touch your thumb to between your fi rst and second fi nger. If you’ll do that, you’ll have a perfect steak ev- ery time,” he says. Don’t cut into the steak or burger to check for done-
ness. “You’ve just opened the door for all the juices to run off into the grill,” he says.
Cook burgers to 160 degrees There are slightly different cooking guidelines for
burgers. “You want to take them to 160° or medium well to well-done. We want all the pink color to be gone on our burgers. This means the cooking time is going to be a little longer for burgers. For a 1-inch thick burger, allow 8 to 10 minutes per side. Use a thermometer to ensure your burger is up to 160°. “This is a point of confusion,” Woodward says. “We
don’t have to cook steaks to the same degree of done- ness that we recommend for burgers. What about beef kabobs? If you’re using 1-inch
chunks, the cooking time is going to be very similar. “We’ll cook those 5 to 6 minutes per side. If you have made the kabobs with just meat and no vegetables, then you can rotate them a quarter turn every 2 min- utes and you get a nice fi nish. Otherwise, cook them about 6 minutes per side.”
Summer deals Woodward predicts that retail beef prices will soften
a bit this summer. “Retailers are going to take advantage and offer some good values this summer compared to the all time highs we saw last summer. So that’s a great reason for consumers to come back and check out beef.” Traditional steak cuts for the grill are the ribeye,
New York strip and tenderloin. Woodward suggests consumers take a look at sirloin, a good value and a tender cut of beef. Some non-traditional cuts to watch for in the retail
case are the fl at iron or top blade steak and the shoulder steak. “Most of our scientists agree that the fl at iron is the second most tender cut available. Not all retail- ers carry it, but the majority of them do,” Woodward says. “If they don’t carry it you can ask them to get it for you. It’s not a hard cut to come by. “The other cut that is good to consider, and most
retailers have it in their case for the summer, is the chuck shoulder steak. This is actually the fi fth most tender of the major muscle cuts. It is very similar in tenderness and fl avor to a sirloin and offers a great value. You can use it as a kabob, steak strips (like fa- jitas) or cook it whole and have it as steak. This is one
tscra.org
you might want to marinate, but you don’t have to.” Another option in the mid-range of prices is the fl ank
steak. “This is great to put on the grill. It is usually fairly mid-range in terms of pricing and it is a perfect one to marinate because it absorbs the marinade really well. Marinate it overnight and carve it against the grain nice and thin to make a great salad topper, fajitas, or a plate with summer vegetables you like to cook on the grill. It’s a fun little cut to use in the summer.” Enjoy your summer with a great beef meal with
family and friends. You can fi nd many summertime recipes at
txbeef.org.
May 2016 The Cattleman 79
Thumb to Little Finger: Overcooked
Thumb to Ring Finger: Well-Done
Thumb to
Second Finger: Medium
Thumb to Index Finger: Medium Rare
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