When I was a line cook, I spent the majority of my time working the grill. On a nightly basis, I was responsible for not just a grill full of various types and cuts of meat—I also had to ensure that when they reached the dining room, they were cooked t…
When I was a line cook, I spent the majority of my time working the grill. On a nightly basis, I was responsible for not just a grill full of various types and cuts of meat—I also had to ensure that when they reached the dining room, they were cooked to each customer’s preferred internal temperature. It’s a lot to deal with, and when an expensive steak is involved, things become even more stressful. While grilling at that scale and level of precision never becomes truly easy, if you set up your steak and grill correctly, successful outcomes are much more feasible. With that in mind, here is everything you need to know in order to grill the perfect steak for you.
Roughly twenty minutes before grilling a steak, you should remove the meat from the fridge and allow it to reach room temperature. This ensures that your steak will cook evenly, preventing the dreaded combination of an overcooked exterior and cold, raw center. According to J. Fox—owner of Manhattan butcher shop Hudson & Charles—it’s important to be mindful of food safety precautions while doing this. “You want to make sure the protein isn’t in the 40°F to 140°F range for more than two hours,” he says. “If the temperature outside is 90 degrees, that means no more than one hour sitting out of refrigeration.”
Grilling a steak is among the most iconic summer activities, but for many, it’s also among the most daunting. There’s no worse feeling than investing in a high-quality (read: pricey) cut of meat only to find you’ve overcooked it. Add dinner guests into…
Grilling a steak is among the most iconic summer activities, but for many, it’s also among the most daunting. There’s no worse feeling than investing in a high-quality (read: pricey) cut of meat only to find you’ve overcooked it. Add dinner guests into the mix, and what started out as a fun, warm-weather activity has turned into something far more stressful.
We’d like to help prevent that outcome. So, we asked our pros in the test kitchen to weigh in on how long to grill steak, how to test for doneness, and the differences between charcoal and gas grills.
These 11 recipes for easy lettuce wraps are perfect anytime you need a light and fresh meal. Each wrap is healthy, low-carb, and packed with flavor. The Best Easy Lettuce Wrap Recipes You won’t miss the bread with these easy lettuce wraps! A gre…
These 11 recipes for easy lettuce wraps are perfect anytime you need a light and fresh meal. Each wrap is healthy, low-carb, and packed with flavor. The Best Easy Lettuce Wrap Recipes You won’t miss the bread with these easy lettuce wraps! A great way to make a sandwich, burger or taco fresher, lighter and
Inside: Learn how to make this juicy and flavorful Mexican-style grilled steak which is a perfect meal for summertime. There is nothing quite like the taste of a perfectly marinated, …
Inside: Learn how to make this juicy and flavorful Mexican-style grilled steak which is a perfect meal for summertime.
There is nothing quite like the taste of a perfectly marinated, juicy grilled steak. In Mexico, we love to marinate our meat with delicious ingredients before grilling it to make sure it is tender and flavorful. There are so many different types of steak, but the cut of steak that I like the most for the recipe I am sharing today is a thin ribeye steak. It has the perfect amount of meat and fat which makes it so juicy.
This recipe can be made on a gas grill, a charcoal grill, or you can cook it inside on a large skillet if that is your only option. You can also use different cuts of meat, such as flank steak, skirt steak, or any other thin cut. For me, the taste of a steak, recently grilled on a hot charcoal grill, served with freshly made tortilla, grilled onions, and a homemade salsa can’t be beat.
What is in the marinade for this Mexican style grilled steak?
The secret to a juicy steak is to have the right marinade. The steak marinade I am using today is similar to what we use for traditional carne asada, but with some differences. It consists of orange juice, lime juice, beer, soy sauce, garlic, black pepper, and allspice. This combination will make for tender steaks every time.
To make the marinade, all you have to do is combine all of those ingredients in a blender, and blend them until somewhat smooth, and then use it to marinate the meat. Marinating the steak for a few hours or longer will give you the best results, but as long as you marinate it for at least one hour you are setting yourself up to make a perfectly grilled steak.
What is the best way to cook this steak?
Like I mentioned above, I prefer to use a charcoal or wood grill to get a nice smoky flavor on my steak, but you can also use whatever method you have. For example, some people may not have any grill at all, but most people have a stove that they can use to cook the steak on a hot skillet. A gas grill is also a good option and will give you that nice grilled steak flavor.
To grill the steak on any type of outdoor grill, make sure you heat it up sufficiently. Next, remove the steak from the marinade and put it on the hot grill. Since this is a thin cut of steak, you do not need to cook it long. Depending on the level of doneness that you prefer, you will need to grill the steak for around 2-5 minutes per side. If you are using a thick cut steak, which you can definitely do, you will need to cook it longer. Using a meat thermometer is recommended if you have one to make sure you have an accurate internal temperature of your steak. For a medium-rare steak, grill the steak to about 130-140 degrees f.
If you don’t have a grill, heat up a large skillet over medium heat on your stove and add a little bit of olive oil. Once it is hot, add the steaks and cook until they reach your preferred temperature. Again, an instant read thermometer will give you the best results, which will result in the best grilled steak.
What can you serve with grilled steak?
In Mexico, this type of steak is most commonly served with freshly made tortillas which you can also quickly add to the grill for a charred flavor. You can also grill pearl onions and nopales and serve it with Mexican rice, homemade salsa, and refried beans.
This combination of flavors is amazing, and will have you and your guests coming back for more.
Let me know in the comments below how this turned out for you!
Inside: Learn how to make authentic bistec a la Mexicana (Mexican style steak), which is a delicious recipe consisting of beef strips cooked in a delicious homemade sauce that you …
Inside: Learn how to make authentic bistec a la Mexicana (Mexican style steak), which is a delicious recipe consisting of beef strips cooked in a delicious homemade sauce that you will love.
Bistec a la Mexicana, or Mexican style steak, is a class Mexican comfort food that is easy to make and very popular throughout Mexico. It is an inexpensive dish that will be a great addition to your list of Mexican food to try. Keep reading to find out more about this tasty dish.
What is Bistec a la Mexicana?
This easy dish starts is usually made with beef strips, but you can also make it with pork meat if you prefer. It is cooked in a delicious blend of vegetables, such as tomatoes, white onions, and green chiles (serrano peppers or jalapenos), which make up the colors of the Mexican flag.
Something unique about this dish is that the ingredients are not blended, but instead are diced or sliced. This lets you really taste the flavor of each individual ingredient and trust me, this is an addicting dish that will have you coming back for more!
Bistec a la Mexicana with potatoes makes a regular appearance in most Mexican homes because it is easy to make, goes a long way, is delicious, and of course has so much flavor. It goes well served with mexican rice and refried beans, and of course warm tortillas. The ingredients are also very common and you may already have most of them in your kitchen, so the next time you are looking for a delicious Mexican recipe, you know what to try.
This is definitely one of my favorite recipes. When you make it, there is always a delicious aroma in the kitchen that brings me back to my childhood growing up in Mexico.
How do you make Mexican style steak?
You will need the following ingredients to make this recipe:
1 pound of steak (top sirloin works great) cut into strips
6 large red tomatoes
1 large onion
3 serrano chiles or jalapenos
3 cloves of garlic (dientes de ajo)
black pepper (to taste)
3 medium potatoes
cilantro
1 cup of water
salt to taste
olive oil (aceite de oliva)
To make this recipe you will start by cutting the beef into thin strips and seasoning with salt and pepper. After that, peel the potatoes, wash them, and cut them into small cubes or a half moon shapes and set aside.
The next step is to cook 2 of the tomatoes and onions in a cup of water over medium heat. Once they are cooked, let them cool and blend them in a blender with 1/4 of the onion, one clove of garlic, and a tablespoon of salt. Then set the resulting salsa aside for later.
Next, chop the remaining tomatoes in a half moon shape, slice the serrano or jalapeno peppers and the rest of the onion. Set this aside as well.
In a large skillet, add the olive oil and heat it up on the stove over medium heat. When it is hot enough, add the steak strips, the two remaining cloves of garlic, and the sliced onion and let cook for about 5 minutes.
Once the beef is cooked through, add the potatoes and lower the heat to medium-low. When the potatoes start to brown slightly, add the rest of vegetables and chiles and mix well, cooking for another 5 minutes.
Finally, add the salsa that you prepared earlier and the cilantro and bring it to a boil for another 5 minutes. Add salt to taste and serve with rice, refried beans, and warm corn tortillas.
Let me know in the comments below how this turns out!
Learn how to make authentic bistec a la Mexicana (Mexican style steak), which is a delicious recipe consisting of beef strips cooked in a delicious homemade sauce that you will love.
Start by cutting the beef into thin strips and seasoning with salt and pepper. After that, peel the potatoes, wash them, and cut them into small cubes or a half moon shapes and set aside.
The next step is to cook 2 of the tomatoes and onions in a cup of water over medium heat. Once they are cooked, let them cool and blend them in a blender with 1/4 of the onion, one clove of garlic, and a tablespoon of salt. Then set the resulting salsa aside for later.
Next, chop the remaining tomatoes in a half moon shape, slice the serrano or jalapeno peppers and the rest of the onion. Set this aside as well.
In a large skillet, add the olive oil and heat it up on the stove over medium heat. When it is hot enough, add the steak strips, the two remaining cloves of garlic, and the sliced onion and let cook for about 5 minutes.
Once the beef is cooked through, add the potatoes and lower the heat to medium-low. When the potatoes start to brown slightly, add the rest of vegetables and chiles and mix well, cooking for another 5 minutes.
Finally, add the salsa that you prepared earlier and the cilantro and bring it to a boil for another 5 minutes. Add salt to taste and serve with rice, refried beans, and warm corn tortillas.
This grilled steak salad is drizzled with blue cheese vinaigrette and loaded with tons of satisfying ingredients. Avocado! Pickled red onion! Pepitas! It’s a weeknight go-to that we love so much. Dinner tonight is going to be gooooood. This salad is one of our go-do weeknight recipes. I make it when I have all the […]
This grilled steak salad is drizzled with blue cheese vinaigrette and loaded with tons of satisfying ingredients. Avocado! Pickled red onion! Pepitas! It’s a weeknight go-to that we love so much.
Dinner tonight is going to be gooooood.
This salad is one of our go-do weeknight recipes. I make it when I have all the ingredients. I make it when I have leftover steak from another recipe or an abundance of blue cheese or pickled onions. Basically, it’s the recipe I make when we want steak salads!
Sometimes I might make fries on the side too. That’s neither here nor there.
(EXCEPT TRY IT!)
When we make salads for dinner, it’s always my goal to make sure they taste restaurant-worthy. You know? Like how salads taste so amazing in restaurants but then you try to make them at home and you’re just… disappointed?
I usually start with a base like my house salad and go from there. I may take bits and pieces of what I love from my house salads, ultimately ending up with a base that suits the protein that I’m going to put on top.
There are also must haves for me: lots of seasoning, tons of texture and crunch. Those are non-negotiables in my salads!
We probably do chicken salads the most often. Or even leftover burger salads. But when we want a good steak-salad, this is how I do it.
First, the most important part.
The vinaigrette!
This blue cheese vinaigrette is a sneak peek of one of the recipes in Everyday Dinners and it is a DREAM. If you love blue cheese AND love briney, tangy vinaigrettes, you will love it.
Our local grocery store used to have a blue cheese vinaigrette that I loved. When I was no longer able to find it, I decided to create my own and then throw the recipe in Everyday Dinners. I make it ALL the time. The recipe is part of the sauces and dressings chapter (which is pure GOLD!) but it goes on the grilled steakhouse salad in the book. The flavor combo is just out of this world.
The vinaigrette is a way to bring the blue cheese flavor to the steak without coating it in it. The blue cheese also “marinates” as it sits in the dressing, which is pretty fantastic too.
For the steaks, our favorite are filets (of course!) but occasionally I’ll do strip steaks too. Just lots of salt and pepper, high heat on the grill and a good rest before slicing. They are perfect that way.
Every month, Melina Hammer, Food52’s very own Hudson Valley correspondent, is serving up all the bounty that upstate New York has to offer.
When we moved to our cottage upstate a few years ago, one of the first people we met was our mail carrier, Ba…
Every month, Melina Hammer, Food52's very own Hudson Valley correspondent, is serving up all the bounty that upstate New York has to offer.
When we moved to our cottage upstate a few years ago, one of the first people we met was our mail carrier, Barton Brooks. Being the outgoing type, we introduced ourselves, and have looked forward to his cheery face peeking out from the mail van ever since. Turns out, not only has Barton run the local mail route for 40 years, but he’s at the helm of a picture-book-perfect, 50-plus-acre farm just 10 minutes from our home. There, he and his wife, Rebecca, raise Wagyu cows on rolling pastures. We have sipped drinks together on their wraparound porch, taking in hummingbirds and deer in the uninterrupted sunset, plus any last antics the calves may have to share for the night.
I’m here to tell you how to make the best filet mignon recipe for Valentine’s Day! Seriously, this is the best. While I only make filet on super special occasions, we adore it and this recipe is absolutely divine. The steak is so tender and juicy and flavorful. The blue cheese butter is wonderful enough […]
I’m here to tell you how to make the best filet mignon recipe for Valentine’s Day!
Seriously, this is the best. While I only make filet on super special occasions, we adore it and this recipe is absolutely divine.
The steak is so tender and juicy and flavorful. The blue cheese butter is wonderful enough to want to eat with a spoon. The combo is classic, restaurant-worthy and makes dinner feel extra fancy. I’d say we all need that right now!
If you follow me on instagram, you saw me make this amazing filet on Christmas Eve. We wanted to keep things low key but also really wanted filet, because we usually have something like my espresso crusted beef tenderloin.
However, I’ve been cooking my filet mignon steaks like this for years – ever since I first learned how. This is by far the best foolproof recipe I’ve found and it works like a charm every single time if you want to make steaks. It’s pretty quick and easy too!
The only thing I occasionally do differently is baste with butter from the pan until cooked. I mean, basting with butter is the most delicious thing you can do, but it also requires standing over the hot pan for a few minutes and if you have little kids around, I can assure you this is easier! And just as delish.
Oh! And! The only thing that makes this steak better is topping it with…
The blue cheese butter!
Oh my yes please.
Obviously, this is a dream. Remember years and years ago when I made these blue cheese biscuits with red wine butter? Well I almost made pinot noir butter here again but changed it at the last minute. Blue cheese on filet is just such a classic flavor combo. One that is so, so good.
The steak is rich and decadent, the blue cheese butter is a bit tangy and creamy – it complements so well. Can’t beat the classic!
Perhaps my favorite part of searing a filet is having some filet leftovers. We love using leftover filet to make slider sandwiches (hot or cold!) or even use on my steakhouse pizza. Pretty sure that leftover filet may rank up there as Eddie’s favorite leftover of ALL time.
One the side of this filet, I did a quick roast of my cacio e pepe brussels. This recipe is SO good. Such an easy way to prepare brussels sprouts and makes for a wonderful side dish that everyone loves. When we have this for dinner, I often keep it to a side like the brussels or my parmesan roasted broccoli. The steak is already so filling and decadent, that having a roasted vegetable side dish is the way to go.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. I highly highly suggest using a cast iron skillet for this - it will get a little smoky, so be sure to use your oven vent or turn on a fan, etc!
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Season the steaks all over with salt and fresh ground pepper. Add the 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet - it will begin to brown and smoke. That’s okay!
Place the steak in the skillet right away. Sear on each side, about 2 minutes per side, until deeply golden brown. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter if needed. Once you’ve done both sides, turn off the heat.
Place the skillet in the oven and cook for about 5 minutes, for medium doneness. This will depend on the thickness of your steak, but I suggest taking the internal temperature as this will help so much! For rare, you want 120 degrees F. For medium rare, 125 to 130 degrees F. For medium, 135 to 140 degrees F and medium-well, 145 to 150 degrees F.
Let the steak rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. I top mine with a scoop of the blue cheese butter about 2 minutes before serving, so it gets a bit melty.
blue cheese butter
Mash and stir everything together until combined and creamy. You can make this ahead of time and store it sealed in the fridge for a few days.
There’s something about steak that feels celebratory. You might have a go-to ribeye recipe for a holiday or anniversary, or you like to throw a New York strip on the grill to spruce up an otherwise ordinary weeknight. Countless variations in cut, tempe…
There's something about steak that feels celebratory. You might have a go-to ribeye recipe for a holiday or anniversary, or you like to throw a New York strip on the grill to spruce up an otherwise ordinary weeknight. Countless variations in cut, temperature, rub, and sauce make the slabs of beef all the more distinguished. I love a recipe that incorporates a side along with a steak—hey there, skirt steak and smashed cucumbers and Caesar-inspired flank steak (both of these meat marinades also act as a dressing for the side salad!)—but on a special “steak night,” I like to go big with the sides.
And just as there is a steak for every occasion, there is an ideal side (or three) for every steak. Here are 27 crunchy, spicy, creamy accompaniments that will further enhance your meal. Whether you’re looking for a flavor-packed counterpart to brighten up the table (think: citrusy asparagus and fiery kimchi fried rice), or prefer classic steakhouse fixin's (looking at you, scalloped potatoes and creamed spinach)—we’ve got sides that will put up a fight for center stage.
With high demand and only about eight cuts per cow, filet mignon often fetches the highest price in the butcher’s case. When you’re paying upwards of $20 per pound, cooking these precious tidbits can feel a little like a tightrope walk, especially since they’re often prepared for a special occasion meal like Valentine’s Day or a weekend date night at home. Don’t be intimidated by cooking steaks. I promise. Take a breath, have a sip of Cabernet, and by paying attention to a few important details, learning how to cook a filet mignon like you’ve been doing it your whole life is actually quite easy.
Filet mignon is a choice steak, indeed. To form it, the butcher makes a cross-sectional cut from the small end of the tenderloin, a long muscle with one narrow, pointed end which runs along the lower part of the cow’s spine. The flesh there doesn’t do much work, and is, therefore, very, very tender. Unlike other cuts like a strip steak or ribeye, a filet has non-existent marbeling. What this means is that it will lack some of the fatty flavor other cuts are prized for, but the trade-off is that you gain a super tender, “cuts like butter” cut of steak.
With high demand and only about eight cuts per cow, filet mignon often fetches the highest price in the butcher's case. When you're paying upwards of $20 per pound, cooking these precious tidbits can feel a little like a tightrope walk, especially since they’re often prepared for a special occasion meal like Valentine’s Day or a weekend date night at home. Don't be intimidated by cooking steaks. I promise. Take a breath, have a sip of Cabernet, and by paying attention to a few important details, learning how to cook a filet mignon like you've been doing it your whole life is actually quite easy.
Filet mignon is a choice steak, indeed. To form it, the butcher makes a cross-sectional cut from the small end of the tenderloin, a long muscle with one narrow, pointed end which runs along the lower part of the cow's spine. The flesh there doesn't do much work, and is, therefore, very, very tender. Unlike other cuts like a strip steak or ribeye, a filet has non-existent marbeling. What this means is that it will lack some of the fatty flavor other cuts are prized for, but the trade-off is that you gain a super tender, “cuts like butter” cut of steak.
