What temp do you generally grill your steaks at?


 
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IMHO, I never understood why people ask for well-done steak. Steaks are generally lean and if they are cooked to well-done, they dry out. I have a friend who owns a high-end steak restaurant and he said that when somene orders a well-done steak, his chef picks out the worst cut for them. He says that when cooked well-done, the people can't tell the difference between a poor cut and a good cut. He would rather not waste a good cut.

Of course hamburgers are different since this is ground meat. If a steak is contaminated, it only affects the surface and any bacteria will be killed when it is placed on the grill. If that same steak is ground into hamburger meat, the bacteria can be found throughout.

-mc
 
What if the steak is a little pink in the middle? Can you still get that "meat" taste if it's say medium-well?
 
OK, I've got to chime in on this...I'm like Wesley. I like my cow cooked (ie, well done) I can also handle medium-well. I also don't like it "bleeding" (red). However, I will say that when I cook a steak to well, it is dry and tends to be tough. The toughness may be from the grade of meat though. This also holds true when I get a steak from Outback. There it's not so much tough as it is dry.

That pic that Rich posted is way to much red for me...what level of "doneness" is that BTW?

So, all that being said, I'm guessing that I should cook steaks to no more that medium to experience the flavor that everyone is speaking of. Correct?
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Mark WAR EAGLE!!
 
I cook my steaks at about 650 degrees for 2 minutes each side then I close off all the vents and let the steaks dwell for about 8-10 minutes.

Perfect every time.

Tom
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
That pic that Rich posted is way to much red for me...what level of "doneness" is that BTW? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>My guess is medium-rare to medium.
 
Mark-

I'd call that medium rare, though it is close to medium. I usually like it a little more pink in the center, but this was a first time attempt with a new cooker. It WAS good, though /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif Only thing I missed from the Alton Brown cast iron skillet method was the ability to make a nice little pan sauce. Oh, and I was out of mushrooms, too. /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif

Rich
 
There is a big difference between "raw" and "rare." Rare is cooked, it's just cooked less that the meat that has turned brown. If you cut into a rare steak and the middle still has the shiny and slightly translucent look to it, then that is still raw and should be cooked a little more.

I'm not saying that everyone should be eating steak tar-tar, just don't cook the life out of it.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>just don't cook the life out of it. [/QB] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Well it is technically already dead...LOL /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif
 
A buddy of mine once after consuming several adult beverages, when asked by the waitress how he wanted his steak cooked, said, "Rip his horns off, wipe his a--, and throw 'em on the plate." Thought I was going to spit my beer all over the table.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bruce Bissonnette:
[qb] A buddy of mine once after consuming several adult beverages, when asked by the waitress how he wanted his steak cooked, said, "Rip his horns off, wipe his a--, and throw 'em on the plate." Thought I was going to spit my beer all over the table. [/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>That is funny! I've heard so many sayings like that from friends of mine.

I for a very long time would only eat steak well done. Meaning white all the way through. It was good, but was always dry and a little tough. Little by litte I started cooking them less and less. And started seeing the difference in the flavor. Now I try to cook them like the pic above. It is so much juicer and tender. And has WAY MORE flavor to it then a well done steak.

Get it crispy on the out side(Cracked black pepper works great) and dark pink, juicy and tender on the inside.
When you take that first bite you'll think you were in heaven!

I seriously changed my way of thinking when it came to steaks. Once I got over the pink meat thing (which I had some sort of paranoia /infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif )I started realizing that there is so much more flavor to a steak the less done it is. And it won't make you sick. It's not poultry (Which I do get very cautious about)
 
I've had my WSM for 10 yrs + and thought I knew how to cook till I found this site. I'm learning something new constantly and appreciate the help. However I did continue to think I knew how to grill a steak - I may have been wrong about that also. What is the top temp on a Genises 2000 or a Summit Silver. The temp guage is max'd out, but I wonder how hot it really is.

Thanks, PRG
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bruce Bissonnette:
[qb] A buddy of mine once after consuming several adult beverages, when asked by the waitress how he wanted his steak cooked, said, "Rip his horns off, wipe his a--, and throw 'em on the plate." Thought I was going to spit my beer all over the table. [/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>My father always said "Cut the horns off, wipe the tail, restore the body heat, and serve it."

He also used to tell me about when they bought their ranch in Souther Colorado. In the spring house (small brick building erected over a natural spring to keep things cold) they found a hanging quarter of beef. It had been there at least 6 months and was completely covered in mold.

Being as poor as they were, they started carving off the exterior until they hit clean red meat. They cut steaks, seared each side for a couple of minutes and ate it. He said it was the best meat he's ever had in his life.
 
When I order a steak in a restaurant, I order it "rare". Generally, most grill cooks are reluctant to let it really be rare, so they will take it off on the rare side of "medium rare" - which is the way I like it. I've been burned a few times by good grill cooks that know exactly how to cook one rare, but most of the time its works. /infopop/emoticons/icon_redface.gif When that happens, you just swallow your pride and eat it. I can eat any steak that is at least warm in the center. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

It has been my observation that you can't get your grill temp too hot to sear a steak. A high temp seals in those juices. The rest of the cookin depends on the steak. The key thing is to let it rest several minutes.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Don Miller:
[qb]
It has been my observation that you can't get your grill temp too hot to sear a steak. A high temp seals in those juices. The rest of the cookin depends on the steak. The key thing is to let it rest several minutes. [/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>And also baste with melted butter on the top before serving. It's adds a nice flavor. This is what most steak houses do before serving. You can get a grill hot enough to sear. But not like the steak joints do. So you won't get that nice crispy outside that I love. Well I suppose you could put a light rub with a bit of sugar in it to burn a thin crust on it. Not sure how it would be flavor wise though. Maybe I'll try it next time I grill steaks.
Has anyone ever tried this? It may be worth checking into.
 
Paul....

My Weber gasser can reach 700? on a sunny summer day with little wind. My cooking partner has a Fluke Thermo that measures high heats accurately to like, .000000001. You really only need to hit around 500? to properly sear. But if the needle is buried, you will be fine.

Dennis......

Leave it to a fellow cheesehead to add the butter!!! LOL I ALWAYS add a dollop of butter at the very end to both steaks and burgers. Also, be sure to butter and grill those burger buns!

In regards to crispy exteriors...use a cast iron skillet. That is about the only way to achieve it. Many may make fun of cooking "skillet steak", but if you want that crispy exterior, the cast iron gives you the expanded surface area to do that. By using a skillet, ALL the meat is on the hot surface of the skillet. This also allows you to make some great sauces...especially with that butter!

Don......

I agree, you can never be too hot to sear a steak! Sealing in juices is another myth. That is impossible to do, especially on a grill. Searing is for flavor, as I explained above.

Now, the high end steak joints can come close to sealing in juices, but not totally. The Salamanders they use surround the meat with intense heat. What this method does is drive the juices away from the heat, which is on all sides, so they stay in the middle of the meat. Think about trying to seal anything from water...you would need something that is impervious and that will result in burnt meat.

That is why on the grill it is impossible. The grates get very hot, but the ambient temps are never hot enough alone to seal juices. Because the grates are alway hotter than the ambient air, those grates will drive those juices to the top of the meat. Hence the other myth....flip often!
 
Well I sure am glad I asked. Just in this thread I've learned several things about steak I never knew before.

Thanks guys.

BTW we are having steak this evening. I'm going to try a few techniques I've read in this thread and see how it comes out /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
 
Sorry Kevin, but can't buy-in to your myth explanation about sealing in juices by searing. /infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif

I agree that a grill is less than a perfect place to try it. But it does work. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Kevin Taylor:
[qb]Many may make fun of cooking "skillet steak"[/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse here does their steaks in skillets, and the product is as good or better than the places that use the ultra high-temp equipment, or anything else, for that matter.
 
All this talk about steak made me do the Mr. Perfect Steak for Two again on the WSM.

Had the butcher bandsaw a 2-1/2" thick Porterhouse, crusted it with kosher salt, cracked black pepper, and some granulated garlic. Did the grilling configuration on the WSM, fired using a Weber chimney full of lump charcoal and some oak chunks.

When it was burned down nice and hot, seared that bad boy 5 minutes on each side over direct heat, then moved to medium-high indirect heat and cooked another 5-8 minutes per side for rare. Removed from the cooker and let rest under foil for 10 minutes. Cut the meat from the bone and divided it between myself and my gal. Amazing crust, juicy inside, and a fair amount leftover for tomorrow. /infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

Regardless of what you grill on, you haven't lived until you've grilled a 2-1/2" thick Porterhouse.

Regards,
Chris
 
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