The grilling guru shares his secrets to all-star steak.
1. Befriend your butcher. Buy from a good butcher shop or from the butcher at your supermarket's meat counter. Avoid prepackaged steaks -- plastic wrap traps in moisture.
2. Get good grades. Spring for USDA Prime or Certified Black Angus steaks if you can. Choice-grade steak is a good, less-expensive alternative.
3. Look for marbling. Thin white streaks of fat throughout a steak, called marbling, keep the meat nice and juicy. Plus, the fat adds flavor.
4. Do a warm-up. Take your steak out of the fridge about 20 minutes before grilling to bring it to room temperature. A freezing-cold steak won't cook evenly.
5. Pare down the tools. You don't need elaborate equipment to make a tasty steak -- just a solid pair of tongs, a brush and a grill.
6. Feel the heat. Give your grill plenty of time to preheat. If it's hot enough, you shouldn't be able to hold your hand over the grates for more than 2 seconds.
7. Don't move. Let your steak develop a seared crust on the grill before moving or flipping it. If you try to lift the meat before it's ready, it'll stick to the grates.
8. Use the touch test. Check for doneness with a simple tool: your finger. A rare steak feels soft and spongy, medium springs back a bit when pressed, and well-done feels firm.
9. Don't overdo it. Err on the side of undercooking a steak rather than overcooking it. You can always pop the meat back on the grill if its too rare.
10. Let it rest. Once your steak is off the grill, wait at least 5 minutes before slicing. This gives the juices a chance to settle back into the meat.
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