1. Clean the grilling surface prior to every use and preheat the grill 30
minutes before grilling. Also be sure to have all necessary grilling
items including meat, seasonings, an instant read thermometer, tools,
etc. ready for use by the grill.
2. To avoid fire flare-ups, trim your steaks, leaving only a thin layer of
fat around the perimeter to retain natural juices and flavor.
3. Only add salt, pepper and seasoning after grilling. Salt, pepper and
seasonings added before grilling will draw out moisture and inhibit
browning.
4. Grill all steaks at high heat to begin. This will create that
caramelized flavor we associate with grilling. Using too high heat for
too long will cause overcooking, so turn down your grill to medium high
or medium temperature to finish your steaks. For steaks ranging from
3/4 inch to one inch thick, such as New York strip or filet, Chef
McAliney recommends that you grill over direct heat for eight to 12
minutes. For thinner steaks, such as the skirt steak, Chef McAliney
recommends that you grill over direct heat for six to 10 minutes.
5. Always use tongs or a spatula to turn your steaks. When steaks are
pierced with a fork, flavorful juices can be lost. And remember to turn
the beef only once during grilling.
6. The most accurate way to determine the temperature of the steak is to
insert an instant-read thermometer horizontally from the side into the
center of the steak.
7. Allow three to five minutes of resting time once your steaks have been
removed from the grill. This will ensure optimal consistency and flavor
are reached prior to serving.
Now that you've mastered your preparation and cooking technique, Chef
McAliney offers the following recipe to get you started. "Grilled skirt
steak with blue cheese butter is a new interpretation of an old favorite --
skirt steak. It's easy to prepare and the ingredients will have your
guests' mouths watering by the time you're ready to plate."
Grilled Skirt Steak with Blue Cheese Butter (serves four)
Ingredients:
-- 4 tablespoons blue cheese
-- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
-- 2 shallots finely chopped
-- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
-- Sea salt & fresh ground black pepper
-- 1/4 cup olive oil
-- 2 lbs. peeled Brandt Beef All Natural skirt steak cut into four equal
pieces
Cooking Instructions: Preheat the grill for 30 minutes. When you're ready
to cook, combine blue cheese, butter, shallot and parsley in a small bowl.
Brush steaks with olive oil and place on the grill. Cook on the first side
for approximately three minutes. Turn and cook approximately another three
minutes depending on thickness of the steaks for medium rare. Remove the
steaks from the grill and season them with sea salt and pepper. Let the
steaks rest for three to five minutes before slicing against the grain,
then top with cheese, butter, shallot and parsley mixture and serve.
For additional cooking tips and recipes from Chef McAliney, please visit
http://www.brandtbeef.com/Recipes.html.
For grilling safety tips, Chef McAliney recommends visiting the Consumer
Product Safety Commission Web site at
http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/PRHTML97/97128.html.
About Tom McAliney
Tom McAliney is the executive chef for Brandt Beef. He specializes in
working with natural and seasonal products. Prior to joining Brandt Beef
in 2006, Tom served as executive chef and director of food and beverage for
the Greenwich Country Club in Greenwich, Conn. Tom also has extensive
experience working as a corporate executive chef for special events and has
hosted such events as the Grammy Awards, Olympic fundraisers, the Elton
John AIDS Foundation Awards, the Silver Apple Awards, former New York City
Mayor Rudy Giuliani's Inauguration, Hollywood movie premiers, celebrity
weddings and corporate IPOs.
About Brandt Beef
Brandt Beef - The True Natural, is a family owned premium natural beef
producer for the up-scale restaurant and retail markets. The Brandt family
is passionate about producing the most consistent, highest quality, 100
percent source verified natural beef on the market. Through cattle
selection, natural feeding practices and humane treatment of animals,
Brandt Beef produces a product that is unparalleled in taste, tenderness
and consistency. Brandt Beef received the Master Chefs' Institute Seal of
Excellence in 2006 for its achievement in obtaining the Master Chef's
Institute standard of quality. To obtain more information or to purchase
various cuts of Brandt's premium natural beef, please visit
www.brandtbeef.com.
Contact Information: Media Contacts: David Gutierrez Dresner Corporate Services 312-780-7204 dgutierrez@dresnerco.com Sara Ryan Dresner Corporate Services 312-780-7223 sryan@dresnerco.com