There is nothing better than a steak done the right way.
Earlier this year we met Chef Michael Lomonaco of Porter House New York, a classic American-style steakhouse, who shared some of his key grilling tips.
He showed us how to select the right piece of meat, how long to cook it for, and how to take care of your grill.
Chef Lomonaco walked us through some of the important terms and concepts you need to understand to cook delicious steaks right at home.
The terms "prime meat" and "dry-aged" really do matter when it comes to quality.
Prime meat has a "great deal of marble or fat within the beef, the fattiness makes it so delicious," says Chef Lomonaco. It serves as a natural source of flavoring when it cooks.
Dry-aged meat is kept in a specially controlled locker.
By controlling the temperature and humidity of the space, the meat's enzymes are able to develop and interact creating more complex favors.
Specifically, Chef Lomonaco explains, "dry-aged beef has a particular flavor, a nutty aroma, and pronounced beef flavor."
In addition to the flavor, aged-beef is firmer than non-aged and has less moisture content. The reduced moisture helps tenderize the meat and concentrate the flavor.
Because the meat is more tender is feels firmer than regular beef and this can affect the "finger test" when trying to gauge doneness. More on the "finger test" later.
You don't always need to get the most expensive cut to get a great steak.
Sure when you go to a steak house you want to get the prime, dry-aged rib-eye that you only find at the finest restaurants. But when cooking at home, a simpler cut can still get stunning results.
Chef Lomonaco recommends skirt steaks or hanger steaks for home cooking because these cuts have a great flavor and quality and can be cooked easily on the grill or in a cast iron pan. They are also a lot cheaper than the pricier prime cuts.
This can even be true at restaurants. New York Magazine gave its coveted top 2012 steak award to a modest $15 hanger steak in Brooklyn.
Let the meat reach room temperature before cooking.
And this goes for chicken and fish too! The meat will cook more evenly if it is the same temperature throughout.
Professional kitchens that have super high-powered grills, like Porter House NY's 1800º F grill, can cook a frozen piece of meat just fine.
But if you are cooking on your home grill (which probably maxes out at around 500-600º F) letting the meat reach an even room temp will help you control the temperature of your meat better as you cook it.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider