Summer's in full swing. If you don't cook tons of ourdoor meals, you'll surely have regrets in a few short months. Decide now what you will be cookin' and get on with it!
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When the tenderloin side of a Porterhouse is removed the remainder becomes a Club steak.
When meat remaining on the other side of the T is deboned it become a shell steak, sometimes called a strip steak, i.e. KC Strip, NY strip.
Sirloin steaks are large and have varying sizes and amounts and even different bones but, tender and very tasty in all shapes. One 3" thick steak can serve a crowd.
Sirloin tip steaks are boneless, less tender but very tasty.
All of these cuts are tender and delicious. Outside of specialty meat markets, most common are tenderloin, sirloin, T-bone, ribeye and rib steak. None of these are fit for broiling, however, cut less than 1" thick. Cut 1 1/2 to 3" thick is even better. It is better to broil one large, thick steak and carve it after cooking than to portion it out in thinner pieces before grilling.
Selecting the Steak
 Having narrowed down the cuts, we focus on selection of the individual steak or steaks to identify the meat with the best features. The meat should be a consistent bright, light red color. The white marbling should be generously distributed throughout and the flecks and lines should be fine, rather than thick. Thick, heavy marbling will produce a tougher steak with a fatty taste because the marbling will not properly melt out. The finer the marbling, the more tender the steak.
The texture of the meat should be a fine grain and be consistent rather than coarse or variable. Pre-cut steaks should be already be trimmed of all but a 1/4" rim of fat. The fat should be creamy in color, without a gray or yellow cast. The meat should be moist, but not wet. Bones should look fresh and soft with a slight reddish tint.
Get acquainted with the meat market manager, the butcher or whomever is in charge. Let them know that you are a griller/ barbecuer and intend to buy larger than normal quantities of good meat and that you would like for him to have your business. Solicit his help, "Do you have any T-bones with a little finer marbling?" Bring him samples of your finished product, a bottle of wine for the holidays, or other suitable gifts in recognition of his efforts. Get to know those who stock the display cases. Speak to them. Compliment their efforts. Then, when you look thoroughly throughout the case and do not find a suitable piece of meat, feel free to ask if they have any not yet displayed. Don't accept what is available unless it meets your criteria and, should that occasion arise, ask when they receive the next shipment, or politely advise them that you will come back another day. Do not hesitate to have them cut, after your inspection and approval, steaks to your desired thickness.
For adults with normal appetites, allow 10-12 ounces each of store trimmed steaks and 14-16 ounces of steak with bone. For serious eaters, provide 25% more. Bring home the steaks and store in the 'fridge. Remove all catsup, steak sauce, teriyaki sauce, etc from the premises, lest they taint the meat.
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Smoky's 5th basic position for really great barbecue'n.
'According to Smoky' is © by C. Clark Hale
who is solely responsible for its content. Comments
should be addresses to cchale@bellsouth.net
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