By Aaron Ralston

The Perfect, Grilled Steak

There is not much better in this world than sitting down to eat a perfectly grilled, tender, and juicy Porterhouse or T-Bone steak. There are many opinions and techniques available regarding the best way to master cooking a steak including whether or not to marinade or use a rub, how long the steak should be grilled, and how to correctly grill the steak. In my book there is only one way to grill a steak, and you will find instructions below for grilling a Porterhouse steak, which will also work for a T-Bone steak.

Choosing the Cut of Meat:

1. The first step is to choose a great cut of meat to grill. You will probably need a good butcher's help to do this. He or she can cut the steak for you. Choose a steak that is at least 1-inch thick, up to 1.5 inches thick. The Porterhouse needs to be fresh, not previously frozen, and it should be a nice, red color.

Marinade and Seasoning:

2. When you marinade a steak, you are not trying to change the flavor of the steak, you are trying to compliment the delicious, natural flavors produced by grilling and already present in the meat. You do not have to use a marinade, but a good marinade will help in tenderizing the meat.

Steak Marinade:

1. 12-ounces of a dark beer such as Amber Bock

2. 3-Cloves of Garlic, Peeled and mashed

3. 1/4-Cup Chopped Onion

4. 1-TSP Fresh Ground Pepper

5. 1/4-TSP Salt

6. 1/4-Cup Vegetable Oil

7. 1/4-TSP Cumin

8. 1/4 TSP Dried Thyme

Instructions:

1. Whisk together all Ingredients

2. Place steak in a safe container, such as Tupperware, and pour marinade over the steak

3. Turn the steak over, put a lid on the container, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours

Grilling the Steak

1. Remove the steak from the marinade, and let it sit for about 1 hour before you grill it. This will bring the temperature of the meat closer to room temperature.

2. Before lighting the grill, spray on pam to prevent sticking.

3. Gas Grill Method: If you are using a gas grill, hopefully it has two burners. Heat the grill by turning one of the burners on high, and the other on low. This will allow you to sear the steak and seal in the juices. Place the steak on the hot side of the grill for 1.5-2 minutes. Turn the steak over and cook for 2 minutes. Move the steak to the cooler side of the grill and cook it for about 7-8 minutes for medium rare. The internal temperature should reach about 135F degrees.

4. Charcoal Grill Method: Build a fire in 1/2 of the pit, and let the charcoal burn down; they will turn white, and you should not be able to hold your hand over the top of the grill for more than 1-2 seconds. Place the steak on the hot side of the grill for 1.5-2 minutes. Turn the steak over and cook for 2 minutes. Move the steak to the cooler side of the grill and cook it for about 7-8 minutes for medium rare. The internal temperature should reach about 135F degrees.

5. Let the steak rest by placing it on a plate and covering it with foil for about 5 minutes or so. This will help in making the steak tender and juicy because if you cut the steak too early, the juices will be hot, causing them to ooze out.

Steak Toppings:

1. Sauteed mushrooms and onions are two of my favorite steak toppings.

Directions:

1. Heat 4-TBSP of butter in a non-stick frying pan.

2. When the butter melts, add sliced onions and cook for 4 minutes

3. Add mushrooms and cook for another 4 minutes or until onions are opaque.

Options:

1.You can add 3-TBSP of heavy cream when you add the mushrooms to produce a creamier topping

2. Add 1-2TBSP of Soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce to butter.

Eat Up!

Aaron Ralston, also known as The Smoker King, is the owner of Outdoor Cooking: Barbeque, Sauces, Mops, Rubs at http://www.thesmokerking.com Check out thesmokerking.com today to learn many great barbeque and cooking recipes and techniques.