How to choose and cook your steak properly

As you probably know, my "diet" revolves around animals quite a bit, and yes, a "brisket" is good, but my main choice will be a good steak when I have to choose a cut of beef. And just the name "steak", as such, is broad. Depending on where you live in the world, the name of your cut or the way it is cut may be different.

In short, steak is pretty much my passion. I can eat it every day without any problem. And I'm really happy because in Quebec, our love of beef is there in spades. Our quality of production and even our way of aging it (whether with or without Himalayan salt) is "hot" and we have several good breeders (Éco-boeuf, Boeuf Québec, Les élevages Westmount, La Ferme Kobec, etc.). You know me, I think it's very important to buy local, so I encourage everyone to buy Canadian or Quebec beef.

So I wanted to share with you some tips for choosing a good steak and cooking it well. I say that, but also know that all the options I'm going to tell you about are available in butcher shops, but also in grocery stores, so you won't have to "rack your brain" to eat something absolutely delicious.

Choosing your steak

When you arrive at the steak counter, you will notice some differences between the pieces in terms of their color, marbling, quality and quantity of fat.

In fact, the redder cuts of beef often come from grass-fed beef. These cuts are fairly lean (they have little fat) and have little marbling. I would say they taste "beefy" and they taste good, but you won't get the same results with these cuts as you would with grain-fed beef. However, be aware that a cut of meat with more marbling than bright red is easier to achieve.

Prime beef is beef that is aged and has more marble. I would even say it is better than AAA beef. Generally, prime steaks are white, have lots of marbling and a nice cap of fat. It is good quality meat.

Otherwise, you probably know about wagyu beef. This beef has a little something special… When you buy cuts of it, they are fattier and very rich. To treat yourself from time to time, it is ideal.

In Quebec, we raise a lot of Angus cattle. They grow very quickly, so they are very strong, but their meat is also tender and tasty.

You can take what seems best to you from everything you see, but personally, when I go to the grocery store to choose a good steak, I choose it based on its marbling, its marbling. A piece of meat that has a nice marbling along its entire length is a piece that will be really tasty, flavorful and fatty. The fat is important, because it is what will give all the flavor in the mouth by caramelizing and melting.

When I buy steak for my wife or kids for example, I will usually get nice cuts that don't have as much fat and finish their meal as needed. 😜 It's all up to you.

The different types of steak

The "rib steak"

If there was only one steak I could eat for the rest of my life, I wouldn't even have to ask myself the question, I know for a fact that I would choose the "rib steak". It's the most flavorful cut of all, it's tender, and it's easy to cook. Seriously. Even if I "bust" the temperature and heat my cut to an internal temperature of, say, 155°F, it's going to be great if it has a lot of fat. After that, I'll just have to let the meat rest a little longer and "that's it".

A "rib steak" is also eaten rare, at an internal temperature of 110 °F or medium rare at 125 °F, which, for me, is the perfect doneness. At this temperature, the fat begins to melt and all the flavor is there. It melts in your mouth directly. Mmmm . 🥰 By the way, if, in addition, your piece of meat has like an "eye" that is surrounded by fat, it is this part that will be the best bite of all, that of the spinalis dorsi, so do not hesitate to take one that has a nice one when you make your selection. 😉

In fact, technically speaking, the best way to cook a rib steak is to cook it on the BBQ in an indirect cooking zone at a temperature between 225 and 275 °F, then let its internal temperature slowly rise and grill it. This way, you will have a very juicy result and a meat that will retain a lot of juices inside. But I find that this method does not do justice to the steak, I hate it. My technique for obtaining a perfect result is this:

1. Let the meat sit for 1 to 2 hours at room temperature.
2. Preheat the BBQ to get it as hot as possible. (If using charcoal, it should be hot.)
3. About 1 minute before sending the steak to the BBQ, sprinkle 1 of its sides with Texas BBQ Québec dry marinade *.
4. Place the steak on the grill (or directly in the fire) and sear for about 1 minute 30 seconds/2 minutes, seasoned side down. When there is blood/moisture starting to come out of the meat during the sear, season the top of the steak the same way as before and then flip it.
5. Transfer the steak to an indirect cooking area where the temperature is 225°F or lower and allow the steak to slowly reach an internal temperature of 130-135°F.
6. Meanwhile, add blue cheese or 1 egg to the steak and let it cook (optional).
7. Let the meat rest off the BBQ for 3 to 5 minutes at room temperature (inside, not outside) or in an oven at the lowest possible temperature or turned off.
8. Place the meat vertically on the work surface, then slice it horizontally lengthwise with a knife to make thin slices.
9. Serve and enjoy!

* Personally, I'm a salt and pepper guy with my rib steak; I like it "original". So I like to work with the Texas dry rub, but also with the Yukon , the California , the Tex-Max (when I want to give my meat a little "kick"), theMontreal and the Appalaches . In fact, using the Texas or the Montreal, or even both together, is really crazy. It's perfection! 👌

The sirloin steak

The sirloin is actually the same cut of meat as the rib steak, but without the bone. The marbling is there too, although, yes, it is not the most marbled steak in the world. The way to sear a sirloin is the same as for a rib steak.

A sirloin steak, I would even say that it is the most "standard" steak there is and that it is a good option to get started in cooking steaks.

Here's a great technique for you to practice:

1. Bring the sirloin steak to room temperature.
2. Preheat the BBQ so that it is very very hot. (If you are using a charcoal BBQ, let it preheat even with the lid open so that the charcoal can activate "en masse".)
3. Season the meat to perfection by sprinkling it withMontreal BBQ Quebec dry rub , then covering the cavities with Appalaches BBQ Quebec X La ferme Monette dry rub . Don't put it 1 inch thick, just enough to give it a nice thin crust. (Do not remove the fat from the meat before seasoning it, this will make it so tender that it could even be shredded.)
4. Place the steak on the BBQ grill in the direct cooking zone**, over the hot fuel (blow on the charcoal beforehand to activate it even more if necessary), seasoned side down. Let it sear for about 1 minute 30 seconds/2 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, season the other side of the steak the same way as before.
6. As soon as the meat comes away easily from the grill, turn it over and let it brown on the other side.
7. When the meat is well seared on both sides, remove it from the BBQ and wrap it in BBQ Québec butcher paper so that it does not lose its juices.
8. Let the meat rest, then add Booster BBQ Québec flavor enhancer .
9. Slice, serve and enjoy!

** This type of steak is not ideal for putting directly on the fire. To do this, I recommend using a bone-in steak instead to protect the meat from the heat.

In fact, placing a steak directly on charcoal smothers the charcoal, which makes it heat less. If, on the contrary, you place it on the grill, it absorbs all the energy all the time and this is what makes the heat radiant and you can place your piece of meat anywhere (in the direct zone) without any problem.

The bib

Flank steak is also another really trippy cut that can be cooked easily. The flavor you want it to have is different from that of rib steak, however, you want it to be more herbaceous. So I recommend going with a little Explorer dry rub and a lot of Argentina .

There are people who eat their flank steak blue, but I like it cooked. So here's how to prepare it like me:

1. Preheat BBQ to 275°F with indirect heat.
2. Sprinkle the Argentina BBQ Québec dry marinade on both sides of the meat, then cover it all with a little Explorateur BBQ Québec dry marinade. (Just Argentina will also give an excellent result. 😉)
3. Slowly cook both sides of the meat so that the fat is absorbed by the spices as it melts. Let the meat caramelize.
4. Grill the meat on both sides and let it rest.
5. Using a knife, slice the meat lengthwise or at a slight angle to make it even more tender.
6. Serve and enjoy!

The sirloin

The sirloin is a part of the famous "T-Bone". It is a piece of meat that is especially known for its flavor, but which is also tender.

When you look at a sirloin steak, you will see that it is a more "stable" piece than others, in the sense that it looks very similar overall. Consequently, you will also notice that its taste is quite similar from one end to the other. There is marbling yes, but it is spread throughout the piece. It is a piece that is considered more "noble", but personally, I find it less tasty than the "rib steak".

Cooking a sirloin steak is not complicated, you just have to sear the piece of meat on both sides, then let it reach the right temperature by indirect cooking. You slice it, let it rest for 1 or 2 minutes (since there is not really any fat), serve it and TADA! You are ready to enjoy this!

The filet mignon

If you're looking for a cut of meat that's guaranteed to be tender, filet mignon is what you need! There's not really any marbling on this cut and it doesn't taste like much. To add flavor, I recommend injecting it. You'll see, it'll be delicious!

Here is one of my favorite recipes:

1. In a bowl, melt butter with bourbon or cognac. (Just butter works too. 😉)
2. Inject the filet mignon with the mixture, then coat the meat with 49th Parallel BBQ Québec X La ferme Monette dry marinade .
3. Let the meat cool in the refrigerator so that the injection sets.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the BBQ to high temperature.
5. Sear both sides and the edge of the filet mignon. (The "cooking" should be about ⅛ inch all over the meat to "seal" it.)
6. On a plate, slice the filet mignon in 2, then stuff the inside with blue cheese, onions and/or maple butter***.
7. Pour/brush hot Expresso BBQ Québec sauce on each piece of meat****.
8. Serve and enjoy every bite!

*** Don't worry, in the case of a filet mignon it is not sacrilege to cut it right away, because there is no fat in this meat. So we do not lose any juice.

As for the "stuffing", you can put whatever you want inside your piece of meat instead of what I suggest. But be careful, my option gives a phenomenal result! 😜

**** Bourbon Maple BBQ Quebec or Dragon BBQ Quebec sauce would also give excellent results. (I also recommend heating them or brushing them on the meat 2 or 3 minutes in advance for better results.)

Top sirloin

This piece of beef has virtually no marbling. I even find it really “fun” for making tartare.

To do this, I like to take one that is quite thick, then sear it on both sides at a really high temperature to "burn" its entire exterior. Well, after that you will tell me that it is not a tartare because it is cooked, but hey, it is really better like that because it is cooked and it gives a grilled taste to the meat at the same time! 😜

The “T-Bone”

A "T-Bone" is the best piece to buy if you want to buy just one steak and share it with your wife. You give her the filet mignon, you eat the sirloin and everyone is happy! 😁

Otherwise, this is also a good cut to buy if you are new to cooking and want to practice. "Yes", it is, because you have two cookings to do at the same time. The sirloin is usually eaten medium/medium rare, then the filet mignon rare, so by the time you cook the sirloin, the filet mignon will be ready.

To cook this piece successfully, I recommend that you sear it by putting more heat on one side (that of the sirloin), then let it cook in an indirect cooking zone.

Finally, before you ask me the question, here are some essential tools to have at home to successfully cook all your steaks:

• a thermometer (I recommend the Thermomax because it displays the temperature instantly) so that your cooking is always the same from one time to the next and you can't make a mistake;
• a good knife for easily slicing meat without leaving marks (the Kai Pro Flexible Fillet Knife and the Kai Pro Fillet and Boning Knife are excellent);
• a pair of tongs to easily handle the steak.

If you equip yourself with at least these three things, you will be "armored" to make fiery steaks. 🔥

Happy BBQ!