bones Steakhouse BBQ Tips!

BBQ Tips!

Approximately 30 minutes prior to grilling, prepare the charcoal fire so coals have time to reach medium temperature. At medium, the coals will be ash-covered. To check the temperature of the coals, spread the coals in a single layer. CAREFULLY hold the palm of your hand above the coals at cooking height. Count the number of seconds you can hold your hand in that position before the heat forces you to pull it away: approximately 4 seconds for medium heat. Position the cooking grid and follow recipe directions.

Never place meat directly over an open flame. An open flame is an indication of incomplete combustion, the fire will discolor the meat by leaving a black carbon residue on the meat. Actually an  open flame has a lower temperature than coals that are glowing red.

Whenever barbecuing, use tongs to turn the meat. A fork should never be used. For it will punch holes in the flesh and allow the natural juices to escape and loose flavor and become chewy.

Tomato and/or sugar based BBQ sauces should be added only at the end of the grilling process. These products will burn easily and are seldom considered an internal meat flavoring. Once added, the meat should be turned often to minimize the possibility of burning.

Joanne Vanderhoef
Media and Marketing Specialist

Bones Steakhouse
Battle Ground, WA  in the Battle Ground Village
http://www.bonessteak.com

Steak - Rare, Medium or Well Done?

Steak Doneness: How Do You Like It?

Steak: Rare, Medium, or Well Done?
Some people want their steaks well done: Charred on the outside, thoroughly brown and chewy on the inside.

Others want their steaks done medium or medium rare, with a warm, succulent, juicy pink center. Some people want their steaks so rare that it practically moos when they stick a fork in it. I like my steaks done to a tender and flavorful medium rare. However, I've been strongly tempted to try rare...

So what kind of a steak eater are you? Do you prefer a crispy critter, or do you like your steaks pink and juicy?

Degrees of Cooking

Well done: Grayish-brown with no sign of pink, usually slightly charred on the outside. Cooking a good steak to this level of doneness is a challenge. It has to be done slowly on low heat, or else you end up with shoe leather.

Medium well: Mostly gray-brown throughout, but with a hint of pale pink inside. Good for someone who wants an ever-so-slightly juicy steak, but detests any sign of "blood" in their meat.

Medium: A more pronounced band of pink in the middle of the steak. However, there should still be slightly more gray-brown than pink coloration.

Medium rare: Warm and mostly pink to red center. Firm on the outside, soft and juicy on the inside.

Rare: Cool or warm red center. It's nearly like raw meat, but obviously cooked on the outside.

Very rare or blue: Red, cool, and practically raw. It's barely cooked for the true carnivores amongst us.

Raw: I think this one is self-explanatory. Die-hard carnivores can go for this.