Why Can't I Grill A Decent Steak?

[vailpass]

Grilled steaks last night, they came out ok but not great. Good cuts of meat but they weren't juicy like a restaurant. I only turned them once, used high heat. I like them medium rate.
I have 2 grills, gas and infra red, just can't seem to get the perfect streak.
Anyone have any tips?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by ghak99

I am still confused as to why this good sized niche market hasn't been filled. When I came out of college it was primed and ready to go and at least 3 of the grad students were contemplating taking a stab at it... yet no one seems to have taken full advantage of it on any decent sized scale. Small Midwest farmer raised grain fed & properly aged small butcher processed beef will knock the socks off most anything you guys can buy on the left coast while sliding into what many of the regions people would consider "organic" and/or "all natural". There is a substantial USDA hoop to jump through, but it should easily be offset by the premium collected.

This is a broad statement but not many people I know grill or enjoy steaks on a regular basis.

Beef isn't a staple of Cal-cuisine, best I can tell. It's all fish, shellfish, chicken, veggies, etc.

[REDHOTGTO]

turn down the heat ! you say u used high heat, turn it way down, drink 3 extra beers while grilling, thats all it takes trust me

[ghak99]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

This is a broad statement but not many people I know grill or enjoy steaks on a regular basis. Beef isn't a staple of Cal-cuisine, best I can tell. It's all fish, shellfish, chicken, veggies, etc.

I'd be eating the hell out of the fresh fish if I lived there too. Do you believe the lack in grilling beef is mainly due to the health concerns or the lack of quality and tradition? The dozen or so California natives who have moved here all rave about the quality of beef. The culture shock and lack of good fresh fish probably helps force them to beef though.

Perhaps the advertising battle and cultural differences are larger than I see from a distance and keep the niche smaller than some of the beef industry perceives it to be.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by 9er guy

Have you thought about using charcoal instead of gas?

I already have 2 grills, don't want 3. I'm just plain too lazy to go the charcoal route.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

This is a broad statement but not many people I know grill or enjoy steaks on a regular basis.

Beef isn't a staple of Cal-cuisine, best I can tell. It's all fish, shellfish, chicken, veggies, etc.

Yes. I do red meat maybe once every two weeks. But when I do, I want it right. Currently into salmon.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by vailpass

I already have 2 grills, don't want 3. I'm just plain too lazy to go the charcoal route.

The added flavor you get from charcoal is well worth it.

[ghak99]

Originally Posted by vailpass

I already have 2 grills, don't want 3. I'm just plain too lazy to go the charcoal route.

I don't blame you, it's a pain in the ass compared to just turning on the gas.

Having done a couple hundred blind taste tests in college, most people can't correctly identify a difference between toughness and dryness let alone properly taste and consistently identify the differences between cooking methods. The direction you cut the individual pieces of meat and how you place it into the mouth have enough of an effect on perceived quality as it is. Add in the effects smell has on perceived taste and people have no ****ing clue what they're tasting half the time. The visual and aromatic placebo effect is much larger than most people realize. The rest of the subtle differences just further confuse most people.

When I go through all the trouble of properly smoking something there is NO WAY all that work I did didn't make it taste better than something that took half the time and effort. Just ask me.

[9er guy]

Originally Posted by BCD

The added flavor you get from charcoal is well worth it.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM...yessur!!1

[DMAC]

Originally Posted by jspchief

Let them sit out for 20min before grilling. Let them sit 5-10 before eating.

A 1 inch thick ribeye I'll cook about 7 minutes per side for medium

Should have stopped here + salt n pepper.

[Inspector]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Not unlike other things, I like it pink but not bloody

This is the way I like women served to me.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by tomahawk kid

Only way to go IMO.

Not on an every day kind of basis. I eat steak at least 4 times a week. Gas is the way to go. You can add flavorizer wood to gas grills, as well, to get the taste. The convenience seals the deal for gas for me, especially since it's hooked up to my house. **** propane tanks.

Originally Posted by vailpass

I already have 2 grills, don't want 3. I'm just plain too lazy to go the charcoal route.

You're fine. It's not necessary to make an out-of-this-world steak.

[Tytanium]

Originally Posted by REDHOTGTO

turn down the heat ! you say u used high heat, turn it way down, drink 3 extra beers while grilling, thats all it takes trust me

If you like gray, dry, listless, hockey puck steaks, you should do this. A good crust complements the beef flavor, which is the entire point of the sear. You shouldn't be using a bunch of seasoning to cover up the meat flavor unless it's really awful beef.

[Fire Me Boy!]

The guy sitting across from me just ordered a KOBE flat iron steak medium well... I. Cannot. Believe. This.

[Baby Lee]

Claude's BBQ brisket marinade is good for every bit of beef on the grill.

savory withOUT salty, easy for steaks, a GODsend for burgers.

[listopencil]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

If Arizona is like Cali, the answer is no.

Beef at Costco is garbage in Cali. Actually, all the beef is garbage unless you go to a butcher shop or Harris Ranch at the Fairfax Farmer's Market. A good NY Strip runs $20 a pound and even then, the quality varies.

Yet when I've visited my parents in the KC area, my mom will get cheap steaks at Costco and they're great.

I got some burger patties from Harris Ranch and they were substantially better than any others I had gotten from the grocery stores here in Cali. I only purchased them because they were the best priced in the fat content range I wanted. I started a thread on here about it quite a while ago, wondering if anyone knew why they were so good. I did find this on their site:

Feeding Practices

Although our cattle spend approximately 80% of their lives grazing on grass, we finish them for about 120 days on a nutritional-balanced diet of corn and other feed grains, plus alfalfa hay, vitamins and minerals. One of the secrets to great beef is meticulous attention to feeding practices. Harris Ranch is one of just a few producers in the country that produces beef exclusively from cattle fed in our own feedlot, Harris Feeding Company. Since corn-fed beef is the most flavorful, tender and juicy beef available, Harris Ranch’s Central California feedlot purchases Midwestern corn by the trainload to serve as the basis for our scientifically formulated rations. We mill all of our own feeds under the guidance of a consulting animal nutritionist. As part of our specialized feeding regimen, Harris Ranch tests to ensure all ingredients used in our feed are free of pesticide residues. Furthermore, Harris Ranch has never fed any animal proteins. Many of our customers are surprised to learn that beef produced in feedlots actually has a smaller carbon footprint than meat raised exclusively on grasses.