Summer is the time when all of us are looking forward to grilling outdoor. This could be done with more affordable cuts of meat and without any fancy testing equipment.

Remember to dry each steak very thoroughly with paper towels before grilling. It is also recommended to salt them and let them rest uncovered for 15-30 minutes.

Steaks cuts there are plenty delicious and won’t break the bank:

Boneless Short Rib

Boneless short rib is the fattiest, most flavorful cheap cut around. Just because these are called ribs does not mean they are; they get that name because butchers cut them into strips that look like ribs.

Top Round

Top rounds are lean and a little bit tough, but if you are searching for beefy flavor, you will find a whole lot of it here. If you want to give it a little help with the flavor or texture, you can pound it a bit with a meat mallet or marinade it.

 Flank Steak

It is really important not to overcook a flank steak. They go from tender and juicy to tough very quickly. That muscle structure improves greatly with a quick pounding.

Bottom Sirloin

This is not the usual sirloin steak. These come from the back of the cow and are either top or bottom sirloin. Steaks labeled just as “sirloin” are bottom sirloin, the leaner of the two cuts. Sirloins—also called flap steaks or occasionally faux hanger—are great for salting aggressively and grilling or pan-searing. This is probably the kind of steak you would get with some fries at a classic French bistro.

Tri–tip steak

This cut from a tri-tip roast, which is a small, triangular cut from the sirloin. It is also known as a triangle steak, bottom sirloin steak, or Santa Maria steak. Each steak is boneless, about 3/4 to 1 inch thick, and should be nicely marbled.

How to check the steak without using the thermometer

Finger test for doneness:

Feel the palm of your hand, just below your thumb. It is a little soft and fleshy.

Rare: Touch your thumb and forefinger together and press on the fleshy part below your thumb — it should feel soft to the touch with your other forefinger and a little bouncy. This is how a rare steak feels.

Medium:

Touch your thumb and middle finger together and press on the fleshy part below your – there is some give and it is springy to the touch. A medium steak will feel the same.

Well done:

Touch your thumb and little finger together and press on the fleshy part below your – there is no give and it’s quite firm. This is what a well-done steak feels like.

A useful guideline for resting a steak is to let it rest for approximately as long as you cooked it. Another guideline is to let it rest for five minutes for every inch of thickness. (The perfect steak is 1 1/2 inches thick.) Some cooks talk about resting meats 10 minutes for each pound of meat.

Magda Born

Community Services Librarian

Kansas City, Kansas Public Library

625 Minnesota Ave.

Kansas City, KS 66101

913-295-8250 ext 1103