Grill Maestro

The Washington Post ran an article yesterday on how to pick the perfect steak and so I, of course being the novice, had to share this with the rest of you all.

The biggest thing I took away from the article was that the butcher behind that counter at the supermarket might not know more than someone like me. Most meats are cut and packaged before they make it to the supermarket so places might only have one expert and that guy might not be the one you’re talking to.

“A market may have one guy who knows how to cut meat, but most of the others [in the meat department] are not highly trained,” [Joseph Cordray, a professor of animal science at Iowa State University] says. “Real butchers are a dying breed.”

The tips they give are:
1. Pick out a steak like you pick out clothes - Inspect and look for marbling (specks of white fat) that melt away during grilling and add flavor to the meat.
2. Thickness - Get one that’s thicker than an inch, it’s harder to overcook those.
3. Don’t trim the fat (before you cook) - This was something I didn’t learn until much later. I used to do to steaks what I did with chicken, trim the excess fat. Well, now I try to keep it on because it adds flavor and I can cut it off after it’s fully cooked. I didn’t know it helped maintain the shape though and that’s important too if only for presentation.
4. Behind the glass and on the shelf might be the same - I’ve usually only taken what’s out in the case anyway (as opposed to behind the fancy glass) but I didn’t realize the meat behind the glass was perceived as “better.”
5. Chuck & Round are tough, Rib & Loin aren’t - If you learn nothing else from the article, this is the tidbit to know. They refer to where the meat is and how tough it’ll be. The Chucks and Rounds are tougher (more muscle) and should be stewed whereas the Rib and Loins are grillables.
6. Enhanced vs Natural vs Organic - Enhanced means the meat was injected with additives (flavoring, tenderizer, salt to increase moistness) and the label will indicate the percentage of the weight that is the additive. Natural means it’s been processed with little colors or preservatives. Certified organic means that the cow was hugged all throughout it’s lifespan. I’m only kidding, it means they were fed with organic feed and not given antibiotics or hormones so it can hit more home runs.
7. Rib-Eye gets the nod as the “Best Steak.”

There are a few more tips but I skipped over those, check out the article and leave your thoughts below.