Kraft Food’s Secrets to Great Grilling
Grilled on January 13th, 2006 in ResourcesFinding the Perfect Steak:
- A good steak should have visible flecks of fat (marbling) distributed throughout.
- Beef should be a bright, cherry-red color and the fat a creamy white.
- Look for beef that is firm to the touch, not soft.
- Make sure that the meat is packed tightly and remember to purchase meat last to ensure it stays as cold as possible.
Mastering Marinades
- Always marinate in the refrigerator, never at room temperature.
- Tender beef cuts need to be marinated only 15 or up to 2 hours for more flavor.
- Brush meat with fresh marinade during cooking for more flavor.
- Do not pierce meat before marinating as it causes juices and moisture to be lost during cooking.
Grilling the Perfect Steak:
- Leave a thin layer of fat on steaks during cooking to preserve juiciness. Trim fat after cooking. Most steaks purchased in supermarkets have a fat trim of 1/8 inch or less.
- Pat steaks dry with paper towels for better browning.
- Use the correct cooking temperature. Cooking beef steaks at too high a temperature can cause the outside of the steak to char before the interior reaches the proper doneness.
- Use the “poke test” to determine whether your steak is done or not. Gently push the top of the steak with your finger. The resilience will tell you the degree of doneness.
- Rare: Soft/squishy
- Medium-rare: Slightly resilient
- Medium: Semi-firm
- Well-done: Firm
via KraftFoods.com.
Next time I order a steak, I’m going to ask for it “soft & squishy.”
You might want to use the more traditional term “rare,” but most places won’t let you these days…
NEVER use a marinade to flavor the meat after it has been cooked. If you want to marinate the meat after grilling, make a seperate batch that does not touch the raw meat. This is a common way that people get food poisioning!
Happy Grilling!