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Cooking out

Everything tastes better when hot off the grill
From the chef | Search restaurants | Archives

June 27th, 2007 issue

COURTESY PHOTO
Most foods can be cooked over charcoal, including meat, vegetables and fruit.
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Almost everyone who has mastered the grill speaks with pride of his or her skills. After all, food just seems to taste better when cooked over flame or charcoal. But learning the proper techniques is a trial-and-error process.
While wood imparts distinct flavors, grilling over charcoal has certain advantages — efficiency being primary. Still, it can be a tricky process, with factors such as outside temperature, humidity and the thickness of meat affecting the outcome. Cooler weather requires more briquettes.
Charcoal requires a little patience at the start. It requires at least half an hour, sometimes more, to reach optimum cooking temperature. High is best for steaks, as your goal is to sear the crust and seal the juices inside. An intense red glow still visible through the ash coating that develops on briquettes after half an hour indicates a high cooking temperature. Lighter gray ash is medium. There are several ways to manipulate cooking temperature: To make it hotter, lower the rack, pack briquettes together or open the vents; for cooler temperatures, set the rack higher, spread the coals or partially close the vents.
This recipe calls for two temperature levels, which you can achieve by piling a thick layer of coals on one half of the grill to create a hot spot, while spreading a thin layer on the other half. Sear the meat over high heat, turning once, until it reaches the desired doneness.
Chef Jiří Štift of Alcron in the Radisson suggests an instant-read thermometer. Rare is 42–44° C; medium rare 45–47° C; medium 49–51° C. Vegetables can be grilled over the cooler side.
Two key points to remember: Use tongs to turn steaks and remove them from the grill (a fork can pierce the crust, letting juices escape), and set the steaks to the side for a couple of minutes after grilling.
“By allowing the meat to rest, you let the temperature inside the steak balance out,” Štift explains. “The steak will be evenly cooked and the juices will not all escape with your first cut.”
Jiří Štift is chef at Alcron in the Radisson SAS Hotel, located at Štěpánská 40, Prague 1–New Town. Tel. 222 820 038.

 

RIB-EYE STEAK WITH MARINATED VEGETABLES

Ingredients (serves four)
For rib-eye steak
1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) rib-eye steak
Crushed pepper, sea salt, herb butter (if desired)
For herb butter
Butter
Parsley, chives, chervil, tarragon (all minced)
Dijon mustard, salt, pepper
Garlic (optional)
For marinated vegetables
2 red peppers
2 yellow peppers
1 zucchini
1 eggplant
3 cloves garlic
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Olive oil
Pepper

Preparation
Rib-eye steak
Portion the steaks and season with sea salt and pepper.
Grill to the desired degree of doneness.
Allow grilled meat rest for two to three minutes on the side of the grill and, if desired, place a few slices of herb butter on each steak.
Herb butter
Let the butter soften at room temperature.
Mix in minced herbs.
Add salt and pepper and a little Dijon mustard (and garlic, if desired).
Pack in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.
Marinated vegetables
Roast red and yellow peppers on grill (or in a 220°C oven) until the skins turn brown. Wrap the hot peppers in aluminum foil to allow them to sweat.
After a few minutes, unwrap and peel the skins.
Quarter the peppers.
Peel the eggplant and cut lengthwise into thin slices and roast in a pan.
Repeat the process with zucchini, without peeling.
Flavor the prepared vegetables with olive oil, salt, pepper, minced garlic and fresh thyme.
Wrap the marinated vegetables in aluminum foil and reheat on the grill.
 


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