7 mistakes to avoid when grilling steak, according to chefs.
Photo by Vincent Keiman on Unsplash
Barbeque is such a popular activity in Australia that 63.7 per cent Australian household owns a BBQ. Although most of us know how to grill a steak and it is one of the most famous dishes prepared on a BBQ, hardly some of us are doing it right. Cooking the perfect stake is a delicate matter, there is so much that goes into it right from the choice of the meat to the temperature of cooking. In this post, we are sharing the top 8 mistakes that home cooks make while grilling a steak.
Do not cook the meat directly from the fridge
A common mistake most home cooks make is tossing the piece of stake directly on the grill. This prevents the steak from cooking evenly. According to chefs, bringing the stake to room temperature before exposing it to the grill will allow the meat to cook evenly all the way through. Cooking the meat directly from the fridge may result in a burned outside while the inside of the meat remains uncooked.
If you are hosting a party or an event, you can rely on a professional BBQ catering companies who have the best chefs in the industry to perform the cooking for your guests. Apart from the delicious food they bring to the table, they allow you to enjoy the party without worrying about the food.
Avoid overexposure to the flames
Unless you like to eat charred meat, do not overexpose or allow the meat to rest in an open flame. Sear it fast on the flame and keep it aside so it cooks slowly all the way through. You want to sear the meat to obtain colour and then move the steak to cooler parts of the grill around the open flame.
Do not cook on an unheated grill
A common mistake that home cooks make and chefs avoid is cooking the meat on a pan or grill that is not heated. Cooking the streak on unheated platform leads to what is called “the grey piece of meat”. Not only will the meat stick on an unheated grill, but it will also not caramelize and you will end up steaming the meat. The juices of the meat will escape and the final product will not resemble the stake you see in a restaurant. Hence, wait until the pan or the grill is steaming hot.
Season the steak
Seasoning the steak is essential, most people do no season their meat or do it only on one side. According to chefs, seasoning is essential in obtaining the perfect smoky flavour on the streak. Use a combination of salts – kosher salt and sea salt and your favourite spices. Season the meat a few hours before cooking, it will allow the stake to absorb the flavours of the spices and the salt thoroughly.
Pressing down on the meat
When cooking a steak, you cannot make a greater mistake than pressing down on the steak in an attempt to cook it faster. The ideal steak has its fat locked within the meat which gives it the awesome taste, pressing down on the meat will result in the steak losing fat.
Serving steak directly from the grill on pan
A common practice while grilling stake is serving it directly from the grill to the plates, while it is an effective method to serve the food, the stake stands the risk of losing on flavours. If you cut the stake right after you take it off the grill that is an even greater mistake as all the juices that enrich the flavour of the stake will escape the meat. Allowing it to rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting will allow the juices to run back into the meat.
Do not flip the meat
Every time you flip the stake, you are cooling it down a little. Doing it too often will prolong the cooking time, not to mention also spoil the flavour of the meat. You will also risk the meat not caramelizing and cooking evenly. Chefs recommend that you place a piece of meat on the pan and not move it until it starts to caramelize, then flip it once. You may also lose all the precious juices of the stake if you flip the meat too often.
Hope that with these tips you can cook a perfect looking stake that will make you the star of the next BBQ with friends and family.