Great Grilling Cooking Series
Lesson 3: Grilling to Perfection
When grilling, retain juices that make beef flavorful and tender by not flipping the meat more than once. Sear on one side, flip, sear on the other, then reduce heat and slow cook until the meat is done.
The Perfect Burger
Handle ground beef gently prior to cooking. Don’t overmix the meat while shaping burgers. Because salt draws out moisture and inhibits browning, season with salt after cooking. Once burgers hit the grill, don’t smash them, as it results in the loss of flavorful juices, too.
The Perfect Steak
Before grilling, trim steaks closely, leaving only a thin layer of fat to preserve juiciness. To promote browning, pat them dry with paper towels. Once the grill is at medium heat (using the testing method from Lesson 2) add the steaks, turning them with a long-handled tongs or spatula. And again, wait until grilling is complete before adding salt and salty seasonings.
The Perfect Roast
Roast beef is delicious and flavorful when grilled with a combination of direct heat (that sears and seals in juices) and indirect heat (that lets beef cook without burning). For indirect heat with charcoal, arrange coals in a ring around the outer edges and put a drip pan in the center of the grate. For gas, turn flames down to low on the edges of the grill; in the middle, turn the flames off and place a drip pan there. For charcoal or gas cooking, put the meat on the cooking grate directly over the drip pan, cover the grill, and let beef cook thoroughly. Use a meat thermometer to test for a finished meal.
