Cooking the Perfect Steak

Cooking the perfect steak is supposed to be a skill perfected over time, with many possible trails and errors before you achieved steak bliss. Who wants to wait for that time to come much less have to suffer over the errors? Not I.

The first step to cooking the perfect steak is choosing the right cut of meat. There really isn't just one great cut, they all have value. Keep in mind that it is very much a matter of personal preference and, admittedly, sometimes budget. The least tender cuts are the rib-eye, rib roast, and the back ribs. Don't count these out right away. If you have a little extra time to do some pre-grill slow roasting, these cuts can be incredibly tasty. Other tough cuts are the chuck, flank, and round steaks.

The very traditional cuts for grilling are the top loin, sirloin and top sirloin. These are fairly budget friendly and flavorful. The premium grilling cuts are the porterhouse and the T-Bone. They both are pretty large and really are two steaks in one. The porterhouse has the tender filet on one side and the New York strip on the other while the T-bone is very similar but does not have as much of the tender filet. All of these cuts however are wonderful choices for grilling and I suggest that you try them all at some point to pick your favorite!

Finally you have the tenderloin. From that area you get the chateaubriand, filet mignon, and the tournedos. Although these cuts are deliciously tender, be sure to take in to account that they tend to be the least flavorful and a little budget breaking. So before you fire up that grill, go hunting for your next cut of meat and start cooking the perfect steak!

Before we get to the actually cooking the perfect steak part, a few tips:

• Remove the meat from the grill 5 degrees before the desired temperature (doneness). They will carry over 5 - 10 degrees while resting.
• Be sure to let them rest for 5 - 10 minutes before serving. This lets their juices redistribute. If you just slice them right away, all that juiciness will run out onto your plate instead of being savored by your palette.
• To check for doneness by temperature invest in a instant read digital thermometer. The proper temperatures are as follows:
  Rare - 120 degrees F
  Medium Rare - 125 degrees F
  Medium - 130 degrees F

Cooking the perfect steak by grill or barbecue:

Whether you use propane or you are a charcoal purist, using the grill is a great way to be cooking the perfect steak because of the dry heat they employ. Take the meat out of the refrigerator about 1 hour before cooking. You want to be able to start the cooking process one they hit the grill, not waiting for them to heat up from their previous chill.

Preheat your grill so it is good and hot. The best way to describe the ideal temperature is one that will cook your meat as fast as possible without burning the outside. It is also a good idea to coat your grill with some non-stick spray. Throw those cuts on the grill and season with salt, if desired. Grill until they make it to your temperature of choice and check them with the thermometer. Be wary! They cook incredibly fast, approximately 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium rare. When reach the doneness you require, remove from the grill and let them rest for at least 5 minutes, but 15 is even better.
Congratulations on cooking the perfect steak!

Not as difficult as we all thought it once was. A little knowledge can go a long way when grilling is involved. Next step, add some delicious grilled sides to your menu! But for now, keep on cooking the perfect steak!