With the weather here in East Bay hitting the 80's over the weekend, it finally feels like Spring is here to stay. The garden is all planted and the bass are spawning on the Delta, so Spring has fully sprung. Even with all of that there is one thing that makes it feel like Spring is here and Summer is right around the corner, and that is BBQ and grilling. Walking out of the hardware store yesterday I caught that always recognizable smell of Kingsford charcoal and lighter fluid on fire. It immediately inspired me to break out my old faithful 18 inch Weber kettle that now only has two legs, also known as R2D2.
On the menu tonight, two beautiful prime quality ribeye steaks. When you grill steaks, keep it simple and you will be outdoing any $45 steakhouse product in the comfort of your own backyard.
Step 1: Get it Blazing!Use a charcoal chimney to get your coals blazing hot. Let them burn in the chimney until they are red hot and white ashy all over. We want that flavorful crust on the out edge of the steak. The only way to do that is to bring the heat. You should only be able to hold your hand above the coals when laid out for two seconds tops. Last thing, since we are keeping it simple, use newspaper for your chimney. Three pieces of bunched up paper works perfectly and it saves you money on lighter fluid and doesn't leave that lighter fluid taste lingering around in any of your food.
Step 2: Buy Quality Beef!
Your steak will only be as good as the source it comes from! In my opinion a ribeye is the best grilling steak around as it has great marbling throughout the meat which means more flavor. Pay the extra money and get a good "choice" or better yet "prime" quality ribeye form your local butcher or market. Remember spending $12 on the steak is nothing compared to the $40-$50 it would cost at a steakhouse. This isn't something you're going to do everyday so spend the money for the quality and enjoy it.
When selecting your ribeye, you want to choose a steak that is at least one inch thick. I would choose one that is closer to 11/2" thick and close to 16 ounces in weight. The thickness and size is essential for grilling so you can get a good exterior sear and keep a nice medium/medium rare center. A thinner cut will dry out by the time you get a good sear on the exterior. Pick a ribeye with some good marbling (the lines of fat in the beef), as this will melt into the steak which imparts all the flavor.
Step 3: Keep the Seasoning Simple
Grilling a steak is all about the steak. You spent the money on a good cut of ribeye, don't ruin it by over seasoning or marinading it. It's as easy and salt and pepper. Sprinkle your steak liberally with both salt and pepper. Most people under season their steaks which will result in less flavor. Remember this is nearly a pound of beef so go a little heavier on the salt and pepper so that each thick bite has a proper amount of seasoning. A lot of recipes will say to rub the steak with oil to help seasonings stick, forget about it! The salt and pepper will stick just fine without and the oil will prevent that good crusty sear we are looking for.Step 4: Timing is Everything
So you're finally ready to grill. Lay out your super hot coals in an even layer so that you can hold your hand just above the grill for no more than two seconds. When this happens your ready to grill. Lay your ribeye over the hot coals and set a timer for 2 1/2 minutes. When that time expires turn your steak 90 degrees and set the timer again for 2 1/2 minutes. This will give you those beautiful grill marks and a nice even sear.After 5 minutes have passed turn the steaks over and repeat the process on the other side. This will give you about a 10-11 minute total cook time on your ribeye, which will give you a perfectly cooked medium rare steak.
Step 5: Rest and Enjoy a Beer
When you take your ribeye off the grill, loosely cover it with foil and let it rest for about 5-7 minutes to let the juices move back into the meat so that it will be nice and juicy when you take that first bite. While its resting enjoy a nice cool beer (you actually should have been doing this the entire time you've been grilling). So there are all these great craft beers out there to choose from but this is one time I can say just enjoy the warm weather and sun and crack open a refreshing light mass produced lager such as the infamous B-minus (bud light).
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| Served Island Style with sticky rice, sautéed sherry mushrooms & onions, and steamed chard. |
The warm weather is here so get outside, grill, and crack a beer!!!
CHEERS!!!
