Teriyaki grilled steaks a Memorial Day tradition
It’s that time again. Break out the barbecue to celebrate warm weather, good friends and, of course, great food and drink. This updated version of my mother’s teriyaki-marinated steaks is a summer staple at our house and also a Memorial Day tradition.
A simple blending of garlic, soy sauce, olive oil and balsamic vinegar is my savory version of teriyaki sauce. It adds flavor and color without too much sweetness as the steaks grill. This Seriously Simple recipe can be made with chicken, turkey or lamb as well.
It’s important to choose your meat from a known purveyor. If your budget can handle it, go for U.S. Department of Agriculture Prime beef. Otherwise, choose best-quality USDA Choice steak. Remember that the higher the ratio of marbling and the younger the beef, the higher the grade of meat. If you want aged beef, know the difference between wet and dry aging. Wet-aged beef is lighter, very tender and has a grassy flavor, while dry-aged beef is richer and has almost an earthy, mushroom flavor.
Portion size is a personal choice. Four steaks may feed four hungry eaters or eight, depending upon what else is being served. Selecting your cut of steak is a personal choice. My preference is a rib-eye because it usually has good marbling, which creates a juicy steak. I find that a bone-in rib-eye adds extra flavor to the meat. Certainly sirloin, porterhouse or New York strip steaks are delicious as well.
Grill the steaks on mediumhigh heat until medium rare, 130 degrees (the meat will continue to cook as it rests); further cooking will toughen the meat. Use a meat thermometer if you are unsure. Let the steaks rest for at least 10 minutes to redistribute the juices inside the steaks.
Begin the meal with a mixed green salad or a platter of sliced tomatoes drizzled with your favorite vinaigrette. Serve the steak with grilled vegetables and roasted potatoes for a simple and delicious dinner. A fitting finale would be a hot-fudge sundae or your favorite ice cream. To drink? Try an aged cabernet sauvignon, malbec or merlot.
And P.S. If have any leftovers, make sandwiches. Spread French-roll halves with Sriracha mayonnaise, then layer the rolls with slices of steak, very ripe sliced tomatoes and arugula leaves. A little bit of heaven.
TERIYAKI GRILLED STEAKS
Serves 4 to 8
4 steaks, rib-eye, sirloin, New York strip or porterhouse (1 to 1 1/2 pounds each; if bone-in, add 1/2 pound)
For the marinade:
2 medium garlic cloves, finely
chopped 2 medium shallots, finely chopped 2 tablespoons soy sauce 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons olive oil Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. To make the marinade, thoroughly whisk the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl.
2. Arrange the steaks in a medium, nonaluminum, shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the meat, and cover and marinate for 2 to 8 hours in the refrigerator, turning once.
3. Prepare the barbecue for medium-high-heat grilling, or heat the broiler, if necessary. Grill or broil the steaks about 3 inches from the heat until grill marks appear and the meat is cooked to medium rare, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. When a thermometer reaches 130 degrees, remove the steaks from the heat, and cover loosely with foil. Let rest 10 minutes. Serve whole steaks or slice on the diagonal and arrange overlapping on a serving platter. Serve immediately. Advance preparation: This may be prepared 8 hours in advance through Step 2 and refrigerated.