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This year, we have been blessed with all sorts of meaty goodness. Bryce brought home yellowtail, wahoo and mahi mahi from a Mexico fishing trip he did with his dad last summer.
He also took a whitetail with a bow from his Montana hunting trip last fall that he cut and wrapped himself.
AND we kept a half beef from our feeder steers and had it split among our family. Which, we are very proud of how it turned out. Beautiful marbling and the taste is simply rich.
Our freezer has never looked so amazing!
Selecting a cut:
Depending on what you are planning for dinner or the backyard BBQ, you will need to select your cuts for the grill. Today, I will am recommending steaks that are stars for the grill!
1.) Ribeye/Rib Steak:
This is absolutely my favorite cut of beef. It is the portion of muscle that runs along both sides of the spine. You can ask your butcher for bone in or out. I prefer bone in to develop more flavor. This is a very tender cut when cooked properly and is definitely a crowd pleaser!
2.) Porterhouse:
This is a monster cut fit for a king. You will being paying for a porterhouse like a king too at a steakhouse. Or, you can grill at home for a fraction of the cost. This cut is a cross section of the backbone with ribeye one one side and tenderloin on the opposite side. This is a cut that can be easily shared between two people.
3.) T-Bone:
A T-Bone is essentially the same cut as a porterhouse but derived a little more forward. The ribeye portion of the steak is larger, and the tenderloin portion is much smaller if it is even there. It is commonly noted that the ribeye is more tender on a T-Bone than on a porterhouse.
4.) Tenderloin:
This cut is a slender cylinder shaped muscle that lies inside the cavity along the spine. It is a naturally very tender cut since it doesn't get worked during exercise as much. However, it is probably the least flavorful steak on a beef. It also is a little light in color. This is where your filets come from. The trick with these is to not overcook them, as they are also generally a lean cut of beef.
5.) Skirt Steak:
This is a cut I use often with my
lime marinade recipe!
(Find the recipe at the bottom of my "surf & turf" taco blog post!) It is easy, delicious and VERY kid friendly! Tacos never tasted better. Skirt Steaks come from the inside abdominal region of a beef. It can be a tough cut, unless prepared properly. It is super important to marinade this cut for 12-24 hours to increase tenderness. As well, cooking VERY HOT sear and VERY FAST is key. Also, being sure to cut against the grain to insure optimal tenderness.
6.) Top Sirloin:
A top sirloin is derived further back on the spine/rump area. It can be a more lean cut since it is in a location that gets more exercise. However, this is a wonderful economical cut. You can cook a top sirloin for a decent cost and satisfy your family. This is another cut that is best when marinated 12-24 hours to add moisture and should be cooked HOT & FAST for the best tenderness.
Rare/Medium Rare is THE ONLY WAY you should be eating steak! IMO.. :) The tenderness, juicy beef flavor comes the best at this cook. However, everyone has their preferences. I believe the most important tool you can have in the kitchen when cooking any meat source, is a trusty thermometer.
This is the thermometer we use when cooking our beef or any protein:
I love it because you can add in the protein you are cooking, the desired temp so it alerts you when your meat is ready. You can also utilize the app for real time cooking temps while away from the grill! Plus, it's cordless which is extra helpful.
Here is a table with cooking temps for your steak:
| Rare |
125º |
|
Medium Rare
|
135º
|
| Medium |
145º
|
| Medium Well |
155º |
| Well Done |
160º |
Grilling:
Bryce got a Traeger Grill for Christmas and we love it. It is definitely a game changer!
Adding in extra smoke flavors is a ton of fun and there is so many fun features on it.
We have utilized this thing at least 3 times a week and it takes our meat to the next level.
It is SUPER easy to use. It is essentially like using a regular oven, but you pump in smokey woody flavors with Traeger pellets!
The nice thing is you can cook a wide range of recipes in the Traeger. Steaks, roasts, pies, veggies, even cocktails! i have a friend who literally only cooked on a Traeger for months while she was renovating her kitchen.
Extra bonus is it has a thermometer attached to it and an app you can download on your phone so you can monitor your meal while visiting with family and friends.
The best methods for developing a smoke flavor on your steaks is to select a good pellet (which we also only utilize from Traeger) for our beef, we like the hickory pellet.
Trick is to slowly smoke your beef. We slowly start it at 225º for 30 mins.
From here you have two options:
Option #1.)
Remove the steak, crank the Traeger up to 500º and grill steaks for 2-3 mins per side. I recommend taking off at 125º for a rare cook.
Option #2.)
When the steak is about 25 minutes on the Traeger, heat up a cast iron skillet on high heat. Add butter and a stick of rosemary. Apply your steak onto the skillet for a reverse sear about 2 minutes per side. I recommend taking off at 125º for a rare cook.
We love our Lodge Cast Iron! Here is where to get your very own beloved Lodge:
Lodge Cast Iron Skillet
These two options are perfect for the 6 steaks I listed above!
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