Welcome to Meathead Talks, a series of curated articles from AmazingRibs on everything from kitchen science to myth busting to tips for upping your grill game. All articles are written by the Meathead, a brilliant chef and self-proclaimed Barbecue Whisperer whose culinary word are heeded as gospel in many circles.
Meathead says: "You don’t need to donate last week’s paycheck to a steakhouse to enjoy a fantastic steak."
There is no reason to spend a fortune at a restaurant when you can grill a steak at home like the pros by just following a few key tips. Cooking a great steak is one of the simplest things in the world. At home, follow Meathead's six tips for grilling steak and in no time you’ll be digging into one of the most satisfying meals you can ever cook.
Step 1: Buy great meat. Dry aged, or not--if you don't start with quality, you can't end up with quality. Choice grade or better. Ask the butcher to pick out a "high Choice" subprimal. They know how to spot the best cuts in the box. Then plan ahead to dry age for 35-45 days. Have a look at Amazing Ribs advice on How to Dry Age Steaks at Home.
Step 2: Trim and tie. If you've dry aged, you may not need either of these tips. Excess surface fat is trimmed as it adds nothing to internal flavor. Tying to hold shape is most likely unnecessary with a dense, beefy dry aged steak.
Step 3: Pre-salt it. Salt early and rest--30 minutes, 2 hours, 24 hours--whatever you've got. But skip the marinade. Here’s the science behind why marinade just throws away flavor.
Step 4: Reverse sear it. Meathead swears by this method for perfectly cooked meat inside, edge-to-edge. For all the science and logic, dig deeper into the reverse sear method here.
Step 5: Flavor it. A key tips for grilling perfect steaks is seasoning. Salt? Butter? Special sauce? Nothing but the beef drippings on the board?
Step 6: Serve it hot. Should you rest your steak before serving? No! This is another myth busted: read about the science here.
That’s the short version: 6 tips for grilling steak like a pros! These six easy steps will work with any steak cut from ribeye to filet mignon, dry aged or not. Before you fire up the grill and throw on a steak, take the time to read through all of Meatheads' 6 Easy Tips and Techniques How You Can Grill A Steak Like A Pro