Summer is officially here. The kids are off from school, the sun is shining, and novice grillers are prepared to claim the title of top chef at the next weekend cookout. While you may think that your grilling skills can match that of a chef from a Dallas steakhouse, there are several grilling mistakes that most self-taught chefs make. Here is our list of the 7 worst offenders and how Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse avoids these meal killers.
1. Your Grill Is Not Clean
A chef’s grill grates are one of the key instruments used in making a masterpiece of a meal. However, if you forget to clean your grates or believe that fire kills any remaining food flavors or germs, you are dead wrong. Uncleaned grates create burnt on layers of food that can ruin a perfectly great cut of beef. It doesn’t take much time to clean your grates, and all it takes is a simple grill brush mixed with a “can-do” attitude.
2. Focusing Too Much on the Temperature of Your Steak
Many home chefs believe that they have to wait for the steak to warm up from a cool temperature. Our advice is unless you have purchased a steak that is already a great temperature, don’t wait for it to get to room temperature before the grill. Room temperature gets your food cooked faster, but you have much more control of the temperature if you cook a steak from cold.
3. Using Too Much Lighter Fluid
Not only is using too much lighter fluid dangerous, but it doesn’t guarantee that your coals will stay warm. Focusing on proper coal stacking and lighting techniques is more important than having a mini-explosion when you go to light your grill.
4. Failing to Preheat Your Grill
Just because your coals are lit does not mean that your grill is hot enough to cook your steaks properly. Especially if you bought a nice piece of meat like a Filet, you want to make sure that the grill is hot enough to cook it right. Remember, your grill grates are what cooks your meat. If they are cool but the heat is on, your meat is going to most likely stick to the grill creating a shredded mess of a meal that is just a waste of money.
5. Losing Your Patience
Growing impatient while grilling is typical. However, you want to avoid messing with the lid to check on your steak. Repeat lid removals result in less heat being focused on your steak and you end up waiting longer for your meal than you should have.
6. Cutting into the Meat Too Soon
As a restaurant in the West End with a top tier dinner menu, we know how excited people get when their meat is ready. However, when grilling on your own, wait for the meat to cool. cutting into you steak too soon makes the juices of your meat spill out, which can easily dry out and ruin your meal.
7. No Seasoning
This may seem like an obvious tip, but some people just don’t season their steak. We think that is plain wrong. Even if you just use salt and pepper, you need to understand that there are several ways to season a steak that can spice up any barbecue.
Save Quality Time and Visit Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse with Your Family this Summer
We know that your ultimate reason for grilling is to spend some quality time with your family. Earn some more of that time and ensure that you are getting the best meal by reserving a table at Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse. Contact us today to get yourself a seat and taste a Dallas classic.
