Steak again

Just finished reading Glorious Beef: The LaFrieda Family and the Evolution of the American Meat Industry (see my previous post). It is a combination history of the LaFrieda firm and the family that created it. The author is its owner. The book also has a lot of information about beef, especially steak, from the animal to the plate. It was a fast, informative, and enjoyable read, in those ways very like the on spice book I so much enjoyed.

I usually charcoal grill a steak and the steak is usually a rib-eye. But based on what I've read here I may more often try different cuts. In the penultimate chapter, which includes several recipes, Pat LaFrieda offers advice to those of us who grill:

1. Never pepper your steak before searing or grilling. If cooked at high heat, pepper will cast a slightly bitter flavor to your beef, so add it freshly ground after you've served your meat, like the waiters do at fine-dining establishments.
2. Always make sure your grill or pan is smoking hot before cooking for the perfect sear. The biggest mistake when cooking meat is putting it on a surface that's not hot enough. This will steam your beef and make it lose all the flavor it should have.

From his instructions for a grilled T-bone:

1. Pat the steak dry with paper towels.
2. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat, 375 to 400°F.
3. Drizzle both sides of the steak with the blended oil and season with the salt.
4. Place the steak on the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare. If medium is preferred, add 1 minute of cooking time on each side.
5. Remove from the grill and allow the steak to rest for at least 7 minutes, then season with pepper and serve.

Applicable to any grilled steak, I think. I knew much of that but suspect I haven't been getting the grill temperature high enough. And I will begin to consistently oil and salt the meat beforehand. Looks like it will be warm enough here to grill outside soon.

The book can be ordered from Amazon here.