What better than getting together with your friends and enjoying some delicious cuts of charcoal-grilled meat in a grilled meal to inaugurate 2019?
We leave 2018 behind and this new year arrives with all the attitude to become one of the best. And, although we know that any pretext is good to get together with friends, we propose you start the year with a barbecue and let that feeling of warmth that brings the fire, the aroma of charcoal and embers when the grill is filling up fill you with energy.
The art of grilling lies in the pleasure of sharing, sharing a pleasant moment, and sharing a good meal. At La Vicenta, experts in grilling, we know this better than anyone.
But, how do the experts make grilled food have that special touch that only the best restaurants achieve? Or, what factors are taken into account to maximize the flavor of those delicious charcoal-grilled cuts of meat?
Here are 4 secrets from our grill experts:
- Quality
First of all, you have to take quality into account, and always use the best ingredients available, that’s what makes the difference.
When it comes to grilled food, the most important thing is to properly select the meat to be grilled. It is necessary to look for tender cuts of meat with good marbling, which is what brings juiciness to the meat. For example, Rib Eye, New York, flank steak, or a good steak is perfect for the grill.
It is important that the cuts that we are going to grill are not too thin, because they will dry easily since they cook very fast in the heat of the embers. Therefore, it is essential that they are at least 2 centimeters thick, so that they do not dry out as soon as they receive the heat of the embers.
It is also important not to prick the meat too much. Every time we prick the meat with a fork or skewer we let part of the juiciness of the cut escape and that is the last thing we want. So, the less we prick the meat, the more juiciness it will retain inside.
- Flavor
Another important aspect when talking about a barbecue is the flavor. The best flavor is achieved by paying special attention to the way of seasoning.
Marinating meat is an art and there are many different ways to do it, one for each taste.
Some people prefer to season it hours before cooking, others do it while it is already on the grill and others prefer it at the end. However, there are those who say that the sooner the meat is seasoned, the better. Why? It is simple: the more time the meat spends in contact with the spices and other ingredients used to season it, the greater the degree of absorption of their flavor.
Salt, one of the main ingredients used to season meat, when in contact with the tissues of the cut, begins to penetrate and extract proteins and bring them to the surface, generating a crust that will retain the juices and natural flavor of the meat cuts. In addition, the more time we give the salt to penetrate the meat tissues, the more uniform the flavor will be once cooked.
Pepper, another of the seasonings par excellence, is also usually added to the crust and sometimes it is added at the end, this is to prevent the embers from burning the pepper and changing its flavor. The best is to use freshly ground pepper to retain as much of its natural flavor as possible.
- Temperature
Something very important to take into account when grilling food is the temperature.
If we do not allow the grill to reach the ideal temperature or if it is exceeded, what we will get is a lot of smoke and burnt meat.
When the grill is too cold, the meat will generate steam that will prevent the outside of the cut from caramelizing. The trick is to start grilling once the strongest flames are extinguished when the coals are ready.
It is also important to avoid making certain mistakes that will minimize the flavor of the meat. For example, it is very important to avoid constantly moving the cut once it touches the grill. It should be left to rest for at least four minutes to create a crust on the surface. If we make the mistake of constantly moving the meat, the only thing we will achieve is that the meat will break.
Another common mistake is to press the meat when it is on the grill. When pressing the meat what happens is similar to what happens when we prick it: the juices fall into the embers, generating larger flames that can burn our cut. If there is something we must take into account when grilling, it is time, we must give the meat time to reach the desired doneness, pressing it will not make it cook faster, the only thing that will happen is that it will lose juiciness and flavor.
And this brings us to the next point to take into consideration…
- Time
Taking into account the cooking time of the meat is basic when it comes to the art of grilling.
Although it is true that every griller has a certain “instinct” that allows him to distinguish when the cut has reached the desired doneness, there are certain important aspects to consider in order to achieve this.
All the great grilling experts have had to try and fail before acquiring the ideal technique that allows them to reach the desired doneness without the need to use a cooking thermometer. However, those who have not yet mastered the art of grilling can use one to determine the temperature, taking into account the following considerations.
If you want to get an English term, the temperature should be no higher than 46 degrees. For the red term, the ideal temperature is between 48 and 50 degrees, for a medium-red term a temperature of 52 to 54 degrees is recommended. The medium-term requires temperatures of 56 to 58 degrees. The ¾ term or “medium rare” requires a temperature of 65 to 67 degrees, and well-cooked meat will require a temperature of 71 degrees.
What we must check regularly to ensure that the meat is at the desired doneness is the center of the cut.
Now, once you have all these factors well covered, you can let yourself be carried away by the aroma of the grill, the flavor of the appetizers, and the joy of good company and enjoy the true pleasure of a barbecue among friends to start the year in the best way.
Tell us about your grilling experiences!
And, of course, be sure to visit us to enjoy the authentic flavor that only LA VICENTA Expertos en la Parrilla can offer you.
We are waiting for you at our locations in Mexico City: Toreo, Vallejo, Tezontle, as well as our locations in Acapulco and Cancun.
Want to make a reservation? Click here.