With temperatures soaring into the 90s, most of my plans these days revolve around the outdoors. Summertime in Michigan is one of my favorite times. There’s just something magical and nostalgic about going up north, hitting the lake, taking a nice road trip, or enjoying a meal with friends and family on the patio. And for me, summer is steak season!
Let me explain…over the years I’ve worked on a technique to sear a delicious steak with lots of flavor. But as you will soon learn, this technique requires a lot of heat. On more than one occasion, I’ve ticked off my neighbors (and my cat) by filling my entire apartment with smoke and setting off every smoke detector in an effort to pan sear the perfect steak. I’ve tried every pan and every oil I could get my hands on. Nothing could keep me from smoking up the house. So, several years ago I retired from cooking steak indoors, and resorted exclusively grilling my steak.
When grilling the perfect steak, the right cut of meat makes all the difference. First things first…steak is NOT budget food. You’re better off opting for something else if you can’t (or won’t) splurge for good steak. Sirloin and New York Strip are both fine options, but opt for ribeye for the most flavor. Look for something well-marbled. And this is VERY VERY important…pick up a thick cut. Thin steaks have little chance of cooking correctly.
Before you grill, a few simple steps pay big dividends. First, bring a stick (or a half a stick if you cook for just a couple of people) to room temperature. Blend in some finely chopped garlic, fresh herbs (I love rosemary and sage), and maybe some very finely chopped onion or shallots. Also, squirt about a quarter to a half of a lemon in for each stick of butter. Spoon the butter on some wax paper, and roll it into a log. Put the herbed butter in the refrigerator…you’ll use it soon. Don’t be afraid to make it in bulk. It lasts a while, and it’s great on veggies! Also, about 30 minutes before you grill, take your steaks out of the refrigerator and leave them covered at room temperature. Don’t worry, you won’t get sick.
Now, head to the grill. Leave your steaks inside. Fire up the grill. Get it as hot as you possibly can! I’m not going to give you a speech about using charcoal over gas. Gas is convenient. Charcoal is king, but you can still grill an incredible steak with gas. Let the grill get nice and hot for about 10 minutes. Come back, scrape any old food from the grates, and give it another 5 minutes or so. If you have a grill thermometer, and it doesn’t read at least 500 degrees, your grill isn’t hot enough.
While the grill heats, head back inside and season your steak. The perfect steak needs only two seasonings before hitting the grill: salt and pepper. Ideally, you want to use coarse kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Use plenty on both sides, more than you think you need…trust me! Once you’ve salted and peppered liberally, brush on just a little oil. For this step, I strongly recommend investing in some grapeseed oil, avocado oil or ghee. While both are more expensive than olive oil or vegetable oil, they hold up much better to high heat.
It’s time to cook! Throw the steaks on the hottest part of your grill. And make sure they don’t touch each other. Close the grill…Now leave! Seriously, the smoke is about to get extreme, and I don’t want you tempted to open that grill cover and let out precious heat. After about 4 minutes, return to the grill and give your steaks a flip. Close the grill, wait again. This is where you’re in control. If you want your steak rare, give it another three minutes. Medium rare…four minutes. Medium…five minutes. Anything more than that…please don’t! A great steak should be medium at the very most. Feel free to use a meat thermometer or the touch test if you’d like, but if you followed all of the previous steps correctly, those times should work.
Once your steaks are off the grill, throw a pat of your herbed butter on each steak ASAP. Even drizzle on a little EVOO, if that’s your thing. Let your steaks rest for about four minutes. By now, your butter should be melted, and there should be quite a few juices on the plate. DO NOT THROW OUT THOSE JUICES. I REPEAT…DO NOT THROW OUT THOSE JUICES. Place each steak on a plate, and drizzle the juices evenly on each one. Serve with grilled potatoes and some grilled green beans or asparagus, and you’ve just build a world-class meal perfect for a beautiful summer day. Happy eating!
