It’s here, folks: grill season. It’s time for potato salad, cold beers, and, of course, steaks. But here in the Midwest, we can’t be guaranteed grilling weather every day from now until winter again, though I wouldn’t be surprised if there was someone out there who had tried to finish off a steak during a tornado warning.
Pat Montgomery, owner of Waygu cattle ranch Kansas City Cattle Company, sat down with us to give tips on how to properly cook a steak, whether you’re indoors or out. As a man who slings steaks for a living, he’s got a few tricks up his sleeve.
You’ll need:
Kansas City strip steak
Kosher salt
Metal tongs
Meat thermometer
Butter
Sous vide
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Pull steak from fridge and cover in kosher salt (if you don’t like salt, you can always wash it off before searing. The salt tenderizes the steak).
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Place steak inside a plastic storage bag or BPA-free reusable silicone bag, along with one tablespoon of butter per steak. Fill up a large pot with water and place the bag in the water, clipping the bag to the side of the pot. Place sous vide inside pot.
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Set sous vide for time and temperature for desired doneness.
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Once the sous vide has finished, finish off the steak on a hot cast iron skillet or grill, 45-seconds to a minute per side. The goal is not to cook the steak for long, but to sear it. Let rest 5-10 minutes before cutting.
Pros: Easiest to get desired temperature correct. You can also set it and forget it while you prepare the rest of dinner without worrying about overcooking.
Cons: Takes the longest, is the least amount of fun, needs special equipment.
Cast iron
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Remove steak from the refrigerator and allow it to reach room temperature. Season both sides generously with kosher salt, and let sit for 30 minutes. Turn the oven to 325 degrees F.
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Heat the cast iron skillet on top of the burner on high heat. Skillet will most likely begin to smoke. Add one tablespoon of butter per steak.
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Add steak and cook for 2-5 minutes per side, looking for a good crust on each side.
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Check internal temperature, and if steak is not finished, place it in the oven until you’ve reached desired doneness. Use a meat thermometer if you’re unsure.
Pros: Most fun, and you can experiment with different ingredients in your butter
Cons: Tough to get desired doneness, and if you don’t have good ventilation, you’re going to set off the smoke alarm
Smoker & Grill
Indirect/smoker/grill
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Remove steak from the refrigerator and allow it to reach room temperature. Season both sides generously with kosher salt, and let sit for 30 minutes. Start your smoker.
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Place your steak on the smoker, and cook indirectly to 20 degrees below desired doneness. Turn on direct heat/grill while you’re waiting.
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Move steak to direct, hot heat for 1 minute per side (expert level: get the nice grill marks).
Pros: Best flavor
Cons: Toughest method to get desired doneness, and you need to pay pretty close attention to the steak while cooking
Kansas City Cattle Company is a veteran owned and operated cattle ranch based out of Weston. They deliver beef and pork products, such as their “world famous Waygu hot dogs” to doorsteps in the Kansas City metro area, and also ship nationwide.
Chuck eye steak
Sometimes referred to as the “poor man’s ribeye,” this is one of the best kept secrets. This budget-friendly steak is juicy and beefy, perfect for a steak dinner.
Sirloin bavette/sirloin flap steak
This highly marbled steak is commonly mistaken for a flank steak, but is typically a little thicker and beefier. We recommend marinating, resting at least 5 minutes after cooking, and cutting against the grain to enjoy maximum tender & juiciness.
The Kansas City roast
You may know this as the “Manhattan roast.” While it’s not a steak, this roast is cut from the same strip loan as a KC strip, so it’s essentially a big hunk of strip steak. It’s great for feeding a crowd.