You can enjoy the thrill of the grill even when it’s raining if you use a pan with raised grooves that create grill marks.
Demonstrating on a kitchen cooktop at Le Creuset L’Atelier in Charleston, chef Michael Ollier made sure the cookware company’s cast iron grill pan was good and hot before placing a pretty filet mignon on the grooves. As the steak sizzled and beefy aromas filled the air, we waited.
“Always bring patience to the grill,” said Ollier, who is the corporate chef for the Certified Angus Beef brand. Picking up the steak with tongs, he showed a group of food writers the perfectly charred grill lines and then placed the cooked side down again at the opposite angle to create a crisscross design.
“Diamonds are a grill’s best friend,” Ollier joked.
Beef must meet strict standards to be called Certified Angus Beef, including specifications for tenderness and marbling, the tiny white threads of fat that run through the meat, which add flavor and juiciness.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture grades beef based on marbling. USDA prime has the most marbling, choice is in the middle, and select has the least marbling (so it’s the leanest, but can be tough when cooked on the high heat of a grill).
Certified Angus Beef is classified as USDA choice, but chefs prize it for its consistent tenderness, whether cooked medium-rare or well done.
“Everyone should have the same experience, no matter how they order their steak,” said chef Craig Deihl of Cypress restaurant in Charleston.
Deihl pairs the filet of beef with a red pepper puree, or you can ask for some house-made salsa verde to add a bracing counterpoint to the richness of the beef.
Ollier suggested chimichurri, a South American fresh herb, garlic and vinegar-based sauce. “It’s 50-50 vinegar to oil, so the acid works well to cut the fatty mouthfeel of beef.”
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend we limit saturated fat (found in meats and dairy) to less than 10 percent of total calories. That means we get to enjoy a little. If the suggested healthy portion size for beef is 3 ounces, it seems to me that choosing a tender, juicy cut would add more satisfaction to a modest serving.
All cuts of beef, regardless of grade, are a good source of zinc, iron and protein.
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