{"id":5465,"date":"2012-07-03T10:05:19","date_gmt":"2012-07-03T17:05:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/archives.csusm.edu\/westcoastersd\/?p=5465"},"modified":"2018-04-17T11:38:05","modified_gmt":"2018-04-17T18:38:05","slug":"plates-pints-grilling-tips-w-donovans-steak-and-chop-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archives.csusm.edu\/westcoastersd\/2012\/07\/03\/plates-pints-grilling-tips-w-donovans-steak-and-chop-house\/","title":{"rendered":"Plates & Pints: Grilling Tips w\/ Donovan’s Steak and Chop House"},"content":{"rendered":"

This column appears on pages 8 and 9 of the July 2012 print issue, which you can download or view\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

SUMMER SCHOOL<\/strong> —\u00a0Donovan\u2019s Steak and Chop House chef Sal Reynoso shares tip for grilling success<\/p>\n

Summer\u2019s finally here, so it\u2019s time to dust off the Weber and get the gang together for some \u2019cue. There\u2019s no protein\u2014meat, fish nor fowl\u2014that can\u2019t benefit from some char off the old grill. For many, nothing appeals to our primal tastes and mammalian desires more than a thick, juicy steak. Yet, despite its backyard BBQ ubiquity, the art of outdoor steak cookery remains a bit of a mystery to most.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Summer\u2019s too short to waste time on Grade A USDA turned gray, tough and bland. Especially when grilling a perfect steak is fairly simple. It just takes a little know-how. For that, we turn to Sal Reynoso, a chef as well seasoned as the prime-graded cuts he serves up at longtime local bastion for beef connoisseurs, Donovan\u2019s Steak and Chop House in La Jolla. He is a master of this meaty medium and will impart some knowledge by walking us through the techniques he employs for grilling up a New York strip steak.<\/p>\n

Like any type of food, a steak requires the proper amount of seasoning in order to taste extraordinary. Even the most well-marbled porterhouse will fall flat without some amplification.<\/p>\n

\u201cUse a decent amount of kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to season your steaks,\u201d advises Reynoso. \u201cThe ratio on the salt and pepper should be two-to-one, and you should use two teaspoons of salt plus a teaspoon of pepper for every pound of meat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before seasoning your steaks, it\u2019s imperative that you make sure they\u2019re completely dry. Pat them down with paper towels to remove all of the exterior moisture before coating them with an even sprinkling of salt and pepper. Once you\u2019ve completed that step, it\u2019s time to get cooking.<\/p>\n

Preheat your grill on high. Once it gets to temperature, lower it to medium and coat the grill with olive oil. A good method for doing that is to pour oil onto a folded dish towel, grip it with a pair of tongs (preferable long ones) and wipe the grill down with the towel.<\/p>\n

This would seem a good time to plop that steak on the barbie, but hold up. There\u2019s one very crucial step that few people follow\u2014searing the steak.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can sear your meat in a skillet or a cast-iron pan,\u201d says Reynoso. \u201cIt\u2019s very important that the heating agent\u2014butter or oil\u2014be very hot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Heat two ounces of clarified* butter or oil on high until just before it begins to smoke, then add the steaks and cook for two minutes on each side, moving them only when you flip them. This will caramelize the outside of the steak and sear in the seasoning. Remove the steak from the pan, it\u2019s time to grill.<\/p>\n

At this point, all the hard work is over and the cooking reverts back to much more familiar territory. Place the steak on the grill and let it sit for three minutes. At that point, flip the steak over and cook it for three more minutes, then remove it from the grill and let it rest for five minutes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the single most important step that everyone should know about,\u201d says Reynoso. \u201cIt is very important as it will allow the meat to rest and retain its juices.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Once the juices have redistributed through the meat, return it to the grill and cook it based on the size of the steak and the level of doneness you\u2019re trying to attain. This is the type of recipe instruction that makes many home cooks cringe. Few non-professionals have any idea how to judge how long to keep a steak on the grill even if they know its weight and how done they want it.<\/p>\n

Knowing this, Reynoso has provided some times for a 10-ounce New York steak and the 16- to 20-ounce variety he\u2019s used to cooking at the restaurant. He also recommends Whole Foods or Siesel\u2019s Old-Fashioned Meats in La Jolla as good places to pick up steaks coming it at a pound or more.<\/p>\n

16-20 Ounce Steak<\/span>
\nRare: 3 minutes
\nMedium-Rare: 5 minutes
\nMedium: 8 minutes
\nMedium-Well: 11 minutes
\nWell Done: 14 minutes<\/p>\n

10-Ounce Steak<\/span>
\nRare: 2 minutes
\nMedium-Rare: 4 minutes
\nMedium: 7 minutes
\nMedium-Well: 10 minutes
\nWell Done: 13 minutes<\/p>\n

So, what if you\u2019re cooking a different type of steak, or a different protein altogether for that matter? A grill master like Reynoso can tell a meat\u2019s doneness simply by giving it a poke, but for those who don\u2019t have the luxury of having cooked up thousands of strips and filets, he\u2019s provided a handy guide and some advice.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are several factors that affect the doneness of a cut of meat\u2014fat content, thickness of the cut, type of protein, etc.,\u201d says Reynoso. \u201cBy using a thermometer, and inserting it into the center of the cut, you can use the table below to cook your protein to the desired temperature.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rare (cold red center; soft)<\/span> — Gourmet temp. range: 52-55C; 125-130F — USDA recommended: N\/A
\nMedium rare (warm red center; firmer)<\/span> — Gourmet temp. range: 55-60C; 130-140F — USDA recommended: 145F
\nMedium (pink and firm)<\/span> — Gourmet temp. range: 60-65C; 140-150F — USDA recommended: 160F
\nMedium well (small amount of pink in the center)<\/span> — Gourmet temp. range: 65-69C; 150-155F — USDA recommended: 160F + 1 min.
\nWell done (bien cuit<\/em> – gray-brown throughout; firm)<\/span> — Gourmet temp. range: 71-100C; 160-212F — USDA recommended: 170F
\nOvercooked (blacken throughout; crispy)<\/span> — >100C; >212F — USDA recommended: >220F<\/p>\n

NOTE: Always cook poultry until it is well done.<\/em><\/p>\n

Now that the meat is cooked perfectly, be sure to serve it within two minutes of it coming off the heat. Then sit back, pour yourself a brew and enjoy the savory fruits of your labor (which, one has to admit, was pretty minimal). When it comes to pairing beers with steak, Reynoso recommends some local ales.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe earthiness and toasty nose of Karl Strauss Red Trolley Ale complements the grilled New York steak. In addition, the bready notes work symbiotically with side dishes like a baked potato or vegetables to enhance the flavor of your meal.\u201d Reynoso also counts Ballast Point Pale Ale and Stone IPA as enjoyable alternatives.
\n<\/strong><\/strong>
\n* NOTE: To clarify butter, warm the butter in a sauce pan and leave it at low heat to simmer until the solids sink to the bottom, then strain the non-solids and reserve for future use.<\/p>\n

# # #<\/p>\n

Saut\u00e9ed Mushrooms
\n2 Tbsp butter
\n1\/2 Tbsp olive oil
\n1 clove garlic, minced
\n1\/8 tsp dried oregano
\n1 pound button mushrooms, sliced
\n<\/strong><\/strong>
\nAdd the butter and oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the mushrooms, garlic and oregano. Saut\u00e9 until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve.<\/p>\n

\u2014Recipes and photos courtesy of Sal Reynoso, Donovan’s Steak and Chop House<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This column appears on pages 8 and 9 of the July 2012 print issue, which you can download or view\u00a0here. SUMMER SCHOOL —\u00a0Donovan\u2019s Steak and Chop House chef Sal Reynoso shares tip for grilling success Summer\u2019s finally here, so it\u2019s time to dust off the Weber and get the gang together for some \u2019cue. There\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4906,1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-5465","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-plates-and-pints","7":"category-san-diego-beer-beverage-news","8":"entry","9":"has-post-thumbnail"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","wps_subtitle":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pdtr4y-1q9","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archives.csusm.edu\/westcoastersd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5465","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archives.csusm.edu\/westcoastersd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archives.csusm.edu\/westcoastersd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archives.csusm.edu\/westcoastersd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archives.csusm.edu\/westcoastersd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5465"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/archives.csusm.edu\/westcoastersd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5465\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archives.csusm.edu\/westcoastersd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archives.csusm.edu\/westcoastersd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archives.csusm.edu\/westcoastersd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}