Summer is here…and it’s time to fire up the barbie!
While ‘Great Australian Sausage Sizzles’ will no doubt be taking off at your local mega-hardware store at this time of year, when it comes to throwing something on the barbeque, you really can’t go past a good steak.
My recipe for BBQ Beef Steaks with Garlic Oregano Mushrooms, will actually do double duty for you, as the meat lovers will be more than satisfied with the gutsy flavours and you can also whip up an extra batch of mushrooms for a a tasty dish for the non-meat eaters.
Here are my top tips to keep in mind when cooking a great steak:
- First choose your cut – rump, porterhouse, scotch fillet or even a good old fashioned t-bone steak. Look for meat with a bit of fat marbled through it, or ask your butcher for a well-aged cut.
- Bring steak to room temperature prior to cooking.
- Heat a chargrill pan or bbq until smoking hot, no need to oil it as extra oil just creates smoke.
- Season the steak well with salt and pepper just before you are about to cook it, again oiling is not really necessary but optional.
- Cook steak for at least 2 minutes, without moving it, to form a good crust. At this point, it may appear to have ‘stuck’ but in a matter of minutes once the crust has formed, it will be easy to release by holding the sides with tongs and gently rocking the steak from side to side.
- Cooking time will vary according to the thickness of the steak – but in general, 2-3 minutes each side for rare, 4 minutes each side for medium and 5-6 minutes each side for well done (but PLEASE don’t cook it until well done, I beg you!)
- I favour learning to test doneness by touch. Rare meat feels soft like the fleshy mound on the palm of your hand, medium a bit springy, well done is firm…(…and leathery, and tough as an old boot…don’t do it!)
- Allow meat to rest covered for at least 5 minutes before serving so the meat fibres relax and retain the juices when cut.
Happy BBQing!
Photography by Louis Petruccelli
Recipe and Styling by Naomi Crisante
BBQ Beef Steaks with Garlic Oregano Mushrooms
