To watch Rick talk about his tattoos, cooking for the Obamas and grilling tips for beginners, watch In The Green Room. 
Author, books include award-
nominated American Brasserie and Butter Sugar Flour Eggs
Former executive chef/partner at the
world-renowned four-star and Relais & Chateaux restaurant Tru in Chicago
Culinary director of
restaurants Tramonto’s Steak & Seafood, RT Sushi Bar, and Osteria
Awards and honors include: the
James Beard Foundation for Best Chef: Midwest Award and the Robert Mondavi Award for Culinary Excellence
Appeared on Oprah, Today Show, Iron Chef America and Top Chef
GUEST
Rick Tramonto: Steak with Friends
The 700 Club
CBN.com
– A STEAK FOR ALL SEASONS
Chef and author of Steak with Friends Rick Tramonto loves to grill, especially steaks. They are uncomplicated and sure to please dinner guests. Rick has been known to brave the chilling Chicago winds on a New Year’s Eve in order to grill steaks. No matter the season, he contends that grilled meat tastes good. If you can enjoy a wonderful steak dinner with friends and the people you love, it’s even better.
Steak with Friends has a double meaning. From a culinary standpoint, it’s about steak and dishes that compliment it. If steak is not what you prefer, he shares recipes for other types of meat, poultry, and seafood. Steak with Friends is also the importance of eating steak dinners with good friends and enjoying special, casual times at home.
Steak with Friends is more than just the theme and title of his seventh cookbook; it shows a more personal side of Rick. He shares his stories and insights, but he is especially happy that he can share about his faith. He says he never expected to do all that He has done and God is the God of second chances.
Rick cooks with the seasons, and he advises everyone to buy ingredients that are in season. He encourages people to be inspired by shopping at their local farmer’s markets. Also, he feels like recipes are suggestions, guidelines, and inspirations. If you like an ingredient, put it in. If not, then don’t. You can also substitute ingredients to suit your taste. The important cooking techniques for any dish are controlling the temperature, timing, and the layering of flavors.
The trick to grilling a good steak is to buy the best steak that you can afford. Also, you need to take great care when you cook it. It doesn’t matter what kind of grill you have. The meat is prepared very simply and in most cases without any dressing at all. This is because it is all about the steak, the cut, and how it is cooked rather than the ingredients. If you go to the expense of buying a high quality cut of meat, Rick says, you want to cook it to perfection and serve it simply.
To watch Rick talk about his tattoos, cooking for the Obamas and grilling tips for beginners, watch In The Green Room.
HOW TO CHOOSE A GREAT STEAK
When buying steak, don’t be afraid of fat. Fat is what gives the steak its wonderful flavor and texture. The marbling (or graining, the strands of fat running through the meat in a web-like network) should be delicate and consistently even. Thick layers of outer fat and thick, ropy marbling should be avoided. The fat should look creamy and moist, and the meat should be light red, not dark apple red. Steak that is bright red without marbling will turn out tough and flavorless. The fat dissolves and lubricates the meat when the steak cooks, and the flavor of the fat will be distributed throughout the meat. The narrow, even threads of fat melt evenly, while the thick strands don’t melt at the same time. Uneven melting of the fat will leave the steak tough and tasting of fat.
More people are interested in natural, organic and grass-fed beef. Here are the differences between these kinds of beef: natural beef – comes from cattle that is raised without hormones or antibiotics; organic beef – this beef is fed certified-organic feed from the time it is weaned, also not raised with hormones or antibiotics; and grass-fed beef – this cattle only eat grass, take longer to reach their best weight, and are older at the time of slaughter. This meat tends to be leaner and has a slightly different taste.
CHOOSING A CUT OF BEEF
To see a larger image, click on the cow:
BEFORE YOU COOK YOUR STEAK
Before you cook your steak, take the steak from the refrigerator. It should reach room temperature (this should take no more than 30 minutes, on a hot day it will only take about 15 minutes). After this, pat the meat dry with a paper towel and then season it according to the recipe. You don’t want to grill or roast cold meat straight from the fridge because it won’t cook properly. Ground meat is the only exception, which should be left in the fridge until it is ready for cooking.
HOW TO GRILL A PERFECT STEAK
Rick says, a big, thick steak on the grill should be handled with care. If you overcook it, you will end up with dry, gray meat. Most people enjoy a medium rare steak. Rick likes to cook steaks that are 1 ½ to 2 inches thick so that the outside of the meat has time to develop a nicely charred crust before the interior cooks through.
Here are a few tips for perfectly grilled steak: Clean the grill and oil the grilling grid well so that the meat does not stick, and use any vegetable oil for this, such as canola or safflower. Make sure the coals have reached the proper temperature or the heating elements are nice and hot. Use tongs to move meat on and off the grill and to maneuver it over heat. At no time do you want to pierce the steak and lose the delicious juices. Only turn the steak once and use tongs. Always let the steak rest for at least 5 to 8 minutes once it’s done.
HOW TO TELL WHEN A STEAK IS DONE
Many home cooks feel comfortable using an instant-read thermometer to tell if a steak is done. This is better than cutting it. Experienced cooks can tell if a steak is finished cooking by the feel. This is done by pressing where the steak is the thickest. If it feels like the pad of flesh at the base of your thumb, then it is rare. If it feels like the part of your hand from the base of your thumb to the center of your palm, then it’s medium-rare. If it feels like the center of your palm, it’s medium. Here are the USDA-approved internal temperatures for beef if you use a thermometer: 130*F = rare; 140*F = medium-rare; 150*F = medium; 160*F = well done.
Recipes
Grilling a Great Steak with Rick Tramonto
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