I learned most everything about cooking by watching my dad in the kitchen. He always cooks for our family gatherings, usually preparing whatever delicious meat will be the main course of our entrée. He smokes meats, grills meats, sears them in a pan, you name it, he's done it.
What I really took away when watching him cook was his ability to develop flavor through a very precise, (to him anyway,) amount of seasoning, as well as a clever use of whatever may be on hand. The creativity never missed me and I developed a passion for it, just as he has.
For this reason, and with Father's Day around the corner, I thought it would be fun to ask him, whom I consider an expert in this field, for his personal recipe, tips, and tricks to cook the perfect steak.
The Meat
When asked what the best cut of meat is for a steak cooked at home dad answered:
"Ribeye steak with good marbling. Sirloins are good as well. The fat is what keeps the steak juicy."
While I had always assumed 'fat' was never a good thing when it came to anything really, I have learned as I've become more experienced in the kitchen that when it comes to beef you always want a little extra 'love' in there, even when purchasing ground beef, but especially when purchasing a good steak.
The Seasoning
My dad is a master when it comes to good seasonings and rub combinations for the different types of meats he is cooking, but when it comes to a good steak:
" Salt and heavy pepper only. Don't over season. You want to taste the meat and not the seasonings."
This is a common mistake that I think a lot of younger or less experienced individuals make. Sometimes you have to let the ingredients speak for themselves, especially if you have purchased a good cut of meat or even when using beautifully fresh ingredients. I, myself am a big fan of adding seasoning to almost anything and this is a skill that I am still working on.
The Cook
Dad uses both propane and charcoal grills, propane in a hurry and charcoal any time he can. His simple instructions can be applied to either type of grill:
"Make sure your fire is hot before you start, longer cooking will dry out the steak. I like to cook indirectly in the beginning, about 5-6
minutes each side, and then a hard sear over hot fire to finish. Add butter to the top and rest for 10 minutes before serving. This is for medium-rare on a charcoal grill, how I like mine."
The quickest way to go wrong is to not let the grill preheat. It is the number one mistake when it comes to cooking steak and you are almost guaranteed to over cook the steak, or at least the outside, leading to a tough piece of meat. If you find yourself impatient just set a timer for 15 minutes....and then wait even longer, just to be sure.
I must say, as much as I love a classic steak, my favorite steak recipe that my dad makes are his 'Grillers'. A small piece of steak is wrapped around a slice of white cheddar cheese and then, of course, wrapped by a piece of bacon and seared on the grill. Delicious.
I ask my dad for cooking advice all of the time and I probably will for a long time. I have him to thank for making me pay attention in the kitchen and applying me with the tools I needed to not only develop my cooking skills, but develop my love for it. I've provided a few pictures of the man himself at a local charity BBQ cookoff.
