Make Your Meats Sizzle! Chef Ted Reader gives his expert tips on steak buying and grilling

With grilling season upon us, there is no better time to become educated on steak buying and grilling. The BBQ Kingpin himself, Ted Reader, dishes some of his tips and tricks for getting the most succulent steaks.

Ted recommends heading to a reputable butcher or a good quality grocer when buying your meat and never storing the steaks in plastic. Keep them wrapped in the brown butcher paper, which allows the meat to breathe and helps with tenderness.

“My favourite is USDA Prime Beef, since it is the most heavily marbled cut of domestic US or Canadian beef,” notes Ted. “I always tell people to buy the best quality steaks that you can afford and always purchase steaks that are well marbled and contain lots of internal fat. A steak without fat or marbling will tend to be drier and tougher,” he adds.

The following are the most popular steak cuts:
Ø Tenderloin is the tenderest cut of meat available. It comes from the short loin of beef; between the rib and the sirloin. The tenderloin may be cooked whole or cut into wonderfully tender steaks. However, be careful not to overcook this cut. It does not have a lot of fat, so it tends to dry out and become tough the more it cooks.
Ø Striploin is one of the most popular cuts of beef. It comes from the top loin muscle in the short loin of beef. It is best grilled to medium-rare. This steak is known by many names, the most popular being the New York strip steak and Kansas City steak.
Ø Rib-Eye is an extremely tender cut of beef, cut from between the rib and chuck section. It is best to grill this steak to medium-rare, which allows the internal fat to melt and bring out the natural juices and flavor. A bone-in rib steak is often called a cowboy steak.
Ø T-Bone is named after the shape of its bone, a large T that separates the striploin from the small tenderloin. Cut from the center of the short loin, this is a large steak, often best shared.
Ø Porterhouse is cut from the large end of the short loin and also has the same T-shaped bone as the T-bone. It has a larger tenderloin portion and is truly a meal for two—it’s sometimes called the king of steaks. It is often cut into 2-inch-thick portions weighing approximately 36 oz.
Ø Sirloin is cut from the area between the short loin and round. When cut into steaks, they are quite flavorful but require marinating to make them a little tenderer. A teriyaki marinade is the most popular marinade used on sirloin steaks.
Ø Flank Steak comes from the lower hind region of beef. It is a tougher cut of steak that requires marinating to make it tender, as it does not have a lot of internal fat, be careful not to overcook it. It is a great steak for a salad or sandwich.

While barbequing your favourite cut of steak, it’s best to check for doneness using a meat thermometer and the following temperatures:

Blue rare 130°F
Rare 130 to 140°F
Medium-rare 140 to 145°F
Medium 145 to 150°F
Medium-well 150 to 160°F
Well-done 160 to 170°F
Super well done 170°F plus

If you don’t have a meat thermometer handy, you can still test your steak’s doneness using the hand touch method. This method of testing for a steak is relatively easy and you will never find yourself looking for a thermometer while grilling. Shake one hand loose so that it is completely relaxed.

Ø Touch the soft fleshy part of your relaxed hand at the base of your thumb. This soft texture is similar to the texture of a blue rare to rare steak.
Ø Now touch your thumb and forefinger together and again touch the base of your thumb. This texture is similar to a medium-rare steak.
Ø Next, touch your thumb to your middle finger. This firmer texture is similar to the texture of a medium steak.
Ø Next, touch your thumb to your fourth finger. The semi-firm texture at the base of your thumb is similar to a medium-well steak.
Ø Lastly, touch your thumb to your pinky finger. The very firm texture at the base of your thumb is similar to a well-done steak.

Ted also stresses that when barbequing, you should never use a knife to cut the meat to test for doneness. Cutting the steak lets all the natural juices escape, resulting in a dry and tasteless piece of meat.

For additional information on grilling, check out Ted Reader on the web at: www.tedreader.com

About Chef Ted Reader
Ted Reader is an award-winning chef and food entertainer, who’s parlayed his passion for food into a culinary tour de force that includes more than a dozen cook books, shelves of food products, live culinary performances, TV and radio cooking shows and appearances as well as culinary demonstrations, a catering company and teaching.

Known for his pyrotechnic charm and fearless culinary spirit, it’s no surprise that GQ magazine labeled him the “crazy Canuck barbecue kingpin.” The dude just loves to cook!

Ted’s quest for creating “real food for real people” has seen this high-profile culinary barbecue guru demonstrate his flair for grilling in all venues from swanky ball rooms to the Pacific Ocean to a downtown Toronto parking lot. Today, he owns more than 90 barbecues, grills and smokers in all shapes and sizes and never goes anywhere without one in the back of his truck.