Grilling isn’t hard to do- but badly grilling or burning food is just as easy. To avoid the latter and secure the former, the authors of “Gathering Around the Grill,” Andrea Witzel and Kris Schumacher, recently hosted a special luncheon on Lake Rosseau to demystify how to grill well.
The ladies selected their Summer Classics Menu (one of twenty-one complete, seasonal menus found in the book) featuring the bounty of local food producers and purveyors. Appetizers included California Quesadillas featuring Richard’s Indian River Salsa from nearby Stephen’s Butcher Shop (started 37 years ago by Morley Stephen and now also operated by son Richard) and the Asian style summer rolls featuring fresh produce from Lori Allen’s excellent shop, Field of Greens in Port Carling. It was the grilled Caesar Salad with the best peameal bacon from Stephen’s Butcher Shop that got all of our attention- the perfect savoury foil to the sweet grilled Romaine lettuce.
For the main course, Broil King chef Jake took to the grills and demonstrated how easy it is to make a steakhouse quality steak every time.
Here are some not-to-be-missed tips in grilling up a good steak:
- Make sure your grill is always clean before you cook. When it’s hot, use a wire brush (preferably with a long handle so you won’t burn yourself) to brush your grills.
- Brush grids with vegetable or olive oil and set your grill to medium/high heat.
- It’s suggested you preheat your grill about 10-15 minutes before cooking so that your grill reaches the appropriate temperature (and has time to kill any bacteria).
- Place steak using a good pair of tongs (can be New York strip, rib-eye, porterhouse, t-bone or filet mignon- your choice) without sugary sauces or marinades on grill at a 45° angle and cook for 2 minutes if the steak is approximately 1.5” thick. Grilling sauces used right away (with their sugar content) will burn before you get a chance to perfectly grill your steak.
- Turn over, placing on same 45° angle and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Turn over again, this time on the opposite 45° angle and cook for 2 minutes. Repeat one final time and let rest for a few minutes before serving.
- After your steak is grilled (now with perfect hatch marks), you can add any condiments or sauces you like. Andrea and Kris suggest that a good steak really only needs salt and pepper though!
- Let your steak rest, undisturbed for a few minutes so that the juices have a chance to redistribute.
- So don’t cut into it to check on how “done” it is. Instead- poke it with your index finger. A really taut steak is well done, a medium steak feels firm but not taut and a rare steak will give the most and be more pliable.
Happy grilling- enjoy it while we still have summer left in Canada!
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