The Las Vegas food scene sure can be gaudy: the Denny’s wedding chapel, the countless Hooters knock-offs, the endless buffets. But if you look harder, the city sizzles up some amazing meals. One category: high-end steak. Lucky for you, these top chefs at great Vegas steak houses are willing to divulge a few of their trade secrets to help you sear better steak at home. Jackpot.
Roll With The Bones
Buy bone-in steaks whenever possible. The bones in cuts like the Porterhouse keep the muscle fibres stretched. When heat hits the meat, these fibres want to shrink. If these fibres can’t shrink, due to the bone, the meat stays tender.
Related: 6 Must-Try Steak Cuts!
Bet On Better Beef
You won’t find your best steaks in your mega-chain grocery stores. Great steak has been aged at least 30 days and has exceptional marbling. Find your local butcher who ages his or her own meat.
Bring The Heat
Most grillers don’t get their grills hot enough for the sear needed for a great steak crust. If you’re using gas, preheat your grill for at least 20 minutes before slapping any meat on the grates. For charcoal, use a chimney starter. That way you won’t have to use chemical-laden briquettes or lighter fluid, which can give your steak an off flavour. Go with real hardwood lump charcoal.
Related: Use This Super-Easy Trick To Make Your Steak More Tender
Fatten Things Up
Some Vegas steak houses poach their steaks in clarified butter. That’s a lot of work to replicate at home, but the technique spotlights a key element of incredible steak: Fat is flavour. When grilling, much of the fat is lost to the flames. Replace the fat when you are ready to eat by brushing the steak with butter, melted beef fat, bacon fat, or quality olive oil.
Take Your Steak Out For Drinks
Branching off the benefits of fat, the chefs at Stripsteak use a red wine butter to deepen the robust flavours of seared steak. To make some, pour 1 glass of any red wine you desire into a small sauce pot. Add ½ of an onion, diced small, and bring everything to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the mixture becomes syrupy, 30 to 45 minutes. Allow this mixture to reduce to room temperature and then whip it into about 1 stick of softened butter. Refrigerate the goodness or start cooking. The Stripsteak team brushes the butter onto the steaks while cooking and before serving.
Related: How To Marinade Any Meat And Fish Like A Flavour God
Play The Angles
Cook steak over consistently high heat and you risk tearing into a tough steak. Try a gentler approach: Create a hot side and a low-temperature side on your grill. (If you’re using charcoal, bank the coals to one side of the grill. If you’re using gas, just turn one side to low.) Then sear the meat on the hot side of the grill and let it finish on the low side.
Sit On Your Hands
After you grill a steak, always let the meat rest for about four to six minutes in order to ensure the juices inside the steak are evenly distributed.
