_steak On The Grill Sizzling Sensations Food

_BEEF ON THE GRILL: SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL

Steps:

• Get Good Grades. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspects and grades US beef. The inspection is to ensure food safety standards are upheld, but the grading is voluntary--producers don't have to participate. These grades, however, are the best indication of what you can expect in terms of tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. Grades are based on the animal's age (younger is better) as well as the amount and distribution of marbling, the tiny flecks of fat throughout the muscle tissue (more is better). There are eight grades for beef, but you'll probably only encounter three or four of them:* PRIME beef is the best--only 2% of US cattle earn this title for their "slightly abundant" marbling. You can see the fine, evenly distributed flecks throughout the meat. Most prime grade beef goes to upscale restaurants and hotels, but why should they have all the fun? Inquire at your local butcher shop or make friends with a rancher and see how the other half lives. * CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF™, while not a USDA grade, is a trademarked designation reserved for only 7 out of 100 cattle, which must meet strict standards for texture, firmness, and marbling. Fans attest to its intense flavor and richness. Try it for yourself if you haven't already done so. * CHOICE is the second best USDA grade and the most widely available. Choice beef has moderate or small amounts of marbling and the cattle are fairly young. Some say the difference between Prime and Choice is less significant than the difference between Choice and Select. For grilling, buy Choice when possible. * SELECT beef is the leanest, least expensive grade and the flavor within this grade can vary widely. It has only "slight" amounts of marbling and tenderness. Not the best grade for grilling. Don't hesitate to marinate it first to boost its texture and flavor. Try Aged Beef. There is another beef distinction that makes a big difference in tenderness and flavor, and that is aging. During aging, enzymes in the muscle fibers break down and bingo, you've got yourself a tender morsel. Dry-aged beef is exposed to air for 3 to 6 weeks and kept very cold. During this tenderizing process, the beef can lose up to 10% of its weight through moisture loss--which results in a more concentrated beef flavor. Aficionados swoon for this stuff. If you can find dry-aged beef, pounce on it! Wet-aged beef is sealed in Cryovac® bags for the tenderizing process, so there's no moisture loss. In the end, you have more meat with a "fresher" taste. Try each aging process if you're lucky enough to find samples and you may just have a new, pricey addiction. Choose Your Store. Today we have many options for purchasing beef. You probably have a grocery store you trust for everyday purchases. For prime grade, special cuts, or special attention, visit a good butcher shop. There's no match for the expertise you can tap over the counter. And if you haven't already, check out the warehouse clubs in your town. You might be surprised at the quality of the meat, and because these stores deal in volume, they often have great deals on Choice cuts. Don't Forget The Roasts. If your culinary daring ends at steaks and burgers, we've got good news. Many beef roasts are wonderful on the grill, especially those from the loin, short loin, and rib sections. Grilled roasts not only add a nice dimension to your repertoire, they can feed a crowd (or make someone very happy in the leftover department). Not every roast is made for high-heat cooking like grilling, however. Cuts from the foreshank and round sections fare best in moist heat, i.e., braised or in stews. The chuck has some cuts suited for the grill--we handpicked a couple and included recipes for them in this chapter--and ground up, it does make the best burgers. Take a look at the beef chart in our Grilling Guide (see REFERANCE & APPENDIX) to find all these cuts. Know When To Quit. Doneness is the cornerstone of your beef enjoyment and thus a matter of personal taste. In our recipes we offer the approximate cooking times to reach the USDA's definition of medium rare, with the exception of ground beef, which should always be cooked to 160°F, or medium doneness, to avoid risk of any food-borne illnesses. We use the USDA's definition of medium rare for beef, i.e., an internal temperature of 145ºF--some beef eaters will find this a bit high. We think you can enjoy beef that's plenty juicy at a safe 145ºF, but if you like your meat rare, enjoy at your own risk (except of course for burgers--sorry, but some aspects of modern living are tough on us all). In order to reach 145ºF as your finished temperature, the recipes for large cuts prompt you to remove the beef from the grill when it reaches 135ºF thick steak recipes have you remove them at 140°F. Stopping short allows for carry-over cooking, which means the temperature continues to rise up to 10°F as the meat rests (the larger the cut, the higher it will rise). Thinner steaks can be removed at 145°F. Go Against The Grain. Beef muscle is made of longer, often tougher fibers than most other four-legged creatures. Cutting across these fibers when you slice the meat will produce more tender bites. This is especially important with tougher cuts such as flank and skirt steak, London broil, and bottom sirloin. And A Word On Searing. Many folks think searing locks in juices. But the fact is (and it's been proven in lab tests, so who are we to go against the pros?) searing merely caramelizes the surface of your food, adding nice texture, color, and flavor. Don't get us wrong this is no trivial matter. Caramelization is a critical quality of masterfully grilled beef, but you can overdo it. Keep in mind that as long as you are searing the beef, or even cooking it at all, you are tightening the proteins and squeezing out juices. If you want juicy meat beyond that beautifully seared surface, just don't overcook it!From Weber's Big Book of Grilling. Copyright © 2001 Weber-Stephen Products Co. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.

*BEEF

Steps:

• Most food cravings live short but intense lives. If the real thing isn't available, you can usually be placated with a reasonable facsimile or a close-enough relative. But when you're struck by the deep, maddening yearning for juicy grilled beef, you just gotta have the real thing. Nothing else will do.If beef is your passion, these moments can border on crisis. Details such as texture, the degree of doneness, and seasonings are sacrosanct. This desired beef serving must not merely be. It must be just so. No wonder so many beef lovers turn to the grill for true satisfaction. Whether you're preparing steaks, filets, burgers, or a roast, the grill is the best--some would say only--way to sear the outside quickly, giving it a wonderfully caramelized surface that yields to the tenderness within. But that's only half the story. Without a doubt, beef reaches its fullest flavor when steeped in the smoke that rises up when fat and juices drip onto the flames below. This is the stuff that cowboy dreams are made of. Then, of course, there is beef's appeal to the chef: versatility. Bovine topography is vast and varied, with a range of textures and flavors that's impossible to replicate. From the tender valleys of the short loin to the massive peaks of the chuck, there's a lot of territory to work with here. This affords the chef the luxury of choosing not only the cut, but the preparation method as well. Let's say you're craving a rich, tender helping. How about a filet mignon, a tenderloin roast, or a sizzling rib-eye? Easy, fast, delicious. Or let's say it's Saturday and you want to treat yourself after a busy day of errands and chores. Just slip a flank or skirt steak into a tenderizing marinade when you wake up and dine on thin slices of beef dripping with seasoned flavor that evening. And who doesn't appreciate the simplicity of the burger, which you can dress up or down depending on your mood. Fine-tuned to your craving-of-the-moment, the burger can be bliss. Got more time on your hands? Spend some of it rubbing or stuffing a roast or marinating some beef ribs. You won't regret a minute invested. And wouldn't a savory sauce--say, a velvety blend of red wine, mushrooms, and butter--be worth the effort to create? We think so! There are even choices today about the quality of beef you start with. We're not talking about the grade and cut, but rather the purity of the cattle's feed and water, whether or not the cattle ever receive growth hormones, how they're treated for illness, and how they're handled over the course of their entire lives. Marketed under the label of "natural" beef, there is a variety of products to choose from. Each producer has specific standards and definitions, however, so read the labels carefully or ask your butcher about them. These products usually cost more, but you may very well find a line of beef products that you'll want at your dinner table every time. Whatever you decide to season, slice, and devour, look for cuts with the most generous marbling. Trim off the excess outer fat. And ditch the guilt trip. We promise to put the fun back into a menu choice that has been met with a raised eyebrow in the past several years. Beef is about enjoyment. If you've ever wondered how to get there, we've got the inside scoop on how to shop for the good stuff, how to trim it up, and how to grill it to meet your expectations. From the homestead of the classic mouth-watering T-bone to the Elysian fields of garlic- and herb-crusted prime rib, there's something here for every beef lover. But don't take our word for it. Indulge!From Weber's Big Book of Grilling. Copyright © 2001 Weber-Stephen Products Co. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.

SIZZLING STEAK ( CHINESE)

Steps:

• Peel onions and cut into wedges. Beat the thinly sliced meat slightly with a meat mallet.
• Mix the water and baking soda, pour over steak and leave to stand 1 hour.This helps to tenderise the meat, But not an essential step.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan or wok . cook onions until nice and caramelised. Remove the onions from pan and arrange on a plate.
• Add 2 tbsp oil to the pan ,add the drained steak and cook over high heat to dry the water and brown the meat.
• Add the sauces, wine and sugar to the pan with the steak . Return to the boil,reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until tender.
• Spoon the meat over the onions and serve.

_STEAK ON THE GRILL: SIZZLING SENSATIONS

Steps:

• Buy The Best. No, we don't mean filet mignon every night. Just follow your appetite (sirloin tonight?), then scrutinize the cuts before you. You can't go wrong with prime, but chances are you're going to be choosing between Choice and Select at the average grocery store. Go for Choice. (If the steak grades aren't on the packages, ask the folks behind the counter.) Look for bright red meat and hunt down the ones with the finest flecks/streaks of fat. But don't assume that cheaper or leaner cuts can't deliver on flavor. Flank and skirt steaks, once considered culinary stepchildren, are now very popular--just take that extra tenderizing step and you've got a fine meal.Tidy Up And Dress Up. Trimming steaks is easy because the fat is usually around the outer edge. Leave about 1/4 inch of fat for flavor--more will just invite flare-ups. If you're not using a recipe, a light coating of the best extra-virgin olive oil you can afford and a generous sprinkle of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper is all the seasoning you need for a tasty beef experience.Get Hot, Not Bothered. Get that cooking grate searing hot! Charcoal grillers, be sure to place the cooking grate on the grill and close the lid for several minutes before you place the steaks on it. You want those steaks to sizzle when they hit the metal. Sear steaks over Direct High heat for a few minutes on each side to get great grill marks (for tips on how to make perfect grill marks, see the sidebar on page 107). Depending on your preferred doneness, you can finish your steak over Direct High or Medium heat (Medium is better for marinade-coated steaks). Know When To Turn Them. If you're used to the old "cut and peek" method of checking doneness (we can't think of a surer way to mar a lovely steak), here's a great trick. When meat heats up on the grill, the juices inside rise to the surface. You can tell a steak's doneness by the color of the juices on top of it. For rare steaks, turn while the juices are red. For medium steaks, turn when they're pink. And for well done, wait until they are clear. Note the time they've been cooking. After you turn them, wait the same number of minutes to pull them off the grill. Voilà. You are a steak-grilling genius! If you're grilling steaks to different doneness levels, keep the finished ones warm under foil on individual plates. Be sure to drizzle any escaped juices back over the respective steaks when you serve them.And Finally, A Word About Steak Sauce. We used to be against this stuff. Somehow, pouring bottled anything onto your grilled masterpiece just seemed wrong. So we started experimenting in the kitchen and guess what? Making your own just adds to the pleasure, not to mention the flavor! While virgin grilled beef will always be near and dear to us, we have experienced some breathless moments with the artful drizzle. Check out our recipes--crafted to match the marinades and rubs we've developed--and see if they don't heighten the flavor.From Weber's Big Book of Grilling. Copyright © 2001 Weber-Stephen Products Co. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.