Top five tips when manning the grill
As always choosing the product will be the most important factor. My philosophy- the more effort you put into growing, hunting, finding, sourcing you food the better it will taste and be for you. So for the perfect steak you might want to start a small hold farm! http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1691115,00.html
Seriously now there are a few simple rules to follow that produce good results.
Dry your meat
Those juices are no good get rid of them. They lower your heat and create char inhibiting steam. Pat down with a paper towel and/or if you want to get really professional place on a rack uncovered in a fridge with good air circulation and constant temperature for a couple of hours or days until drip and air dried.
Warm your meat
A similar concept to resting meat after cooking. The muscle proteins contract upon hitting the heat, this will be more pronounced the colder the meat. Also seasoning will be absorbed better by warmer meat. So take you meat out and let it come to room temperature, half hour to an hour is a good guide. Forget food hygiene worries, well use common sense ie don’t leave in the sun to get fly blown. The blazing cooking surface will incinerate bacteria and salt will inhibit growth.
Salt your meat
The best chefs in the world will all tell you one thing – use salt. Many will go on to elaborate- in the cooking process rather than on the table. It is often the reason restaurant food tastes better. When to apply has caused huge debate amongst industry heavyweights. I apply just before cooking after the meat has lost its fridge chill. I think all agree use more salt than is good for you. Check this out for a good argument on why to salt early -
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Don’t play with you meat
Turn the bare minimum of times. Four times – including the quarter turn each side to get those desirable cross hatched grill marks. Guy’s all know that more than a couple of shakes are considered playing with it.
Rest you meat
Your meat has just taken a savage heating causing contraction on the cellular level forcing juices into the centre of the meat. Let it relax so the juices can return to their rightful place and not end up dripping off you slicing board.
