Techniques for the fire depend on the thickness of the steak. Less than 1 inch thick calls for a direct fire, flipping as needed. From 1 inch up to 1 3/4, I like to use a basic half grill fire, sometimes putting the sear on first and sometimes putting it on last, depending on how I am feeling. If I am cooking a great big bone-in ribeye, I put a couple of skewers through between the bone and the meat, to balance it on edge with the bone edge down over a center drip pan with coals on both sides. Then for the last few minutes, pull the skewers and put it directly over the coals to sear.
Regardless, always let it rest under loosely tented foil for 5-10 minutes, again depending on thickness. Since it will continue to cook as it is resting, the instant read meat thermometer is your best friend. My medium rare for a 1 1/2 inch NY strip is 122 degrees with a 10 minute rest, which brings the temp up to about 128. For the thicker cuts of meat, as well as whole turkey, whole chicken, and roasts, I use a remote probe digital thermometer which transmits real time to a receiver in the house. I use a ThermoPro TP20, but there are a lot of other brands.
As a newby to grillling, you may want to consider the Cooks Illustrated line of cookbooks. Their main one, Cooks Illustrated Cookbook, has grilling recipes for meats, fish, poultry and veggies. The real advantage to their cookbooks is that all the recipes were developed using a Weber kettle grill and contain instructions on the amounts of charcoal, fire setup technique, air vent settings and timing.
I've been cooking three or four times a week on a Weber for over 30 years. You are getting into something that will not only provide you and the family with wonderful meals, but will additionally provide you with a lot of satisfaction and enjoyment from seeing the meals come together. Good luck.
Topic: Advice for first cook please! (Read 830 times)
