Congratulations to George Jackson, who has been named CultureMap's ultimate grilling master.
We asked readers to send us their best grilling technique and our judges picked Jackson as the winner for his seriously passionate guide to cooking a steak to perfection. Here are his tips:
- Don't pick out a piece of meat less than one-inch thick,
- If you're short on funds, select a nice cut of sirloin. It is surprisingly tasty and cheaper than other cuts. No matter what cut you crave, always buy local,
- Prep the meat with fresh cracked coarse black pepper, kosher salt, and some vegetable oil (olive or canola). For a change of pace, try a mixture of lemon zest, dried thyme, grated garlic, olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper,
- Not sure how to tell if your grill is at the optimum temperature for grilling to perfection? If you can hold your hand five inches above a charcoal grill and keep it there for four to five seconds, you've got it right,
- Do not — we repeat, do not — stick a fork in the steak while it is grilling. Jackson says it prematurely releases the juices, making for a major grilling faux pas,
- Also, only flip the steak once, and time your flip carefully. Jackson suggests four to five minutes per side to reach a juicy medium rare. If you want to be fancy and impress your guests, try rotating the steak 90 degrees to achieve nice square grill marks.
Jackson's flavor tips are specific: Never cook a steak to more than a juicy pink medium. If desired, stick a slice of butter on top (á la Paula Deen) during the last minute of grilling for added flavor.
And, finally, never disrespect a good steak with steak sauce.
Congratulations to Jackson who has been handsomely rewarded for his grilling prowess with a dinner for four at Morton's.
Maybe he'll head into the kitchen for a Bobby Flay style steak throwdown.
Do not get any meat that is less than 1-inch thick, only use fresh pepper and do not use steak sauce.
