‘Tis the season to fire up the grill. Chef Garth Blackburn of Uptown Farmhouse offers some advice this month on how to grill the perfect steak for Father’s Day.
“The best way to grill a steak is to start with a high-heat sear on both sides,” he says. “Then move to a cooler spot on the grill or even the oven to slowly finish. Also, let your steak come to room temp to make sure it’s cooked more evenly. This is even more important for thick-cut steaks.”
Garth says don’t depend on touch, as some would advise, to determine doneness.
“Use an instant-read food thermometer probe or even a plug-in, making sure the probe is in the center and as far into the steak as possible – any exposed metal can cause a false high reading.”
For a different twist, Garth suggests putting a cast-iron griddle or skillet onto the grill while preheating and sear the steaks on it. “The hot metal will hold its heat and sear better than the open grates on the grill. Just make sure to reheat before doing the next batch.”
Perfectly Grilled Steak
Ingredients:
1.5-inch steak, your favorite cut, brought to room temperature for one hour if possible
Kosher salt
Fresh cracked pepper
Vegetable, grapeseed or canola oil
Butter, room temperature
Probe thermometer – instant read or wired
Instructions:
Heat grill on high (optionally with cast iron griddle or skillet)
Liberally season steaks with salt and pepper
Rub steaks with oil (optionally add oil to cast iron)
Sear for two-three minutes per side. If searing on grill grates, turn steaks 90 degrees halfway through each side. Do in batches if necessary for cast-iron approach.
Remove steaks to a foil lined sheet tray.
Turn down grill heat.
Turn off one side of grill.
Allow ambient grill temperature to be about 300 degrees.
Put in probe thermometer in center of one steak if not using an instant-read.
Place tray with steaks on grill in the area where the burner is off.
Close lid on grill and check occasionally if using an instant-read thermometer.
Flip occasionally to ensure even doneness.
Doneness:
Medium Rare 128-132 degrees
Medium 135 - 140 degrees
Medium Well 145-150 degrees
Well Done NO!
Remove steaks, top with softened butter and rest for at least five – eight minutes.
Chef Garth Blackburn and his partner Amy Kushnir are creators of Uptown Farmhouse, a unique local pop-up dinner experience. For more information about Uptown Farmhouse, visit UptownFarmhouse.com, follow @uptownfarmhouse on Facebook and Instagram and email Amy at amy@uptownfarmhouse.com.