FCSIP134.pdf

grilled steak

The reverse-sear method, used in the recipe below,
ensures a juicy steak because it prevents overcooking.
Cook over low heat first, just shy of perfect doneness,
then sear the surface to brown and create a crust.
This works best with steaks more than 1 inch thick.
Makes 1 steak or 2 servings

1 10- to 12-oz. rib-eye, strip, or porterhouse steak,
about 1½ inches thick
Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Trim any fat to 18 inch, and season the steak all over with ¾  tsp.
salt and ¼ tsp. pepper. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour
and up to 8 hours.
Prepare a two-zone wood or charcoal fire; you’ll want very
low heat (225°F) on one side and higher heat (400°F) on
the other. Push the lit coals to one side of the grill to create
a high-heat area. (If you are using a gas grill, light the burners
on one side only and heat the grill on low.) Put the steak over
the low-heat area, close the lid, and cook until an instant-read
thermometer inserted into the side of the steak registers 110°F
to 120°F, 15 to 20 minutes.
Raise the heat on the high-heat side of the grill to its
maximum by adding wood or lit charcoal as needed or by
turning up the gas burners. If you have an adjustable grill grate,
place it as close to the heat source as possible. Move the steak
to the hotter side and sear until evenly browned and an instant-
read thermometer registers 130°F to 140°F (for medium rare to
medium), 1 to 2 minutes per side. Rotate the steak often,
moving it away from flare-ups as necessary to prevent burning.
Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 to
10 minutes. Slice the meat across the grain, and serve.

Checking for doneness

Th e red color of meat comes not from blood but from myoglobin, a red-pigmented
protein. Most of the red “juices” in steak are myoglobin dissolved in water. Around 140°F,
myoglobin starts to denature and releases oxygen, and the meat color changes from red to
grayish brown. Th e interior color, however, is not a reliable indicator of doneness. When
you cut into a steak to check its doneness, the myoglobin is exposed to air and again binds
with oxygen, which turns myoglobin back to a deeper shade of red. For the most accurate
doneness test, use an instant-read thermometer instead of checking the color.

RECIPE

H 2 O

BLUE/PURPLE

Raw, no air

RED

Raw, air

N

N N

N N

N N

N

O 2

Fe2+ Fe2+

H 2 O

BROWN

Cooked or not fresh

N

N N

N

Fe3+

MYOGLOBIN

Give it a rest

Allow your steak a brief rest aft er grilling

and before serving. As the temperature

drops to around 120°F, the juices fl ow

less easily and the meat fi rms up a bit so

that less juice is released when the steak

is cut. Any juice that does escape won’t

be lost, of course, because you can always

sop it up with sliced meat.

Rest time (in minutes)

INTERNAL TEMP. AFTER COOKING

2.5 5 7.5 10 12.

125

130

120

115

110

Temperature (°F) 105

125

130

120

115

110

16 GRILLING 2019