Steak is one of my favorite thing to grill and eat. I could probably dedicate an entire site to the topic. You will definitely come across more postings, preparation, and recipes for a variety of cuts on Cook Cook Eat Eat. This posting is for New York Steak or NY Strip Steak. It’s probably become my GoTo favorite cut of steak recently, in part I like the taste, its not too rich like a filet, or fatty/buttery/unhealthy like Wagyu. I like to prep and serve this simply with some good sea salt. I often pre-salt the steak prior to grilling with a French Sel Gris – but a good kosher salt works well, and for finishing I also really like Jacobsen or Malden flaky sea salt. Sometimes I will also do a dry rub – I like the Wicked Spice from local restaurant El Gaucho which has dried herbs and some fiery pepper spices, or a good coffee ancho chili rub which imparts a sweetness to the meat. In addition, I will often just mix in a few chili powders – I like ancho, but most other smoked varieties will work well, however go easy on the heat part of the spice, as it can over power the flavor of the meat. I always cook with a meat thermometer, and prepare it to a temp of 125 for medium rare. I cannot stress the importance of preparing steak consistently, and with quality by cooking to a temperature. I use the Mark IV from Thermapin as its a super high quality product.
Ingredients
Prime New York Steak – never get choice cut, and sometimes upgrade to a Wagyu grade – however, I find cuts that are too marbled to taste too much like fat and butter. I find that Costco has great steaks that are hard to beat on quality and price. Grass-fed is also a good option, and I also like to source my steak from a local butcher like Joe and Don’s in the Pike Place Market, or the Beast and Cleaver in Ballard. Support local when you can! https://www.donandjoesmeats.com/
Sea Salt for prepping and finishing. Jacobsen: https://jacobsensalt.com/
Dry rub (optional) – El Gaucho Wicked Spice: https://elgaucho.com/shop/
Preparation
Remove the steak from the refrigerator at least an hour before grilling. This allows the meat to warm and soften up and will help ensure a more consistent cook in the center as the temperature variance from the surface to the middle of the cut will be less.
Salt both sides of the cuts using a few pinches of salt – rub liberally
Apply any rub as well if you are cooking with one
Preheat the grill on high for at least 5 minutes – you will want a very hot grill to start the steaks to get good char and grill marks on the meat.
Place steaks on the grill, over a high burner – cook 3-4 minutes prior to turning.
Turn the steaks after 4 minutes, and also turn the burners to medium – pay attention to the grill, and do not walk away for conversation or a drink – it’s critical to watch the meat and see how the cooking progresses – there are so many variables – how well the grill heats, hot and cold spots, accelerated cooking, etc one needs to be mindful of. After both sides have good char and/or grill marks – I like to adjust the burner temp to low or off or move the steaks to a different section of the grill for indirect cooking and finishing, taking the temperature and managing the rise in temp every minute with the thermometer – its very easy to let the steak cook too long by keeping on high or medium heat too long, or not moving to indirect heat, and not checking the internal temperature.
Resting – the steaks will continue to cook after you have pulled them from the grill, so be mindful in terms of how long you plan to plate and serve your meal after removing them. You can cover them in foil if it will be a while as you prepare other dishes, so it’s OK to pull them off at a temp of 120 as well. This process just takes lots of practice by doing and experimenting with your grill, and the thickness of the cuts – remember, it’s easy to put the steaks back on the grill or oven for a couple of minutes if undercooked, but it hard to recover from an overdone cut of meat (bring out the A1 sauce).
Serve – I like to slice my NY steaks as I can verify the temp and let others choose their preferred doneness – some people like their cuts more rare, others more done, plus it helps to not overload or overwhelm a plate with a large piece of meat, and leads to better portion management and healthier eating.
