A Thick, Juicy Steak!

During the Colder, Winter Months Louie could many a night be seen brushing snow off the top of his trusty old barbecue grill and starting the fire. Louie was the consummate barbecue chef! He taught me everything - well, as much as my simple brain was capable of absorbing!

I don't think Louie ever over-cooked a piece of beef. It was almost as though he had a sixth sense telling him just the right moment to remove a cut of beef from the grill. Or any other meat for that matter.

During those early years - fresh out of college - we ate good. Fresh veggies steamed. Tossed salads. And barbecued meats.

Steak was plentiful and cheap in those days. We had a great little butcher shop just five minutes away where we'd pick up bacon wrapped filets on sale for just a couple bucks!

Now that Spring is officially here, it's a great time to dust off the barbecue - or brush off any snow and fire up your grill. Toss a thick, juicy steak on for your favorite guests and loved ones!

Here is an excerpt from an old, early 20th century book on cooking -

"The chief secret in preparing the family steak lies in selection. Choose a thick cut from the sirloin of a mature, well fatted, grass fed angus, avoiding any having dark yellow fat. Detach a portion of the narrow end and trim off any adhering inner skin. Place the steak upon a hot grill, and quickly turn it. Do this frequently and rapidly until it is thoroughly seared, without burning. It may now be cooked to any degree without releasing the juices. Serve upon a hot platter. Pour over a scant dressing of melted butter. Season. Whosoever partakes will never become a vegetarian."

"In broiling all meats, you must remember that the surface should not be cut or broken any more than is absolutely necessary; that the meat should be exposed to a clear, quick fire, close enough to sear the surface without burning, in order to confine all its juices; if it is approached slowly to a poor fire, or seasoned before it is cooked, it will be comparatively dry and tasteless, as both of these processes are useful only to extract and waste those precious juices which contain nearly all the nourishing properties of the meat."