6 Steps to Grill the Perfect Steak

There’s nothing better than a nicely grilled juicy steak. But how come I can’t duplicate that restaurant, expensive, juicy, melin-your mouth, perfectly grilled steak?Well, I found out how to grill steak perfectly – and here’s how you can too. 1. The choice of meat is important!!! Just because the supermarket has labeled the steak “good for grilling” doesn’t mean that it is. Lean meat does not do well. You want a piece that has marbling throughout. And these are good cuts: fillet (mignon), top loin (rib eye) – basically the same cuts that are the ones you love in the restaurant. 2. Next, proper heating of the grill is vital. If you are using charcoal, spread 2/3 of the bricks on one side and 1/3 of the bricks on the other. That way you have a hotter side for searing the meat and a cooler side for cooking the meat. If you are using a gas grill, you will lose some of the flavor, but you will want to turn the heat down for the cooking portion. 3. Next, rub both sides of the meat with oil and cover with salt and pepper. Be generous with the salt and pepper because it will fall off during the grilling. 4. Place your meat on the hot side for searing. Cook on each side for three minutes to get the nice grilled meat crust color you love. For a hand test, I’ve been told that you should be able to hold you hand over the heat for 3 seconds before you can’t take it!5. Place your meat on the cooler side for cooking to your taste. The hand test for the cooler side, I’ve been told, is 6-7 seconds. You will want to use a timer to cook the meat – or use the slice and peak test to see if the meat is done enough for you. Just don’t cut and peek too often or you’ll lose all the juice!6. When the steak is done, take if off the grill and let it set for at least 5 minutes. Some people call it “resting”. It allows the juices to spread back out so that you’ll have a juicy steak with a nice crust. Follow these steps and you’ll be enjoying perfectly grilled, juicy, melin-your-mouth steak that will impress and satisfy the most discriminating steak eater!

Rib-Eye Steak with Mushrooms and Bleu Cheese

This is a mouth watering steak. Every time I serve this in the restaurant the customers rave. The best part, it’s so simple you can make it at home for the family. Serves 2
2 ea.    Rib-eye steaks (each about 1 inch thick)    ВЅ tsp.    Kosher salt    ВЅ tsp.    Pepper    1 Tbsp.     Olive oil    3 Tbsp.     Unsalted butter    1 ea     Onion – thinly sliced    1/2 lb     Mushrooms – thickly sliced    2 Tbsp.    Garlic – chopped    3/4 cup     Beef broth    1/4 cup     Brandy    1/4 tsp.     Fresh rosemary – minced    ВЅ cup    Bleu cheese – crumbled
Place steaks in shallow dish. Drizzle with oil; rub oil all over steaks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.Heat a sautГ© pan over medium-high heat. Add steaks to skillet; fry until cooked to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Using tongs, transfer steaks to plates and place in a warm oven.Add butter and onion to sautГ© pan then sautГ© until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; sautГ© until mushrooms are just tender, about 4 minutesAdd broth, brandy and rosemary and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits. Reduce until liquid by 2/3, about 5 minutes. Add cheese; stir just until cheese melts, but still has bits of bleu cheese visible, about 1 minute.  Take the steak out of the oven and transfer it to a plate. Top with mushroom sauce.

Office Lunches Sans Sandwich

(NC)’А”If carrying lunch is too reminiscent of school days, maybe it’s because you’re packing the same old sandwiches.
If your office lunchroom has a fridge with a freezer and a microwave oven, bring something different frozen, fully-cooked foods that you can heat and eat in about 3 minutes. By preparing your own hot meal, you’ll eat better, save money, and still have time for a brisk walk at lunch time.
Here are some fresh lunch ideas that are easy to make when you start with new Schneiders Quick Serve fully-cooked chicken or pork. Heat these up and you are bound to be the envy of your colleagues:
‘Ав Teriyaki Chicken Wings heated with instant rice
‘Ав Hot sliced Chicken Breast Italian over crisp salad greens
‘Ав Chicken Parmesan; easily made by topping Grilled Chicken Breast with canned tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese
‘Ав Cordon Swiss; Breaded Chicken Breast topped with a slice of ham and some Swiss Cheese, heated until the cheese is bubbly. Enjoy with a fresh crusty roll.
‘Ав Heat Pork Loin Steak in the microwave and enjoy with a single-serving package of applesauce and raw baby carrots.
Break loose from traditional sandwiches and have a Quick Serve restaurant quality lunch at the office.