Tips From the Pros While the number of vegetarians and vegans are on the rise every year, for meat eaters there's truly nothing better than a perfectly-done piece of cow flesh. Most people preferred their steak grilled, but. others really like a good pan-cooked steak. You can take a rather average piece of beef and turn it into a melt-in-your-mouth experience if you know the very best way to cook it. The first thing you have to look at is marbling. The reason so many cuts of steak are less expensive is because you are only seeing red through the plastic wrap. Fat on the outside of the cut is great, but if there isn't any fat marbling within the steak it's going to be a little tougher and a bit less tasty. My go-to guy for steak recipes is always Chef Gordon Ramsay. According to him, the best cuts of meat are always the Rib-Eye, the Filet Mignon and the T-Bone. The Rib-Eye should be cooked with the fat still attached, then removed after cooking if you prefer. Leaving the fat on adds a richer taste to the meat, and leaves the makings for a great baste or sauce in the pan. The Filet Mignon is an expensive cut, so if you know you're going to splurge go ahead and ask the butcher (even if you're at Publix) to give you a piece cut from the middle, not the end. It's best to ask him or her to remove the sinew that runs down the sides as well. The T-Bone should be fatty as well, cooked with the outer fat left on, and you can use the marrow in the easily-workable bone to spread on the meat after it's cooked. If you forgot the charcoal at the store or you don't have access to a grill, you can make an acceptable steak in a frying pan. Let the meat get to room temperature prior to cooking. Going from cold to hot temperatures quickly can draw the meat up and make it tough. You must remember that different cuts of meat require different heat settings though - moderate for a Filet Mignon, hot for a T-Bone and very hot for a Rib-Eye. In one recipe I've used several times, Chef Gordon uses not only a good oil in the pan, but a bit of butter as well if he's cooking a Filet Mignon or a Rib-Eye (T-Bones have enough fat to get by without it, just keep spooning the pan fat over the meat while it renders). Along with butter and oil add some fresh garlic and herbs of your choice. Season your meat with salt and pepper, and only cook for about two minutes on each side if you meat is about two inches thick. Let it rest on a plate for at least five minutes prior to serving, and trim off any excess fat to preference. If you're grilling your steak, make sure when you start the grill you also remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let sit, covered, at room temperature. If you're using the old-fashioned charcoal grill the meat will have plenty of time to warm up while sitting on the counter, if you're using a gas grill you'll have to take the meat out earlier. With a charcoal grill, you'll want to get your charcoal really blazing, then let the fire die down until the charcoal turns to red ember. You can add some hickory or cherry wood chips at this time if you wish to give the meat a smokier flavor. If you're using a gas grill, you'll heat it to high. Brush the steaks on both sides with oil and season them with salt and pepper (don't make it too fancy with other herbs or you won't taste the meat as well). Put your steaks on the grill and cook them for about four to five minutes, depending on your preference as to how you like it cooked. Then flip them and let them go for another three to five minutes for medium rare, five to seven minutes for medium and eight to 10 minutes for medium well. If you cook it longer you've reached well done, and that's just madness. Many people still like their meat cooked through, many love it mooing and raw. Rare meat has much richer flavor and is more tender but some people can't take the color and texture. Take the steaks off the grill and place them on a cutting board or large platter, trim any unwanted fat, loosely cover them with foil and let them sit for a few minutes. Enjoy with a great glass of a full-bodied red wine! Bon appétit! G M
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