Every steak commercial has burned into our minds the idea that the best piece of meat is perfectly cross-hatched.
“When I was a kid it was Ponderosa [ads],” says barbecue master Stephen Perrin, executive chef at Rusty’s At Blue, in Collingwood, Ont. “It was those cross-hatched, Texas-style grill marks with the glistening steak and the caramelized meat. I think it’s engrained on your mind that that creates a better steak.”
How do you cook a steak worthy of a commercial?
Start with a hot grill. Get it up to 500 F – hot enough to caramelize the meat but not scorch it, Perrin says.
Ideally, the steak should be one inch thick. Lay it on the grill at a 45-degree angle. Leave it for one minute. Then flip it onto the other side at the same angle, also for a minute.
Flip it back to the original side, but at a 90-degree angle, also for one minute, then flip it again, also at 90 degrees.
Put it in an area that is still warm to let it rest. A plate covered with tinfoil will do the job. Let it rest for five minutes. “Heat is pressure, so it forces all of the juices to the centre of the steak,” Perrin says.
Allowing it to rest will let the juices redistribute throughout the meat and the steak will be more tender.
Even if you don’t care about perfect grill marks, avoid the temptation to move your steak around too much on the grill.
Keep it down to four movements.
“The more you flip-flop the steak around, the tougher the steak will get,” Perrin says.