FROM THE HOME OF ‘THE BEST STEAK
ANYWHERE,’ MORTON’S PROVIDES TIPS FOR GRILLING AND RECIPE FOR PORTERHOUSE STEAK
FROM MORTON’S STEAK BIBLE
LAS VEGAS (May 15, 2008) – When it comes to steaks
grilled to perfection, Morton’s The Steakhouse wrote the book – the Morton’s Steak Bible. Morton’s selection and grilling of the finest
steaks anywhere has made the steakhouse famous for 30 years. For Father’s Day, graduations, barbecues and
pool parties this summer, heat up the grill and add the Morton’s touch to make
great steaks for the next special occasion.
“I can’t emphasize enough how important it is that the meat be at room
temperature before you cook it,” says Klaus Fritch, co-author of Morton’s Steak Bible and co-founder of
Morton’s The Steakhouse with Arnie Morton.
“In each recipe, we say to leave the meat out for 30 to 60 minutes
before cooking. This does not apply to
chopped meat, which should be kept refrigerated until shortly before cooking,
nor do we suggest you ever leave meat on the countertop for any longer than an
hour. If the day is very hot or if your
kitchen feels tropical, 30 minutes should be ample.”
- Marbling -- Once the chill is
off the meat, season it lightly but evenly with seasoned salt. Morton’s uses its own blend, but at-home
chefs can rely on their favorite seasoned salts. During cooking, the naturally occurring
fat in the steak – or marbling – softens and much of it melts. The fatty acids release pleasing
aromatic compounds, as well as wonderful flavor compounds that are only
found in beef. This is one reason
why a well-marbled steak will give better flavor than one that is too
lean. Marbling also ensures
juiciness.
- Testing Steak Doneness -- When
the steak is on the grill or under the broiler, turn it only once. Use tongs so that the meat is never
punctured. Test steak doneness by
feel. Chefs press their fingers
into meat on the grill. To
understand what they’re doing, hold a hand out, palm up and follow these
guidelines:
- FOR EXTRA-RARE OR RARE MEAT: Poke the pad at the base of the thumb. If the meat feels like this, it’s ready. The softer the meat, the rarer.
- FOR
MEDIUM-RARE MEAT: Press the area of
your palm between the thumb pad and the center of the palm.
If the meat feels like this, it’s ready.
- FOR MEDIUM MEAT: Press the middle of the palm. If the meat feels like this, t’s ready.
- FOR
WELL-DONE MEAT: Press the base of
the pinkie. If the meet feels like this, it’s
ready.
Different cuts of meat will feel different
from one another, but the degree of difference between rare and medium-rare,
and so on, will be the same. For instance,
a medium-rare porterhouse will feel firmer than a medium-rare tenderloin, and
these two cuts also feel quite different when raw.
There are other tests for doneness. If cooking a steak with a bone, such as a
porterhouse or T-bone, the steak is medium-rare when the meat is still firmly
attached to the bone. When it starts to
pull away from the bone, it’s past medium-rare and on its way to medium.
- NEVER POKE HOLES IN THE MEAT: Morton’s never recommends poking holes
in meat as it cooks; too many valuable
juices can escape. For individuals
who feel more comfortable using an instant-read thermometer, they should
do so, especially when learning how to determine when the steak is done by
feel.
PORTERHOUSE STEAK*
Serves 6
Ingredients
Three 24-ounce, aged porterhouse steaks, each about 1 ½ inches thick
Vegetable oil cooking spray
2 tablespoons seasoned salt
6 tablespoons Au Jus (optional)
Preparation
- Remove
the steaks from the refrigerator and let them rest at room temperature for
30 to 60 minutes.
- Prepare
a charcoal or gas grill or preheat the broiler and position a rack 4
inches from the heating element.
Lightly spray the grill rack with vegetable oil cooking spray. The coals should be medium-hot for the
charcoal grill. The burners should
be on high for the gas grill.
- Season
the steaks lightly on both sides with the seasoned salt. If using a charcoal grill, grill for 6
to 8 minutes. Turn, using tongs,
and grill the other side for 6 to 8 minutes for medium- rare, or until the
desired degree of doneness. If
using a gas grill, grill for 6 to 8 minutes. Turn, using tongs, and grill the other
side for 5 to 6 minutes for medium-rare, or until the desired degree of
doneness. For medium-well, grill
for 10 minutes on the first side and for 5 minutes on the second
side. If using the broiler, broil 4
inches from the heat source for 8 to 10 minutes. Turn, using tongs, and broil the other
side for 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare or until the desired degree of
doneness.
- To
serve, slice the steaks and spoon some of the Au Jus on top, if desired.
*When buying Porterhouse steaks,
ask for the center cut, which has the biggest filet, and look for moderately
abundant marbling and a tail that tapers to a width of ½ inch or less. When the meat reaches the ideal medium-rare,
it will visibly tighten along the bone as it begins to pull away from it.
Morton’s The Steakhouse in Las Vegas is located at 400 East Flamingo Road. Hours for dinner are 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday
through Saturday and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday. For more information about Morton’s,
reservations, to schedule a special event in the boardroom and to purchase the Morton’s Steak Bible, call (702)
893-0703 or visit www.mortons.com.
