doubt if it really makes much diff. as I do both and don't notice much diff. except no surface coat of grease and less flare by not coating. If you clean your grill you shouldn't see much sticking. Here's a trick for really dirty grills. Take a black plastic bag and put a cup of ammonia in it and put the scoddy grill in and tie it up and leave it in the sun all day and oila! it is self-cleaned – but beware the ammonia reside is really nasty sh*t so dilute the hell out of it before dumping or you will kill whatever it touches – it does work better than Easy-Off spray and safer. Remember don't press on fresh hamburger while cooking or you squeeze the juice out. Remember don't flip the steaks more than once on each side or you dehydrate them. Stack your chicken on a tallboy of Budweiser and the chickie will come out moist. Don't suce the meat until the last 10-15 minutes or you will get a candy bark that will be bitter and we so-called experts will think you are trying to hide something in the meat – like no taste. So that's my 2 cents for anyone who gives a rat's ass and I really BBQ ribs and pork shoulder for large parties and I've never been shot by an unhappy guest. I learned some of this from "Da Man" – Mr. Porter before he began cookin BBQ for God – may he always rest in peace as the best of the best BBQ sauciers in the universe. If you never "Met Da Man" you have not lived and most in Seattle will know exactly who and what I mean. If in Seattle go to the Frontier Room on 1st for some of the best pulled pork you will ever eat – and I have eaten real BBQ all over the country from KC to Memphis to Charleston to Asheville to Austin. Tis my addiction.
I do live in Seattle, and while I haven't met "The Man," I have read numerous reviews of the Q at Dixies BBQ ("The Man" is the name of the superhot sauce available there). From what I've read his meat tends to kinda' dry. But the real problem is the sauce, "The Man," which is the place's claim to fame. It and most other sauces tend to overwhelm the flavor of the smoked meat. All you taste is the sauce. The best Q needs little or no sauce. Same with steak. If you just want to prove how many Scoville units you can tolerate, just eat a habanero pepper and save yourself all that cooking time.
Also, while this article seems to be about grilling, if anyone's interested in actual BBQ (slow smoking of meat over low, indirect heat vs. grilling, which is fast cooking over high direct/semidirect heat), there's no better source of info. available than the VirtualWeberBullet site. It's comprehensive and has tons of helpful hints whether you're a beginner or expert. It's geared towards users of the Weber Smokey Mtn. smoker (aka the "Weber Bullet") but the techniques are transferrable to just about any other smoker, such as the "Green Egg."
I bought a Bullet a couple of years ago and it's cranked out some truly great chow. And you can actually take the upper chamber off and use it as a charcoal grill if you don't feel like putting in the time to smoke the meat (when I'm smoking half chickens I put them on the lower rack for 30 seconds each side to get a char, once they've finished smoking).
I fully agree with some of the other commenters above about charcoal. Go with a superior brand instead of the usual briquettes and it'll pay off. (Green Egg has some of the best charcoal around, though the standard briquettes will work in a pinch). Yes, buy a chimney starter. It eliminates cold spots or unlit charcoal so you get uniform, fully lit charcoal. Plus it's ready a lot quicker. No wood chips...period. Whether grilling or smoking use wood chunks. No need to soak them but be careful about overusing them. (hickory, for example, will overwhelm your meat) Try using half mesquite with half fruit-wood chunks, such as apple or cherry. You can even buy bundles of wine cask staves (oak?) that were formerly parts of barrels of wine during the aging process and are thus steeped with a subtle flavor.
Thank you!
As the owner of a Competition BBQ Team, I couldn’t agree more (except we use a Lang and not a WSM). There is a difference between Grilling and BBQ.
Please don’t get me wrong, I love a great grilled burger as much as the rest of you, but BBQ is something that is done at a low temperature (between 225* and 275*) for a long period of time (4 to 24 hours).
There are a number of fantastic sites out there to find out more about true BBQ, remember Google is your friend.
This and every other grilling site seems to not know that the grill marks shown (those nice square ones require a 90° turn. You may start out angled at 45° to the perpencicular line of the steak BUT when you turn it (on the same side ,) you rotate 90° .Grade 7 trig.
Jake, I have one word for you, "Mangrates". Check them out. They are a cast iron grate that fits over your existing grates and gives you that "steakhouse" look. But better yet, they make grilling easy AND improves the taste of everything that you cook on them. http://www.mangrates.com
Sorry, the URL is http://www.mangrate.com.
Take a trip to a Cabelas, Bass Pro Shop, or Sportsmans Warehouse, check out there sections on bbq literature and equipment. Guarantee it wont be this CNN version of bbq.
Go to Weber dot com and see what BBQ is all about.
Hey wow you need a wake up call. BBQ is grilling "food" on an "open flame" outside. Doesn't matter what part of the country you are in. You ever think bout workin for CNN??? lol, sounds like you might fit in well there!
I think it all chalks up to the individuals taste.I love meat.Lid on or off,I don't care.As long as it tastes like critter?Give me a beer and burger and I am a happy kinda guy!!Personally I love a fatty burger,flame broiled with a bad ass grease fire underneath.But I also love a slow cooked,lid on burger.Same with steak.Craig is right on.Quit beating your chests and feed the family already!Damn.......
Some misguided advice in this article.
First, ground beef is ground beer. You have no idea which part of the cattle it's from so grass-fed or not, it's usually the cheapest cuts. You'll do just fine with store brand ground-beef as long as it's fresh.
Don't buy hickory or mesquite chips, buy the blocks instead. Chips will flare up quickly and burn out. For a longer-lasting smoke and a better flavor buy the chunks. They will burn like the coals and enhance the entire grilling experience. You don't need to soak them, throw them on the coals as they are.
One thing the article never mentions and is extremely critical to any decent grilling experience is keeping the lid closed while you're cooking. Keep it closed, don't lift it unless you need to check the food. Keeping the lid down on the grill seals in the heat and prevents flare-ups that can turn a good steak into charcoal. You can keep the lid open to create grill marks, but keep it closed to cook and smoke the food.
And by God don't use oil. That is a disaster waiting to happen. All oil will do is add fuel to the fire and you'll get a flare up that will scorch one side of your steak or burger. Keep your steaks lean and they won't burst into flame.
Good luck, folks. I suggest a trip over to the Weber web site for some very good grilling tips.
Juan–you clearly did not read lesson 1 in Grillin' 101 above. Look y'all can and will do whatever you want, but if and when you decide that you want excellent steaks and burgers, LEAVE THE LID OFF!!!! What you want is serious heat to char the outer surface, while leaving the inside rare. Contrary to CNN article (if you can fathom that), putting the lid on makes the fire burn cooler due to less available oxygen (that's chemistry 101). That's great for cooking a roast, chicken, etc indirectly–but the opposite of what you want for steaks and burgers–or anything you're cooking directly over the coals. Seriously. Check in the masters, i.e. Bobby Flay, if you doubt me.
This can be settled by CNN (the god of bbq'n aparently). Have a bbq-off with us and the supposed CNN grill master. I'm in, they just gotta pay for airfare/hotel. then we will wee what CNN and LID ON's realy have!!!
No, that's not correct. The lid holds heat around the meat as opposed to letting it escape. Any good chef will tell you that enclosing the meat seals in the smoke, the sear, and evenly cooks the meat. If you leave the lid off, all you will do is sear the outside of the meat and not cook it. The smoke, sear and heat escapes.
@ GrillMasterNorthWest – Are you taking about NE BBQ, SE BBQ, Southern BBQ, Midwest BBQ, Texan BBQ or something different? BBQ can mean sauce or rub and depending on the geographic region it matters a whole lot.
It's best you do some research into what BBQ means to people before you tell them to keep the lid off.
After two bouts with E-Coli, I prefer not to have my hamburger "rare" on the inside; it wreaks too much havoc with my "insides".
Shame on you CNN, for the recommendation of putting the lid on for grilling over a flame. The lid is for INDIRECT cooking only!!! Otherwise you infuse your meat with the foul acrid smoke that forms when the fat inevitably drips on the coals. That's just grillin' 101 folks.
lol, excelent point!!! amazing how many people don't know the first thing to handling a bbq properly! That's right about grillin' 101. good call.
First of all, let’s get the terms right. What is discussed in the article is ‘Grilling’ not BBQ. BBQ is defined as slow cooking over a lower heat, normally reserved for larger and or tougher cuts of meat.
As for the comments as to using gas, briquettes, or lump, I prefer lump. It’s all I ever use. I can actually tell when someone down the block is using Kingsford. I agree with the statements that you should look through lump charcoal prior to using it. I have found fillers such as rocks and even insulation in the cheaper brands. If you have nothing but a gas grill, use it! It’ll still make some fine eats!
Wood: When it comes to grilling I prefer to use chips that are not wet. Yes, wet chips do last longer but not by that much. Try this experiment. Take a couple of chips and soak them for 24 hours and then cut them in half. I’m willing to bet that the liquid only made it 1/16th of an inch. A better way is to make a ‘Smoke Bomb’ from a single layer of aluminum foil. Put a handful of chips in the center and fold it over and seal. Make 2 to 3 – ¼ inch holes and put it on the hot coals but off to the side. You’ll get that bit of smoky flavor and not have to worry about ‘burning’ through your chips (sorry couldn’t resist).
Any of you new grillers out there, I have one piece of advise. Practice. The more you grill, the better you’re going to be at it. Also try not to take it too seriously; after all, it’s only grilling…
No, that's wrong. The lid keeps the heat in. If you want your steak rare and seared on the outside, that's fine. But to cook steak more evenly with a good sear, the lid is integral to keeping the flame low, heat high, and smoke billowing.
to smoke it ya, keep the lid on. You don't want the meat to be smoked the whole time it is cooking though. Sear it, yes. smoke it yes. but after the smoking is done, cook it in indirect heat, lid off. that way it still cooks evenly and yes, regardless of what some people say, turn your meat.
and as far as "wood chips," if you think soaking them in water is right, and using them dry is wrong, keep in mind this.........when you go buy smoked jerkey, sausages, turkeys, or what not, the "smoke, aka (wood chips)" they use in the smoker, well much to the suprise of probably many, those wood chips are compleatly 100% dry!!! Now if you want to soak them in beer like many do, feel free. soak them for up to 24hrs, then set them out where they can dry compleatly, then use them. Might just suprise ya.
right, and using wet chips may lead to creosote in your grill and on your food. use dry chunks only.
What a crock! Creosote is a petro-chemical applied to construction wood, not a naturally occurring substance, morons! The wood that smokes commercial meats IS wet, and kept wet! Morons...
Oh ya, and "any" kind of oil to grease up your grill is well.... um....lol, if you know how to cook meat on an open flame, then there is NO NEED NO WAY for it. Unless you are using it in a marinade that is. Makes me laugh these supposed "professional chefs" like to "cute" up a bbq. I mean for heavens sake, it's a bbq, fathers day, time for dad to be a MAN DAD and bbq some meat!
check out the man grate.. it's an iron grate you put on your grill like high end restaraunts..
http://mangrate.adamcarolla.com/
The only way for this to be settled is for each of you to prepare a meal that can be sampled by an impartial judge and let that judge's decision be final. I would be happy to be that impartial judge. I'll have the chips and beer.
Right on Red!I'll bring a fork and my guitar.We'll make a party out of it!!
Ok, to grill a phenominal steak, don't forget about indirect heat. Master that and you will also be able to cook whole turkeys, hams, and chickens on a charcoal bbq. Thanks giving "oven" turkeys will become a thing of the past!
Real men fry turkeys.
that's right, russ.
Sorry. There's no substitute for smokey goodness.
lol, ok, what ever. "ANYONE" can drop a piece of meat into hot oil and watch it cook. Takes a "REAL COOK" to master a perfect seasoned and cooked turkey on a BBQ.
"Don't skimp on fat. yes, you're trying to eat healthily, and we applaud that, but we've never met a 90 percent lean burger that's not painfully dry. Opt for 80 percent or even 70 percent and just skip the extra slice of cheese."
Have you ever had a medium rare top sirloin steak? Super lean and as much flavor as any piece of fatty meat out there. The key to not having a dry piece of any meat is too not overcook it! I don't buy the fat equals flavor lie. If fat tastes so good why isn't it an entree? Heart disease is the number 1 killer in America and this article can even mention eating ground beef that's 30% fat?! Highly irresponsible. It's your choice but try imagining what a heart attack feels like and make the right choice for yourself and your loved ones.
Some folks don't care for medium rare. If thats the case, then cooking a top sirloin to well is going to make it tough. Meanwhile, a good ribeye can be done well and not be tough.
No, beef needs fat for two reasons: moisture and flavor. Prime beef (which is only 2% of the beef available on the market) requires an evenly marbled fat in order to be considered "prime" beef. The evenly marbled fat enhanced the flavor and retains more moisture in the beef.
Fat, as unhealthy as it's been portrayed, is a requirement in our diets (in moderation) and in prime beef.
Not animal fat. Other fats such as olive oil or avocado are the types of fat your body needs.
"If fat tastes so good why isn't it an entree"
Ever had bone marrow?
I've been grilling steaks a long time and the absolute best way is to sear them on each side with an infrared grill to lock in the juices, then finish at a lower temperature to the desired level of doneness. it's nearly foolproof.
Yes Darrel. Searing first is the trick. I always stump my guests when they ask how come my steaks are more juicy than theirs.
no such thing as "searing in". more and more research shows "juiciness" is just fat and water still inside meat that hasn't been burned to a crisp. the bark that forms from searing is the Maillard reaction, something similar to carmelization, but it doesn't trap anything in.
In fact, "searing" causes protein to shrink – quickly and dramatically – squeezing out MORE juice and flavor. However, the browned edges taste very good and the higher the heat the faster it cooks, therefore LESS time sitting on the grill leaking tasty juices. There is no "right" way to do it....just compromises to be made.
Yep, searing in flavor is a huge myth as any professional chef will tell you. You can't sear in flavor, flavor doesn't work that way. All you're doing is wasting time and deluding yourself. Moisture will cook out of a seared steak as fast as a non-seared steak, scientific fact, buddy.
Properly lighted charcoal is perfectly fine. And wood chips do not need to be soaked. Actually soaking wood chips will give you a less intense heat and that is not what you want when you are cooking steaks.
I throw a few soaked wood chips halfway through the cooking process to give it that smokey taste. I still keep that heat without sacrificing flavor.
Woods chips are for a smoky flavor, not for cooking the meat. You soak them to keep them from burning and adding the wrong taste (burnt wood) into your burger/steak/tofu.
I ignite a couple big fruitwood CHUNKS towards the end of chimney-starting. I place these at the front of the coal shelf, not touching any coals (I use long metal tongs). They just sit and smoke, and the smoke travels to the rear vents, across the food. Chips disappear in seconds, and the minute any wood begins to flame, 90% of the smoke has had it. But a smoking chunk will crank it out for 40 minutes.
I installed a Capitol wood & charcoal grill on my deck. Gas? Never again. It's for posers. I'd rather have a Weber kettle (probably the best & most forgiving grill available – and you can slow-cook in it as well).
tofu...WTF
Scientific fact, wood chips won't add any flavor unless you're slow smoking for a minimum of 3 hours. Meat won't be effected at all by plain wood smoke that way. The true flavor comes from the fat and grease hitting the heat, exploding into gas that contains chemicals that immediately are absorbed by the meat.
is this like a crash course for retard dads. if you dont know how to grill, dont let your family down on fathers day by trying to act like the head honcho your not. charcoal is just fine ( acrid smoke and chemicals – give me a break). Thanks CNN for trying to shout the praises of GAS. Do it he old fashon way with wood coals and charcoal mixed it.
Did you read the whole article?
Eh... I stopped using lighter fluid and charcoal in lieu of lump charcoal and paper. I find it to be less work in the end when I use it. Plus I noticed a chemical taste in my food.
Lighter fluid and charcoal have been scientifically proven to NOT give any taste to food. It has also been shown a good bit of what you're tasting is psychological. This has been proven by several studies over the last decade. Idiots...
Hey, buddy... chill out. I'm a new homeowner, and while I like to cook out, I've never owned a grill before, and thus haven't had to deal with prep and upkeep. This may all be second nature to you, but it's useful info to relative beginners like me.
David, welcome to the grilling world. Don't worry too much about what some people say. They want to believe they are superior to everyone else, but probably have burned every burger and steak they've tried to cook; they just don't have anyone at their parties that would dare complain about it. On a more positive note, if you get a chance, check out a tv show hosted by Steven Raichlen called "Barbeque University". He demonstrates various methods of grilling, and discusses why each has it's purpose in certain situations. Enjoy your grilling!
I'm with George, welcome to the club – enjoy yourself. I've been grilling on a charcoal Weber for three years since my fancy stainless steel gas grill rusted out in a season and I ditched it. I'll never go back to gas. This article is a good summary; lump charcoal and a chimney starter are absolutes in my world, and I actively avoid turning beef more than once – and letting it rest is GREAT advice. But for me the best part is the ritual – get the mesquite in some hot water, crack a beer, prep the grill, get the chimney starter going, crack another beer, enjoy a quiet moment on a nearby chair, dump the coals, let the grates warm up, sprinkle the mesquite through the grates, dump the meat on, crack another beer, enjoy the smoke, turn, remove, stall everybody while the meat rests...and enjoy.
Hi David,
I have been grilling for years with lump charcoal. I bet your first attempts will put mine to shame! Have a great weekend and go get 'em!!
Again welcome.
I have grilled with almost everything from gas to charcoal to mix. From small moutain towns (as a medical student on a $5 grill on rotations) to huge cookers. Treat the whole thing as a learning experence. Even after 15 or so years, I'm still learning. Every burnt steak, hopefully few of these :)... teaches you something. Biggest risk is overcooking. Remember the food is still cooking when it comes off the grill and will continue to do so for a few minutes. Good Luck...
As others have said, welcome to the club.... If you have some extra bucks to spend for an amazing Grill / Smoker / Baking device, go with a BIG GREEN EGG... It's a lump Charcoal device, and it is simply amazing. It is the best tool I have had in 35+ years of cooking out side. I did reciently, an 18lb beef shoulder for 17+ hours on 7lb's of charcoal at 220 degrees. This tool will set you up as the Grill rockstar of the Neighborhood. :) .. Enjoy and Good Eats.
I have recently learned that it's considerably better to apply the oil directly to the meat just prior to grilling. Applying it to the grate just results in premature burning of the oil. Try it and see. You will never do otherwise hence forth...
That's true. One thing I learned from working in restaurants was how to grill/broil a good steak. Drizzle a little olive oil directly on the steak and rub it on to get a good coat and then season it. The oil will make sure you get a really good crust when you sear it.
I may be asking for a little grilling myself, but once you graduated from Barbeque 101, here's and advanced course:
Bistecca ala Fiorentine is Italian style grilling, and imparts wonderful flavor to the meat. PRESUMING you are already using grass-fed beef (and if you're not, you're simply a pretender, not a true beef lover), a little salt and pepper before hand, sear as high as your grill allows , up to two minutes per side (grass-fed beefing cooking MUCH longer due to it's density- but you knew that, right?), then possibly up to 4 minutes on each side on a lower flame (for a traditional 1 in thick tenderloin). Prepare a glass dish with enough olive oil to cover the bottom, in which you have crushed fresh herbs- thyme, sage, lemon parsley, maybe a small amount of fresh garlic, whatever. Immediately after the steak is done, into the olive oil, flipping it two or three times to get the entire surface covered. Let sit for 5 minutes. Serve with a decent Barolo. Prepare to die.
This guy recommends fatty burgers and steaks and then tells us (twice) not to move them while they're on the grill? What does he think happens when a burger that's 30% fat sits still over a fire? The fat renders and catches fire. He"s half right: let the meat sit so that a nice crust can form. But when it really gets lit up, move it. And move it again! Before it turns into a hockey puck.
Well, it's obvious from the comments that everyone has their own preferred methods, which is totally fine. People are entitled to experiment and go with whatever works for them.
However, to Steve, who said, "What does he think happens when a burger that's 30% fat sits still over a fire? The fat renders and catches fire," you missed an important part in the article where the author recommended using chunk charcoal. Unlike gas, which is a flame, charcoal, when properly lit, is an ember, not a fire. As such, you shouldn't have flare-ups. In 12 years of using it, I've never burnt anything due to flare-ups (getting distracted and leaving it on too long is a different story–oops!). Plus, since the author recommended leaving the lid on (to each his own, I guess) that should sufficiently limit the oxygen and thus limit flare-up conditions. Matter of fact, Grill Safety 101 says if you get an uncontrollable flare-up, put the lid on, don't move the meat.
Happy Grilling!
I've been grilling burgers this way for two years–just did a batch last weekend. I get a well marbled chunk of meat that is at least 20% fat (or 80% learn, if you prefer) and probably higher. I also cook over gas (too lazy to use charcoal). I don't get flare ups. I can't tell you why but I can guess: If the grill is hot enough when you put the hamburger on, I suspect that the crust prevents the fat from escaping; the burgers are on the grill for !!at most!! 10 minutes (it takes me longer to toast the buns around the edges of the grill than it does to do the burgers). Season one side, put them on that grill with that side down, wait 3 to 5 minutes, season the other side, flip them, wait 2 to 4 minutes, remove.
And not all lump charcoal is created equally. Some brands tend to pop while cooking throwing ash all over the underside of the food. Others might even contain plywood scraps from lumber yards. Don't skimp on the fuel. Buy a reputable brand.
I recently came across a person in the hospital that scrubbed his grill with a wire brush and one of the barbs stayed on the grill. It then got stuck on a piece of chicken and it perforated his stomach. The gentleman had to undergo an emergent endoscopy to remove the barb from his stomach. He was lucky that he didn't need an operation. I looked it up in the medical literature, and although rare, it's not unheard of for this to happen, so be carefull out there with those steel brushes on grills.
Who knew cleaning a grill could be so dangerous?! Thanks Dr. Lehoux
Thank you, sir, for the expert feedback; it's much appreciated!!
Thanks for the info. Never thought the wire brush can create such a problem.
YES!
Do not use old scrubbers, as the wires are more likely to fall out onto the grill.
wowee! thanks for that tip Doc, I never would have dreamed to watch out for that...who knew!!! and I use wire brushes all the time
Wire brushes are just bad for cleaning grills. Not only they can leave wires in your food, they don't do a good job either – they mostly go around the grill bars, leaving all the gunk on top. My favourite way to clean a grill is with a fine steel wool. Takes about 30 seconds to clean the whole thing to shine.
I suspect more people have been eaten by sharks than hurt by a wire grill brush. Yes, one can worry about anything; No, it isn't reasonable. If the steel wool does a better job at a reasonable cost, that's a good reason for switching. Being attacked by the brush is not.
Tell that to the guy with the perforated stomach or the shark attack victim. Risk analysis is a simple matter of valuing the cost of the undesireabke outcome against the cost of minimizing that out come. And you don't get to decide how I value my health.
dcara's reply is remarkably insightful for the CNN comments section – cheers, good sir!
Absolutely agree with cooking on a clean grate, but cleaning it up can be a pain. A couple of years ago I came across this tip, and it works like a charm every time. Once the grate is cool, wrap it newspapers (easier and much cheaper) or paper towels that have been soaked in hot water with a healthy dose of a grease cutting detergent (I use Dawn), Put the grate in a plastic garbage bag so the papers don't dry out, and leave it overnight. The next day, more hot soapy water and little steel wool cleans everything right up in just a few minutes. Rinse well and let air dry, and then you're good to go the next time around. It make take a little longer if you wait several days, or it's been awhile since the grate got a thorough cleaning.
1st, you're not a doctor, you fake. 2nd, this is an urban myth that's been going around for decades. There's no case on record about this. Idiots...
good point. i imagine a doctor has better things to do then post on grilling tips.
Highly disagree. I've tried this method, and even with 80% lean burgers, there is so much fat infused it is disgusting. On the other hand, I've taken 85% lean burgers, squeezed them into the tightest patties possible and pressed on the top during grilling to push out a little extra fat, and cooking them to medium/medium well they are some of the juiciest, most flavorful burgers ever.
Tom, how about grabbing some turkey meat because you are killing the hamburger by smashing it while on the grill. By the way, your method does not render the juciest hamburger ever. That's not an opinion but jst a fact. Sorry.
Shut up Tom
Just realized I made a comment below, but I could be confused with this idiot Tom. Changing my name to Tom H. so my friends don't think I grill without a clue!!
Come on Tom! Lie to yourself, but don't lie to us!!! .lol
Tom, you are a moron and obviously not a cook.
Tom,
Try 'non-supermarket' beef. The article aludes to this. I buy beef straight from the butcher shop, (I get the entire beef – Marvalous Steaks and Roasts). You can request the amount of fat added to the ground meat. I can pan brown ground beef for tacos and not have any fat cook off. Best tasting hamburgers also, there is no shrinkage. At least this is my experence.
I hate Shrinkage...
No, don't use olive oil for grilling!!! Canola or peanut oil is preferred for high heat. And be careful with the smoking chips as they can make meat bitter if applied too early or for too long. Likewise any hardwood - apple, oak, pecan - will work to add smoke flavor.
Wrongo, DM. Olive oil works just fine, and gives the meat better flavor. I use it all the time! Also, NEVER pepper a steak before it's grilled. The pepper becames bitter in high heat situations.
I learned a good trick when it comes to grilling. Before I throw the meat on the grill, but after I've got the grill hot, I rub the grates with half of a onion. The onion prevents the meat from sticking and imparts a bit of flavor to the meat. I use it mostly when I grill fajitas up, but I'm sure it would work fine with a good ribeye.
no, DM is correct, olive oil at high temps is pointless...a little bit of research can prove this
Yeah, thats why a steak au poivre is so bitter and disgusting...
Just as pepper will become burnt and bitter over high searing heat, so will the olive oil. Light rub of oil is traditionally used when pan searing, for better contact and heat transfer. In grilling, it doesn't help the sear at all, and olive oil, among those most prone to burning (lowest smoke point) just isn't any good when burnt.
Steak Au poivre should never be done over fire. Searing it in a pan, on medium-high heat WITH OIL will cause the pepper to mellow, not burn, and much of the pepper's heat will be knocked down. It will not burn, and therefore won't be bitter. If your steak au poivre is bitter and burnt, it's been prepared wrong.
Noticed a few folks talking about the BGE. It's not "just" as smoker, FWIW. some folks never even smoke on it. Dome temps of around 800 mean then lump itself is around 1200-1400 degrees. When you sear over raging lump, air temp is irrelevant. It is a searing machine.
Lastly.... just to be a total persnickety know-it-all (he said tongue in cheek). searing does not and CAN NOT "seal in juices". It Does provide caramelized flavors you can't get without a sear though... and the moisture loss is minimal and can't dry out a steak. Salting won't dry it either. Lots of myths involved in cooking steaks, most are bunkum...
great article.
Meat takes smoke best early on. Put the chips on when you first put on the meat. It's semi-fruitless after the meat has been seared and sealed by the heat. Competition BBQ cooks know this.
It is ok to use olive oil, you just dont want to use extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is only good for dips and dressings.
i have used all types of oils BUT have found through various top chefs that marinating in extra virgin olive oil will tenderize the meat (even select cuts) to a choice or even a prime cut. it helps to break down the fiber (Grissel) to an easy to chew and delectable meat. i have used this for the past 25 years and have been greeted with thanks,praise and questions ,especially when they find out i used a select cut of meat. it's also the healthiest!
I believe Sunflower has a higher smokeing point then those two, but I wouldn't use it on a steak at all because the burning point for any oil your going to find is below 450 degrees Fahrenheit.. maybe for potatoes which are not directly on the flame anyway.. Just use a marinate if anything
Any of the oils mentioned will work. However, don't use anything from BP. We've seen what it does to sea food. Not even he best technique can fix that.
I've never had to use oil of any kind on my grill. My grill has cast iron grates and once a good sear is on the meat, it just slides off with no problem. Plus, the cast iron grates help hold the heat more evenly. Don't forget to let your meat get to room temp before throwing it on a hot grill grate. It'll keep the meat from tightening and drawing up, so it'll be more tender. Yes, that's correct, I am a woman and I do all the grilling at my house (Everything from grilling burgers and sausage to smoking brisket, whole turkies, and pulled pork). After about 3 times of eating charred outside and raw inside chicken cooked by my dear husband, I learned to "man' the grill myself. I use lump charcoal with soaked lumps of real wood (mesquite, hickory, and applewood mostly). I don't have a chimney starter, but I get the same effect by raising the bottom grate, placing newspaper on it, covering it with lump charcoal and lighting. When I am ready to put the meat on, I simply lower the bottom grate again. Easy peasy!
If you don't season or oil your cast iron grates then how do you keep them from rusting. I have cast iron grates and I keep them seasoned the same way you should keep any cast iron pan sealed and that includes oiling them in something at some point. In fact you should not even use new cast iron until you have properly seasoned it.
I use either oilive oil or vegitiable oil; with grilling it does not matter, but neither does smoke point. It all burns. Cast iron should in general not be washed with soap just really hot watter then reseansond (oiled) if needed and dried in an over or incase of my grates over coals. While I agree with the article you should keep your gril clean, if you are using cast iron greates to not destroy your seal with a wire brush.
Enjoy.
Forget "folding" the newspaper. Just crumple them up – - more oxygen gets in that way.
ANOTHER GREAT HELP - Drizzle some cheap vegetable oil on the crumpled paper before adding the charcoal. The oil will turn the paper into a sort of candle, and will burn longer to insure that the charcoal ignites evenly.
Thanks Dennis. This has been a challenge. Can't wait to try this!
You are correct on crumpling the newspaper vs. folding it; it may not burn completely if it's neatly folded. Also, a great suggestion on the vegetable oil. You might also try pouring a couple tablespoons worth of vegetable oil onto the coals as well. It will help them stay lit. Of course, do this before lighting them, unless you're looking for singed eyebrows.
I use a chimney every time and I've never actually had a problem lighting it, other than wind :)
All I do is pour the natural wood chunk charcoal in the chimney (I do this first due to the sometimes large amounts of charcoal dust), then crumple up a few sheets of newspaper and stuff it in the bottom chamber and light it. Always works great. With natural wood charcoal I pour it in when the top two inches or so of charcoal is still black because this charcoal will help maintain a hot fire longer and does not adversely affect the taste of the food.
Just add more paper why put more oul fumes on teh coals!
Two words...weed burner
10-4 good buddy. When you don't have time for those coals to come up to heat the weed burner gets 'em ready in no time.
If you run out of newspaper, spray some PAM cooking spray on a couple paper towels, works well too in a pinch.
Grilling
Awesome article! Thanks so much for writing this... had a couple great pointers I didn't know, and many that every guy SHOULD know.
RE: Thomas R –
Every guy does know these "tips" now step away from the grill before you hurt yourself.
However showing the big meaty image up front on cnn is quite gruesome and politically incorrect for vegetarians and others opposed to killing.
Hey Wanna2know. SHUT UP ! Nobody cares about your D.A. opinion.
Yeah, a "big meaty image" is so offensive. I'd much rather have CNN's usual pro-gay smut.
Hey Wanna2know.....vegatables are living organisms too! They have feelings too! Enjoy your salad!
Meat is murder!!!
Tasty, tasty murder... hmmmm!
@wanna2know – some people eat meat, others dont. deal with it. if they show vegetables on the front page should meat eaters be offended? geeze...
I love grilling myself, but people have to be careful. The charring that people love to put on their burgers or steaks are carcinogens. I know it seals the juices and tastes good but it can cause cancer. Whenever I grill, I always cook on low and turn the meat often. I do this so it cooks evenly and doesn't leave the burnt marks.
Remind me not to eat at your house...
yuck
Jack – Whomever told you that was either ill-informed or pulling your leg. The char on the outside of cooked meat is not a carcinogen. Period.
Thomas & Jack – You're both right (and wrong). The 'char' is not carcinogens. However, the carbon in the char is what absorbs the carcinogens. When the fat drips down and hits the burning coals, the smoke that arises contains carcinogenic substances called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The theory is that the PAH-filled smoke is only absorbed into the carbon of the 'char'.
At least, that's what Google told me.
For some foods, it's better to cook low and slow. Chicken, especially with the skin on, will flare up. Still, that outer layer needs to sear, otherwise all the juice in the meat is gone. Steak has to sear, hot hot hot. You're not going to get cancer unless you constantly stuff yourself with really charred meat. Keeping your grill clean and well oiled is the trick to removing any danger. Ultimately, it sounds like you're so worried about carcinogens that aren't actually present in sufficient quantities to harm you that you're sacrificing a good meal in the process. I like steak tender, juicy and rare. Not dry and so tough I can make a new pair of combat boots.
If you cook a steak slowly on the grill you might as well boil it. Yes I meant boil not broil.
Nowadays......what doesn't give you cancer?
good point on the charring. many are not aware of this. charring fruits and vegetables is ok but dangerous to char meat or fish (protein). if you do so, please don't do it frrequently.
The fat dripping and exploding into gas contains NO carcinogen what so ever. Scientific fact. In fact, it is what gives grilled food their unique taste, not the wood chips nor the charcoal (which is wood, also).
Sear does NOT "seal" the juices in. Juices run out anyway – as sear is NOT a moisture proof barrier. Sear changes the chemical makeup of the outer surface as the protiens and fat react to the high heat. This chemical change is yummy (that's the scientific word for it). However, a good sear indicates that the fire was hot enough to limit exposure to the heat to a short amount of time. Dry meat comes from dehydration, not "low cooking temperatures". Dehydration comes from long exposure to heat and overcooking where the protien molecules tighten up and squeeze the moisture out (that's why well done meat has a different texture). Moist meat comes from "not drying it out" – it still has to cook to your desired level, but the faster you bring it to the proper temperature, the less time moisture has to evaporate. Then you pull it off, let it rest, and let the remaining juices redistribute.
Another trick to moist burgers. Finely dice some onioin (white, yellow, or purple) and mix it in with your loose patties. If you cook the burger a little slower, the grill marks have a chance to form, but the onions inside have a chance to begin carmelizing and turning sweet, releasing their juicy goodness within the burger itself.
can't do that, gotta cook meat very hot to kill bacteria
Check the HERP index from the Lawrence Berkley National Lab if you really want to see how dangerous and widespread carcinogens are. The question of "What doesn't give you cancer?" is pretty spot on, because there is a ton of stuff listed on there that I'm sure no one is shying away from for fear of cancer.
The worst case for char they could get was a pan-fried hamburger that rated 0.0002% on the index. What rated above this? Beer at 1.8%, wine at 0.6%, indoor a/c at 0.4%, tomatoes at 0.03%, apples at 0.02%, carrots at 0.005%, the list goes on and on. My point is that yes, it may possibly cause cancer, but so does almost everything you eat. It's not something to worry about.
Here's the link for yourself, so you can see what really is and isn't something to worry about (anything below 1% really isn't worth your time). Below the chart, it goes into detail on some of the things on the list, including the hamburger. http://potency.lbl.gov/pdfs/herp.pdf
Jack, you've been misinformed. The carcinogen is NOT the char, but any up-splatter of ash, soot, etc., from the fuel source beneath, which is why it's recommended not to have the food too close to the heat source onto which fat drippings could cash a splash-back of that material onto the food.
A major earthquake hits New Zealand, and CNN makes a steak front page news.
What is wrong with CNN lately?
If this happened in some island in the Caribbean you would be falling all over yourselves to get coverage.
What's up with that????
Maybe they thought that the people in NZ needed this informatoion with the power and gas out down under.... Oh, I geuss they won't be reading this on the computer either! oops.
Great grilling info though!
Well, they probably have no power so this is actually helpful for them if they are trying to make dinner in the dark.
It's Labor Day weekend......only one of the biggest grilling weekends of the year........
it only took me 4 posts before i found the one whining about the importance of this article. congrats, you don't understand the internet!
Pardon me. Don't let me interrupt you from your steak and beer. I understand how these things are front page quality news. Of course an Earthquake is really insignificant after having so many of them this year.. And well you know, it makes for boring news of course. Let's just not cover that. Out of sight out of mind. Ignorance is bliss. Pass the cranberry saucy. Stop thinking so much. Don't complain. Go to sleep. No killing moths or putting boiling water on the ants
Car wash, also on sundays, no longer afraid of the dark or midday shadows
Nothing so ridiculously teenage and desperate nothing so childish
At a better pace, slower and more calculated, no chance of escape
Now self-employed, concerned, but powerless
An empowered and informed member of society, pragmatism not idealism
Will not cry in public, less chance of illness, tires that grip in the wet
Shot of baby strapped in back seat, a good memory still cries at a good film
Still kisses with saliva, no longer empty and frantic like a cat tied to a stick
That's driven into frozen winter shit, the ability to laugh at weakness
Calm fitter, healthier and more productive a pig in a cage on antibiotics
Ikantraed, please have your Mommie investigate treatment for you. Xanax should be adequate!
Maybe because the impact of the earthquake in New Zealand was small (100 minor injuries, zero deaths); whereas the impact of the earthquake in Haiti was a bit larger (300,000 injured, 230,000 deaths)?
Regarding grilling, the amount of charcoal that fits into one of these chimneys is usually less the what you want in your grill. You may need two chimneys, or go with lighter fluid.
My experience with wood chips is that if cooking is slow, they impart a fantastic flavor. I like mesquite for chicken and shrimp, and hickory for salmon. Either is great with beef.
Not only that, but the article is a RERUN. From June, hence the Father's Day reference.
It is nice to see an article in the news that is not just "bad news". I know some people tune in just to hear about earthquakes, hurricanes, pizza delivery man stabbings, etc. Personally, I think there should be more articles like this and less "bad news".
Smorgas Borgas, my friend. SMORGAS BORGAS!
So, their tips are clean your grill, wait till it's cold to eat. I did find it redeming that they said cook the fat greese burgers because we all understand those are the best...
FYI Robert, meat, when taken off direct heat, holds enough heat to continue cooking for 5-10 more minutes. It won't go cold, it will continue to cook.
These are basic tips that come in the instruction manual of every grill. If you don't know these, then you should even own a grill. But here are some tips that they don't tell you, and that are not commonly know.
1) If you are using a cut of meat that doesn't have much fat (or you want to add a bit more flavor), put a little bit of butter to it before you flip it. It will melt into the meat keeping it juicy. This is also a great trick if you like your meat well done, but don't want it dry. This can be used for both steaks and burgers.
2) Only heat part of the grill "screaming hot". The other part needs to be cooler for a "safe zone". If, and when, you get a flareup you need to move the meat over to the safe zone until the flareup is gone. You should also keep a spray bottle of water to douse the flareups quickly. When the flareup is gone, move the meat back. Sure you may not get the grill marks perfect, but there is a very fine line between char and burned. Grill plates cause char; flame causes burn.
3) When the steak is done, don't just put it on the cutting board. You will actually lose juices that way. Instead, wrap it tightly in foil. It will keep the food warm, and collect the juices. Alternatively, you can put the steaks in a large bowl and place foil or a large plate over the top. Then you can pour collected juices over the steak or in a small bowl for dipping. It will be the best steak sauce you've ever had.
4) Lube you grill before you put the meat on, not before you start the fire. There are two things you can do. First, you can tightly wrap a paper towel and dip in an oil with a high smoke point (safflower, Soy Bean, extra light olive oil, or refined peanut oil). Since they have a high smoke point, they will not burn off quickly. Second, Weber has a spray that you can use directly over a fire and it will not flame up. It doesn't have as high of a smoke point, but it is quick and effective. Also, lube and clean the grill after you are done and while the grates are still hot (you should always scrub the grill grates when they are hot).
5) Cook with the lid down. I know that commercials always show people grilling with the lid up, but they are not really cooking. They are trying to sell their meat. Cooking with the lid down will keep the heat in and speed up the cooking process and it will keep in the smoke from woods or aromatics you are using.
Newspaper is not the way to go. Get an electric starter. It is consistent even if the coals have absorbed some moisture.
The best tip of all is to avoid eating the limbs and pieces of dead animals. It's better for the environment, the animals, and you.
We didn't fight all the way up the food chain just to eat veggies!!