I consider cooking steak to be an art form. The key to a great grilled steak is knowing how it’s cooked. This takes time and trial and error. Fatty steaks cook more slowly than lean steaks, and thickness is a factor. I have found that with most steaks, put them on the grill, cook on one side for 5 minutes, flip and cook on the other side for 5 minutes.
Once the steak is flipped, drizzle heavily with soy sauce. It adds a wonderful flavor and will add a smoky flavor. If you have guests who don’t like soy sauce, simply drizzle some into your smoke chamber or directly onto the grill.
Well done or medium rare?
Everyone seems to like their steak cooked in a different way. I use a fork thermometer to test the meat after the second twist. 131 degrees is the perfect medium rare. I know it’s not what most digital thermometers say, but the ultimate test is the KNIFE. Cut a small slice of meat and observe the color and texture. Is that how you like your steak? Well then throw it away. (Hint: Just when the meat has a tough texture when you flip it, it’s medium rare.) Flip and taste your steak, don’t be afraid to use a lot of soy sauce when flipping it. Flip the steak about every two minutes using the fork thermometer, all other set points are correct except medium rare, probably for legal reasons.
As far as rare, brown, flip after about 2 minutes, and cook for two minutes. I’ve also heard of seal it, flip it, serve it.
What a compliment to your perfect steak.
RECIPE
Makes enough for 4 steaks.
Onion: 1 medium
Mushroom (fresh button slice): about a cup
Soy sauce: a pinch or two
Basil: 1 teaspoon or to taste
Sea salt: ½ teaspoon or to taste
Ground peppercorn: ½ teaspoon or to taste
Extra virgin olive oil
In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add all the ingredients and cook until the onions are pale but crisp. Serve on the side, on top of a baked potato, or directly over steak (my favorite).