Summer Grilling Tips for Your Steak Dinners

Summer is just about here, which means the grilling season has arrived in full force! Sure, some people keep their grills in operation all year long, but there’s no denying that there’s something truly special about summer barbecues. And in the world of grilling, there are few things better than a perfectly cooked steak in Williamsport, PA.

Of course, steak (like many other meats) can be easy to mess up on the grill if you don’t know what you’re doing. With this in mind, here are some tips to make sure you get a perfectly cooked cut of meat:

• Allow it to reach room temperature: Never grill a cold steak. Let the steak sit at room temperature for about an hour before you cook it so it will cook evenly.
• Salt: Several hours before you start grilling the meat, sprinkle a little salt on each side of the steak. Let the meat sit on a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet. The salt helps the meat retain water, ensuring it will be juicy even after cooked. Before you put it on the grill, pat the steak dry with a paper towel, then salt again, a little more this time. We recommend kosher salt, as the bigger grains produce better results.
• Heat: You should create a two-zone cooking area, which means one hot area to create a sear and a not-as-hot area to continue cooking. This is easy with gas grills—just adjust the burners to the proper levels. With coals, try to keep the bulk of the coals on one side of the grill, where you can use direct heat for the sear and indirect heat for the cooking. You’ll know the coals are ready if you can put your hand two inches above the hottest part of the coals for two seconds.
• Flare-ups: Make sure you do everything you can to prevent and control flare-ups. Never use a bottle of water to spray the flames, because this will just result in kicking up ash at the meat. Putting the lid on doesn’t smother the fire fast enough. Just slide the steak to another part of the grill until the flare-up goes down.
• Use a grill thermometer: Grill thermometers can help you get the perfect temperature for your meat. At 125 degrees you’ve reached medium rare, which is the ideal level of cooking for a high-quality steak.
• Choose your charcoal wisely: Hardwood lump charcoal will have better results than manufactured briquettes, because it burns both hotter and faster, and also adds a faint taste of smoke.
• Let it rest: You’d be amazed how much of a difference letting the meat reset can make before you eat it. It allows the fibers to relax a bit and the juices to spread. You don’t necessarily need to foil tent the steaks, either, though you certainly can. Just let the steaks sit for about 10 minutes before eating.

For more tips for cooking the perfect steak in Williamsport, PA this summer, contact the meat experts at Tony’s Delicatessen & Fresh Meats today. We’re pleased to stock antibiotic- and hormone-free steaks for our customers’ dining pleasure!

Categorised in: Steak

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