the art of marinating a steak

If you're a true meathead, then you probably eat a lot of meat, steak in particular. If you're not culinary inclined, then I'd be willing to bet that when you cook a steak, you probably just throw the cheapest cut of meat you find onto a grill and then suffer through eating it. (that's what I used to do anyway) I'm going to give you a couple of pointers on how to make that steak good enough to slap yo momma. First of all, lets talk about cuts of meat. Not all cuts of meat were meant to be marinated. You're best bet is to marinate the cheaper cuts of meat, because they're usually tough and "undesirable". If you have yourself some filet mignon, t-bone, strip or sirloin, just brush them with some olive oil, throw on some salt and pepper, and cook both sides on direct heat for about 3-5 minutes (depending on thickness of the cut and your preference on doneness). Now, if you're poor like me, you're not splurging on these steaks every day, but don't worry, there are plenty of other steaks that you can make taste better and be more tender than filet mignon, very easily.

The first steak that I love to marinate and cook with is a skirt steak (also known as a hanger steak, pictured above) They cook up very quickly and take on marinades quite well. The next cut, which is from the same family of steaks, or brisket, is called a flank steak (pictured right). Both of these steaks are easy to find and pretty cheap. Just make sure you ask the butcher to clean off the "silver skin". This is a tough membrane that runs across the steak. Its edible, but it will make the steak curl, and thats not good.

Ok, now on to marinading, grilling and/or broiling.

Spicy Balsamic skirt steak

1 skirt steak (about 12-16oz)

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

salt

1 chopped clove garlic

2 tbsp chopped onion

1 tbsp Sriracha

1 tbsp honey

Start this about an hour before you're going to cook, if you have the time. If not, throw it in the fridge early in the day and then take it out at least a half hour before you cook it. You want to give the steak some time to come to room temperature so it cooks more evenly. Now, take the steak, and place it in a plastic bag. Set aside. In a bowl, mix all the other ingredients until emulsified (a fancy word for when the oil and vinegar mix together). I do my marinade 1 part vinegar, 2 parts oil because I like mine to be pretty acidic, but if you're not a huge vinegar fan, just put in a 1/4-1/3 of a cup, depending on taste. Now, pour the marinade into the bag and let it either sit in the fridge for a few hours, or on the counter for at least 45 minutes. 10 minutes before you're about to cook, turn on either you're grill or broiler (grill on high!). If you're broiling under a flame, the distance should already be set, but if you're broiling in an electric oven, I've found that placing the rack two rungs down works well. Now, if you're using a broiler, put the steak on a cookie sheet or baking tray (preferably with sides to catch the juices) and put under the broiler for about 2-3 minutes, then pull it out, flip it and put it in for about another 2 minutes. It cooks very quickly, if you over do it, it'll get tough, but if you cook it just right, it'll be tender. It'll be about the same cooking time on a grill, maybe a little longer, depending on the grill. After you take it out, let it sit for about 5-10 minutes! this lets the juices redisburse in the steak and keeps it moist. Now, sit down and enjoy. Its probably going to be a little big for your plate, so if you do cut it in half, cut against the grain.

a few more tips

-it isn't necessary for a skirt steak, but on a flank steak, you're going to want to poke some holes in it with a fork or "corse" it with a knife, or just make little slits on the top of the steak

-using pot holders when toucing hot things, meathead

-when in doubt, remember the words of Bobby Flay, "Season more and cook for less time"... I personally believe that the more raw a steak is, the better it tastes.