Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House’s chef Steve Haug cooks seven days a week for work.
So when he’s at home, he lets the kids do most of the work.
“My kids are 10, 12 and 14,” he says. “And their favorite things to eat are grilled steaks with corn on the cob and mashed potatoes.”
Backyard grillin’ is a family affair, a right of passage, a tradition and way of connecting food with family and friends.
Haug fires up the grill (he has two, a gas grill for quick meals and an old school charcoal grill that he adds a little hickory to for a nice smoky flavor) and then supervises the kids as the food cooks.
Backyard grillin’ is a family affair, a right of passage, a tradition and way of connecting food with family and friends.
Who doesn’t have childhood memories of watching their dad fire up the grill and slap on big, thick steaks and maybe shove some foil wrapped potatoes and corn on the cob into the coals? Mom is pouring sweet ice tea from a pitcher and the kids are sitting around in shorts and sneakers, drooling as they watch dad, in some silly apron, being the man, with fire and big knives and tongs.
These are the childhood summer memories of the South.
And now is the perfect time of year to recreate those memories with your own family.
Haug has a few tips to make the experience a delicious memory.
First, select a good cut of meat. Haug likes a big rib-eye, but, “you have to be really, really careful because of the fat content, it can really flare up, I keep a squirt bottle handy to keep the flames down.”
“Don’t be flip happy. You want to get the grill really hot before you put them on. Then wait about four to five minutes to get a good blister on the presentation side before you flip.”
Personally, I always like a filet mignon, maybe wrapped in bacon for extra flavor.
Oh, and do take your steaks out of the fridge 30 minutes before you put them on the grill. Season them well, as they will lose some of the seasoning when you flip them.
And now a word about flipping.
“Don’t be flip happy,” Haung says. “You want to get the grill really hot before you put them on. Then wait about four to five minutes to get a good blister on the presentation side before you flip. Then about another two to three minutes on the other side. That’s it.”
And don’t forget to let the meat rest for five to seven minutes so the juices don’t run out when you cut into it.
I know, I know, it’s hard to wait when those gorgeous steaks are calling your name, fresh off the flame, but pour a drink and get your sides ready and you’ll be fine.
So what plates well with a backyard steak? Crispy Brussels sprouts with onions and bacon, garlic mashed potatoes or baked taters with all the fixings and, of course, corn on the cob.
“We love to throw corn on the cob on the grill,” Haug says of his family feasts. “It just takes 15 to 20 minutes.”
No muss, no fuss and you’ve got a grilled dinner. Here is Haug’s recipe for some delicious corn. Enjoy.
Grilled Corn on the Cob with Chipotle Lime Butter
Serves four
For the Butter:
½ pound salted butter, room temperature
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped fine
¼ cup sriracha sauce
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped fine
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, chopped fine
1 tablespoon fresh limejuice
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
Peel off the first layer of the corn’s husk, leaving a few for protection. Soak the corn cobs in cold water for 20 minutes. While corn is soaking, mix everything in a small mixer for the butter until well blended. Fire up your grill to achieve a temperature around 375 degrees. After the corn has soaked, remove it and gently pull the husk away keeping it attached at the bottom. Pull off as much silk as possible. Brush the cobs with the chipotle lime butter, recover with husk and set aside.
Place the corn on the grill, rotating the corn to keep it from getting too charred on one side. After two to three minutes put the corn off to the side of the grill, away from the direct heat. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. When the husk becomes slightly charred and pulls away from the tip the corn is done. Remove the corn from the grill. Let cool slightly, pull back the husk and serve.
Backyard grillin’ is a family affair, a right of passage, a tradition and way of connecting food with family and friends.
