Paper Palate

In last week’s Chicago Sun-Times, Leah Zeldes offers an extremely helpful primer on the basics of grilling steak, that extends far beyond various grilling methods and which cuts of meat are choice. The successful grilling experience is underscored by using high quality meat and these days, there is nearly an overwhelming selection of choices. In addition to the expanded variety of traditional cuts, along with their assorted grades, there is a current revival of grass-fed and dry aged beef, furthering the possibilities. Also, some organic beef may be corn-fed, as well as grass-fed. There is even a Kobe beef, which is imported from Japan and has a considerably higher fat content. Kobe beef is extremely expensive and somewhat rare in this country. However, there is an “American Kobe,” originating from the same breed (Wagyu) and similarly raised, available in this country from select butchers. And finally, many more less expensive “value cuts” are also available for the grilling consumer to choose from.

Fortunately, Ms. Zeldes provides a basic guide to aid in the selection process:

STEAK SPEAK: WHAT’S THE BEEF?

AGING: Most beef is aged at least briefly, to allow natural enzymes to break down muscle fiber, tenderizing the meat. In wet aging, the most common method, meat is refrigerated in vacuum-sealed plastic bags for a few days. During dry aging, a premium method, unwrapped beef stands in a low-humidity cooler, typically for three weeks, allowing moisture to evaporate and concentrating meaty flavor.

ANGUS: A breed of hornless cattle originating in Scotland, with black or dark red coats.

BRANDED BEEF: Some producers market steaks with brand names, promising consistency of quality. These tend to be choice grades. Branding also may refer to the cattle breed, such as Certified Angus, which identifies meat from “Angus-influenced cattle,” or where it comes from, such as the Kobe region of Japan.

GRAIN- OR CORN-FED BEEF: This is regular American beef, some 85 percent of the market. After a year or so at pasture, most cattle get a three- to six-month stretch confined in a feed lot, where they receive a fattening diet high in corn before going to market.

GRASS-FED BEEF: All US cattle start out eating grass, but this designation refers to animals that never get a final fattening on grain. Some describe grass-fed beef as having a sweet, nutty flavor, but others call it tough and gamey, which may reflect a lack of standardization of the available meat.

KOBE BEEF: Costly beef from the Kobe region of Japan, where cattle are fed a diet of beer, allowed little exercise and, supposedly, massaged daily to achieve a legendary level of white-laced marbling and tenderness. So-called “American Kobe” refers to unmassaged US-raised cattle of the same wagyu breed.

MARINADE: A seasoned liquid that adds flavor and, in some cases, tenderizes.

MARBLING: Flecks and streaks of fat integrated in the meat, which give it flavor and contribute to tenderness.

NATURAL BEEF: Beef with no additives, such as preservatives or marinades.

ORGANIC BEEF: To be certified organic, cattle must eat only organic feed and may not be given hormones or antibiotics. This meat, often leaner than regular beef, comes at premium prices from natural-foods stores such as Whole Foods and Wild Oats.

RUB: A blend of seasonings, such as herbs and spices, that adds flavor and is applied to the surface of raw steaks.

Leah A. Zeldes

Helpful suggestions are also provided to ensure successful grilling:

MEAT OF THE ISSUE

Here are a few more recommendations for great grilling:

Use high-quality charcoal. Hardwood lump charcoal delivers more flavor; briquettes burn more evenly. For the best of both worlds, use both.

Avoid chemical starters, which can taint flavor. Use a chimney starter and a bit of crumpled newspaper.

Use enough charcoal: 30 lumps or briquettes per pound of meat. Add a few more in cold weather or high humidity.

When the coals are 70 percent ash covered, they’re ready for cooking. That takes about 20 minutes.

For gas grills, preheat to 550 degrees, or high, for 15 to 20 minutes before lowering the temperature.

To tell when the fire is ready, hold your hand, palm side down, about 6 inches above the coals. Count “one thousand one, one thousand two,” etc., until the heat is uncomfortable. If you can keep your hand in place for two seconds, it’s hot, 375 degrees or more; three seconds, it’s medium hot, about 350 to 375 degrees; four seconds — it’s medium, about 300 to 350 degrees; five seconds, it’s low, about 200 to 300 degrees.

Use direct cooking — right over the fire — to grill most foods that need less than 25 minutes to cook.

Use indirect cooking, with the fire next to but not beneath the meat, for foods that need more than 25 minutes of cooking or that are coated in easily burned sauces or marinades.

Avoid frequent flipping. Start bone-in cuts with the biggest bone-side down. Turn steaks only once, about halfway through grilling time, when the meat juices start to bubble to the top.

Remove steaks from the heat when they reach temperatures 10 degrees below the desired doneness. They’ll continue to cook off the grill.

Let the cooked steaks stand 5 to 10 minutes before eating to allow the juices to redistribute.

Leah A. Zeldes