Brits love a barby. It’s in their blood. So it's pretty ironic that the average British summer (or lack of!) means you only get the opportunity for a bit of outdoor cooking, once or twice a year. Even if it's been an absolute scorcher of a day, if you even approach that garden shed, smacking your lips at the prospect of burnt sausages and suspiciously pink chicken, those clouds will gather faster than you can say 'salmonella.' As such, best make that one barbecue a bloody good’un, and to ensure it is, we've shared our seven top tips to cooking the absolute perfect, protein-packed steak!
1. Which steak to buy?
Whichever cut you’re partial to, make sure you buy a slab at least an inch thick (and there's no point fudging these measurements, gents!). This should prevent you from drying it out, and help you achieve that highly sought red centre. Unless, of course, you’re one of those that like their steak, dare we even say it.....a little on the 'well done' side.
You know where the door is.
2. Dry it out
Take your steaks out of the fridge approximately two hours before you intend to cook them. Meat at room temperature will not only cook a lot better, but this also allows some of the water to dry out, which can otherwise cause a ‘boiled meat’ sort of flavour.
3. Oil it up
Coat your steak in a thin layer of oil. Not only will this help the seasoning to stick, but will also increase the surface area temperature, meaning it will sear faster and stay juicy.
In terms of oils, groundnut is a good choice – it has a mild flavour, and can withstand extremely high temperatures without burning.
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| Pick a steak that's at least an inch thick |
4. Tis the season
Don’t scrimp (that’s scrimp, not 'shrimp' – none of those jokes here!) on the seasoning. In fact, positively overdo it. Unlike frying a steak, where all the spices are self contained in the pan, much of it will be lost between the grill, as it’s meets a fiery death on the coals.
5. Don’t overturn It
It might look professional, beer in one hand, repeatedly turning the steak with the other, but not only can this affect an even charring of the meat, but you’ll potentially end up losing the majority of your seasoning, too!
Instead, stick it on the grill, allow it to sear on one side, and then (and only then) turn it over to sear on the other side! What’s more, less flipping means you’ve freed up the other hand, which only means one thing - beer in both hands!
6. The hotter the better
A hot barbecue will help to char the surface area of your steak, which in turn seals the flavour in and keeps it juicy. But a word of caution; there’s a subtle difference between a ‘hot’ barbecue, and pyromaniacal, petrol-doused, flame-spewing, eyebrow-singeing, barbecue. In fact, the difference isn’t so subtle. Hot with a bit of a flame is perfect. Anything more, and your steak will burn....
7. Cool it down
Once the meat has seared from the higher temperature, it’s now time to cool things down. Move the steak to a lower heat in order for it to cook with an even temperature throughout.
The cooking of steak is one of those things where everyone has their own distinct way of doing it, with tips and tricks passed down from generation to generation – if that’s you, jot your's down in the comment bow below, and while you’re at it, let us know what you think of the seven tips above; do we deserve a good grilling, or was it a job....well done?
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