How to make steaks?

[mj88]

So the dinner is postponed to the next weekend with good weather as my gf's grandmother passed away.

But I did do a practice round for myself anddd..... I am confused -- that's the best way to explain it.

I wanted somewhere in between of a medium-rare and medium steak so here is how I went about it:

- Took meat out and let it arrive to room temperature
- Used a paper towel to soak up any water on the meat
- Seasoned with salt and pepper (a liberal amount of pepper) about an hour before putting the steak on the grill
- Sprayed "Pan" on the grill to prevent meat from sticking
- Brought the grill up to 550 degrees (it's a gas grill)
- Put meat on grill (the sizzle came out nice and loud, so I figured that's a good sign) and then closed lid
- Waited 3.5 minutes and then opened lid and flipped it EXCEPT when I flipped it the side that was supposed to be grilling looked like hardly anything had changed! So I thought to myself...maybe it's supposed to be like that and then closed the grill and waited another 3.5 minutes for the other side to grill.
- Opened the grill after 3.5 minutes and the steak still looked quite a ways away from actually being edible. -- the temperature dipped a bit to 500 but I made sure to not let it dip any lower.
- So I let it sit on the grill for 2.5 MORE minutes EACH side and then finally it looked like it was edible.
- Pulled it off the grill (total cook time ended up being: 6 minutes x 2 sides = 12 minutes at 500 degrees).
- Sat down to start eating after letting it rest on the plate for 10 minutes and the outside parts of the steak definitely looked and tasted more medium to well done, rather than the meadium-rare to medium that I wanted
- I was a little disappointed and then I was just confused when I got to the middle of the steak because it was RARE! Like as RED as it can be.

What happened? How come it took the steak so long to change colour on the grill and then how come the middle of the steak was rare while the other parts were well done? Was the grill not hot enough? Too hot?
I'm confused .

Sorry for the long winded post but I just wanted all to know exactly what I did so they can pinpoint where I went wrong.
I'm going to go through another test run on my own this weekend probably.

- MJ

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Sounds like too hot to me. Lower the heat and it will have longer cooking time and more time for heat to penetrate to middle.

I believe that spraying vegetable oil on a grill with an open flame may be a fire hazard. Instead, fold a paper towel and hold it with tongs, dip it in a small dish of oil and rub that on the grill.

 

[Lemain]

So sorry to hear of your g/f's loss.

Sounds as though it wasn't hot enough to me (sorry, Greg). When cooking a steak or any slice of premium meat, you need to sear the outside so that it literally burns, brown. It's called the Maillard process. If you don't get the heat to that level or for long enough you end up with something that looks, smells and tastes like what old sock probably tastes. It's also one reason why you hot-fry meat before braising or casseroling.

I never, ever use a grill for steak. I'm from the UK and we call the cooking of meat on a hot metal plate 'frying' -- I think you call it 'broiling'? We use a 'frying pan' and I think you use a 'skillet'?

Live well. Use a frying pan.

The best way I know to cook steak in a frying pan is to first coat it in neutral oil - groundnut (peanut) oil is excellent and zero-taste for most palates. You want it slimy with oil but not dripping with oil. Then just before cooking rub salt and pepper in. Never leave salt in contact with sliced meat for any length of time. Salt can toughen meat. For the two of you, grind some salt on a small saucer, grind in some black pepper, and just before you put the oiled steaks in the pan rub the salt/pepper in. Not too much, people can always add seasoning but it's hard to take it out. Then into a HOT skillet. Probably two mins. Then it should be sliding around and making happy noises, and smoke. You try to flip it over when the outside looks like what a nice steak should look like, not an old handbag.

Try it again

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I usually have my grill set pretty hot for steaks. Actually I don't know why his steak outside was overdone and the inside too raw.

 

[Lemain]

I wasn't completely with it either but then again I never grill steak other than open charcoal....I don't even cook 'em over hot lava. There is a system that is becoming popular in the UK in specialist restaurants -- hot lava slabs and you cook your own at table. The French have had them for years....Pierre à griller usually heated by an alcohol burner. If our friend takes himself to such a restaurant every night until his g/f comes round to dinner he'll be able to experiment bite by bite, night by night!

 

[roadfix]

Just to add, temperature gauges on most BBQ grills tend to be nowhere close being accurate, especially against temperature at the grate level. I would suggest getting an inexpensive (about $20) digital temp probe to take the temp directly off the meat itself. Do not rely on the lid mounted grill gauge.

 

[roadfix]

I usually have my grill set pretty hot for steaks. Actually I don't know why his steak outside was overdone and the inside too raw.

The OP said he brought the steak to room temp but for some reason the steak being rare on the inside tells me otherwise. Perhaps the inside was still partially frozen?
Plus, if the grate temp was really high enough solid grill marks should have appeared even at one minute.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

IMO the temperature gauge on gas barbecues is for when you're using indirect cooking method, i.e. using it as a sort of outdoor oven.

It's only a relative indication when you're grilling.

 

[taxlady]

The OP said he brought the steak to room temp but for some reason the steak being rare on the inside tells me otherwise. Perhaps the inside was still partially frozen?
Plus, if the grate temp was really high enough solid grill marks should have appeared even at one minute.

+1

 

[roadfix]

Additionally, when I grill steaks for the medium-well crowd I initially grill them over high heat to give them a nice char and grill marks, then move them off to the side of the grill to the indirect side for further doneness.

 

[FrankZ]

When I do steaks on the grill (other than for me) I like to get it ripping hot, however hot I can make it with the charcoal. Put them on and sear them, then move them to a cooler part of the grill to let the heat cook deep inside. You may not get the deisred results with using only one method.

Also if you get a probe be sure you know its limits. Mine is rated to 425F. I do have a heat gun that I can use but that actually isn't great because it is hard to get the temp at the grate without shooting through to the charcoal.

 

[mj88]

The frozen meat in the middle theory is definitely the most logical one I think.
So next time, I'll take the meat out even earlier.

But any thoughts on why the meat took so long to change colour on the outside? Shouldn't it have changed colour after the first 3 minutes?
I'm assuming the lid thermometer reports lower temperature than what the grate actually is, so if anything the grill was actually hotter than 500 degrees...shouldn't the steak start to turn brown?
When I flipped it all I saw were the grill lines and barely any colour changing.

- MJ

 

[roadfix]

mj88....Ideally, it's best to thaw frozen meat in the fridge over a day or two, then take it out and bring to near room temp before cooking.

If you did not get nice black grill marks and hardly any change in surface color your grate temp was not high enough.
If you're able to put your hand just a few inches over the grate for more than, say, a couple of seconds your grill is not hot enough.

 

[FrankZ]

If the steak was frozen in the middle it could be acting like a heat sink and make it take longer to darken the outside.

Thaw the steak completely in the fridge. If you feel a need to take it out early to bring it to room temperature (debatable if this is effective) do so with a fully thawed steak.

If the steak was fully thawed your hood thermometer might be seriously off. Just because it reads 500F doesn't mean it has a clue as to what it is talking about.

 

[GotGarlic]

The frozen meat in the middle theory is definitely the most logical one I think.
So next time, I'll take the meat out even earlier.

But any thoughts on why the meat took so long to change colour on the outside? Shouldn't it have changed colour after the first 3 minutes?
I'm assuming the lid thermometer reports lower temperature than what the grate actually is, so if anything the grill was actually hotter than 500 degrees...shouldn't the steak start to turn brown?
When I flipped it all I saw were the grill lines and barely any colour changing.

- MJ

Salting the meat at least an hour ahead is the best way to tenderize it and add flavor. Check this out: Steak Recipe: Turning Cheap “Choice” Steak into Gucci “Prime” Steak (Warning: This blogger uses blunt language that may offend some people.)

I don't measure the grill temperature; I have a gas grill and I just turn it on high on both burners for at least 10 minutes. I brush the steak lightly with oil, not the grill grates. Then I reduce the burners to medium and put the steaks on the grill.

After grilling for about 3 minutes per side, I measure the temperature of the meat with an electronic probe thermometer. Remove the meat from the grill when the temp is about 10 degrees below the final temperature you want. If it's not high enough after six minutes, turn one burner to low and move the meat to the low side; check again after two minutes. Exactly how long to leave it on depends on the temperature of the meat and the final temp you want; experience will help.

Here's a meat temperature chart. Hope this helps.

 

[taxlady]

Is it a charcoal grill? A gas grill?

 

[mj88]

Is it a charcoal grill? A gas grill?

Gas grill.
4 burners.
I had all 4 on high for 5 minutes before putting meat on.

- MJ

 

[roadfix]

I don't measure the grill temperature; I have a gas grill and I just turn it on high on both burners for at least 10 minutes.

This is assuming your grill is operating at or near peak performance.
Gas grills don't operate efficiently if the burners are not clean and full of gunk, resulting in much lower temps. Also, if using lava rocks, make sure they're spaced evenly, not full of gunk, and not restricting heat flow.

 

[FrankZ]

Gas grills can take a surprisingly long time to heat up and be ready for cooking. They aren't instant on.

 

[taxlady]

I would try spritzing a bit of water on the grill to test the temperature. When I make pancakes a drop of water should dance. I think on the grill, the water should just immediately turn to steam, if it is hot enough for steak. Anyone?