Char-Grilled Steaks
(from annie hall’s recipe box)
Serves 4
To minimize flare-ups, trim excess fat and gristle from the steaks before grilling.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
In order to achieve a respectable crust, the exterior of our Char-Grilled Steaks had to be dry. After trying numerous drying-out methods, including salting and aging, we considered the freezer. The freezer’s intensely dry environment sufficiently dehydrated the steaks’ exteriors, and since we were only freezing them for a short time, the interiors remained tender and juicy.
We rubbed the steaks with a mixture of salt and cornstarch before freezing. The salt assured they were well-seasoned, and cornstarch—a champ at absorbing moisture—allowed us to cut the freezing time in half.
Source: Cook's Country August/September 2009 http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/meat-blog/2013/08/high-steaks-how-to-grill-a-perfect-steak-every-time/ (from RecipeThing user Bethany)
Categories: Meat
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 4 strip, rib-eye, or tenderloin steaks, about 1 1/2 inches thick
- Pepper
Directions
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CHILL STEAKS Combine salt and cornstarch. Pat steaks dry with paper towels and rub with salt mixture. Arrange on wire rack set inside rimmed baking sheet and freeze until steaks are firm and dry to touch, at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
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GRILL STEAKS Season steaks with pepper. Grill, covered, over hot fire until well browned and cooked to desired doneness, 4 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer to plate, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Serve.
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YS TO CRUST For steak with a steakhouse crust, freeze the steaks for 30 minutes before grilling. 1. Rubbing the steaks with salt and cornstarch before freezing accelerates drying. 2. Ready to grill? Remove the steaks from the freezer and season with pepper.