Wednesday’s In the Know: Mastering Your Grill

With summer in full swing, I wanted to take this opportunity to give you some quick and easy tips for mastering your BBQ. Only downside, your reputation may become that of a grill master!

Deferring to Bobby Flay, known for his numerous grilling and BBQ books, here is a quick overview for mastering your grill and becoming the talk of the town!

1.     Befriend Your Butcher

• Buy from a good butcher shop or from the butcher at your supermarket's meat counter. Avoid prepackaged steaks—plastic wrap traps in moisture.

2.     Get Good Grades

• Spring for USDA Prime or Certified Black Angus steaks if you can. Choice-grade steak is a good, less-expensive alternative.

3.     Marbling, More the Better!

• Thin white streaks of fat throughout a steak, called marbling, keep the meat nice and juicy. Plus, the fat adds flavor.

4.     Bring Meat to Temp

• Take your steak out of the fridge about 20 minutes before grilling to bring it to room temperature. A freezing-cold steak won't cook evenly.

5.     Tools

• You don't need elaborate equipment to make a tasty steak—just a solid pair of tongs, a brush and a grill.

6.     Hot Hot Hot!

• Give your grill plenty of time to preheat. If it's hot enough, you shouldn't be able to hold your hand over the grates for more than 2 seconds. Make sure your protein or grill is generously greased so proteins or veggies don’t stick to the grill.

7.     Don’t Touch!

• Let your steak develop a seared crust on the grill before moving or flipping it. If you try to lift the meat before it's ready, it'll stick to the grates.

8.     Know When It’s Done

• Check for doneness with a meat thermometer or an even simpler tool, your finger. A rare steak feels soft and spongy, medium springs back a bit when pressed, and well-done feels firm. Use a meat thermometer until you get comfortable with the touch. There is nothing worse than thinking it “feels” right and realizing your gorgeous steak is under or over!

9.     Don’t Overcook It!

• Error on the side of undercooking a steak rather than overcooking it. You can always pop the meat back on the grill if its too rare.

10.  Let it Rest!

• Once your steak is off the grill, wait at least 5 minutes before slicing. This gives the juices a chance to settle back into the meat.

And, after grilling your masterpiece, don’t forget to turn off your propane tank, turn off the BBQ and clean the grates while they are still hot! I like to crumple up a big wad of heavy duty aluminum foil and use tongs to clean off the leftover bits and pieces. Be careful of BBQ brushes with metal bristles as they can easily break on the grill and become lethal if consumed.

For other terrific tips and hundreds of recipes, including numerous recipes straight from the grill like my All American Sliders, Flat Iron Steaks, and Grilled Peaches with Yogurt Sauce visit my website (thetabletogether.com). While there, consider “subscribing” and I will send a new tip or blog post directly to your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday morning!

P.S. Make sure you check out my YouTube channel, The Table Together with Tiffany Lewis, solely dedicated to bringing all of these fantastic tips and recipes to life!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!