Treat
your friends and family
to the perfect barbecue steak, Texas style
Wouldn't
you agree that when it comes to grilling steaks,
Texans are unrivaled world leaders? This seems
to be the international consensus, and I must
say, I agree wholeheartedly (even though I'm not
a Texan).
Despite
the hoo-ha, grilling a great steak to perfection
is really very simple. Basically, all it boils
down to is ingredients - the higher the quality,
the better the results. I recommend you always
use a good cut of meat. The great outdoor cooking
recipe below is for Prime New York strip, sliced
1 - 1½" thick, but it works just as
well with T-bones, porterhouse and tenderloin
steaks.
So
let's get cooking . . .
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Prepare
the perfect Texas barbecue steak
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| Serves
6 |
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| Select
a steak that's well marbled.
I prefer to get a nice block
that I slice myself, but
if you prefer, your butcher
will be happy to slice your
steak for you. |
INGREDIENTS:
-
6 slices New York strip, prime
grade
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground
black pepper
- 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
DIRECTIONS:
-
Start the fire. (Click here
if you need fire starting instructions).
The charcoal usually takes about
30 minutes to reach optimum
barbecuing temperature. I use
this time to remove the steaks
from the refrigerator and reach
room temperature.
- Lightly apply the olive to
both sides of the steaks. I
use a pastry brush for this,
as it gives me the best results.
Take care not to use too much
- Mix the salt and pepper, and
apply a coating to each steak.
Do this according to taste.
I use a liberal coating, because
I love the sharp tangy taste
- but it's really up to you.
-
Now you're ready to prepare
the best barbecue steak ever.
PREPARATION:
-
Make sure your fire is at optimum
temperature. You will know this
by placing your hand about 6"
from the grate. If you find
you have to remove it immediately,
that's the temperature. (If
you're using a gas grill, let
it heat up on high for 20 minutes
or so with the lid down.
-
Clean and oil the grate before
you place the steaks on the
grill. My preferred method -
half an onion dipped in vegetable
oil, rubbed steadily and liberally
on the grate. The heat of the
fire will take care of any residues,
and the onion-oil combo both
cleans and oils the grate.
-
Time to get down to business
and start barbecuing. Place
you're meat on the grill. After
¼ of the grilling time
has passed, turn the meat at
a 45° angle. After an additional
¼ time period, turn the
meat over and repeat the process.
This will give your meat a cool
and professional diamond pattern.
Always use a tong to handle
the meet - a fork will cause
perforation, and you will loose
valuable juices.
-
When done, remove from grill
and place on platter. Let the
steaks rest for five minutes
before serving. Cover with a
sheet of foil to keep warm.
-
Tuck in!
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When
is your Texas-style barbecue steak done?
My rule of thumb method: When you think the steak
is just about ready to be removed from the barbecue,
poke the steak with your finger or the flat side
of your grilling fork. If the steal yields and
fells soft - like poking your cheek - the steak
is rare. A medium steak will be firm, rather like
the tip of your nose. More than medium - forget
it, you're reading the wrong recipe.
Barbecuing
times by steak thickness:
Use
this handy table to determine when your barbecue
steak is done:
| Steak
Thickness |
Rare |
Medium |
Well |
Heat
Level |
| 1" |
8-10 |
12-14 |
16-20 |
High |
| 1
1/2" |
10-14 |
16-20 |
22-26 |
High |
| 2" |
12-16 |
18-22 |
24-28 |
Medium |
These times are total cooking times - barbecue
the steak on each side for half the time listed.
Barbecue times will also vary depending on weather
conditions, grilling temperature, grill type,
fuel type, etc.
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