PAN seared steak or GRILLED steak

The question of the day…Which is more tasty, seared steak or grilled steak?

Before I start to cook the steaks, I have to prepare them.

I will smoother them in olive oil, garlic salt, garlic power, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.  It is better to prepare them at least an hour in advance, so the flavors have time to sink into the steak.

GRILLING TIME!!!

This will be my first time using the grill.

So first, I have to turn on the propane tank under the grill.

Then open the lid of the grill and turn on each knob to high and then hit the ignite button.

Next, close the lid and keep the grill on high, to get it nice and warm around 400 degrees.

I will take the steak and put it directly in the center of the bottom grate.  The secret to having grill marks on the steak is only move it 4 times (That’s what I read)  So, each time should be two minutes and then flip, and two minutes and flip it the opposite way so the grill marks will cross.  So this should be interesting…..

Well, I think it turned out pretty good…For my first time.  My mother was pretty impressed!

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So it is time to move on to the seared steak on the stove.

First I will heat up the pan so it is hot.  As soon as the pan is hot I will put the steak in the pan.  The key is to cook it hot and fast to brown the surface of the steak.  The hot heat from the pan helps the juice of the steak to be sealed in.  So, I flip it once and let it cook on that side.  The steak is done..YUM

steak

So here is the moment of truth…Which is more tasty.  The grilled steak or seared?

I would have to choose the grilled steak.  It is more juicy and has that charied flavor, that the seared steak does not have.

http://howtogrillsteak.com/Welcome.html

http://www.grillingcompanion.com/searing-steak/

FOOD SAFETY

Before I start to cook, I need to begin with some safety instructions…..I would not want to get anyone sick or CUT off a finger!

First thing I learned was wash everything!

Even the outside of a melon.  When the outside of a melon is not washed, then it contaminates the inside of the melon.

When cutting chicken/meat/fish then everything has to be washed again, the board, knife, and hands.  Do not cut anything on the cutting board until it is cleaned off, that is called cross contamination.

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Temping out Food

Stick the probe into the center of the chicken, meat, pork to get an accurate reading.

Chicken is done at 160

Pork is done at 145

Steak Rare 110

     Medium is 130

Fish can vary on the type of fish

If you reheat any food it has to be temped at 165

Food can only be left out for 4 HOURS, before it starts to hit the danger zone!!  Many people do not think of these things when it is a holiday and there are lots of people over.  YOU do not want to get your guests sick!

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HOW TO PROPERLY USE A KNIFE

The right way to grip a knife….

The dominant hand holds the knife, the thumb grips the knife around the top of the blade.  The rest of the hand wrapped around the (bolster) handle of the knife.  The index and thumb should be opposite of each other on either side of the knife blade.  Your other hand is called the GUIDING HAND.  The guiding hands job is to hold the food to keep it from sliding around on the cutting board.  Use a claw grip, the fingers are tucked safely away, the fingertips are curled inward.  The side of the knife blade should rest against the first knuckle of the guiding hand.  Never lift the knife up, the top of knife should always touch the cutting board.

The knife should always be perpendicular to the cutting board.

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SUGAR…the sweet killer

Sugar is in all of the foods we eat!  Yikes!

This week I am focusing on nutrition and trying to consume less sugar!

Of course soda, candy…anything in a wrapper, has sugar.

But today I was shocked to find out how much sugar was in a piece of bread!  I got home from practice and decided I would make myself a grilled cheese sandwich.  So when I was waiting to flip the sandwich, I began to read the nutrition facts on the back of the bread.  To my amazement, there was 10g of sugar.  My mom buys wheat bread and there is still 10g grams of sugar.  So I began researching on sugar…

Sugar comes in lots of forms: but the main one is corn syrup.  Sugar is in everything, salad dressings, crackers, and even ketchup.  Some sugar is not as bad, like the sugar from a piece of fruit.  But in general sugar is bad has horrible effects on the human body!  SOME INTERESTING FACTS……

  • Our nation is addicted to sugar.  In 1915, an average American would consume 15 to 20 lbs of sugar a year.  TODAY, Americans will consumer their weight in sugar and over 20 lbs of corn syrup a year!
  • When we consume sugar, the immune system cannot function for 6 hours.
  • Sugar has no nutrients, no proteins, no healthy fats and no enzymes.
  • Sugar is as addictive as cocaine.

So this week, I will try to consume less SUGAR.

I decided to try to just eat vegetables…so I made myself a salad with spinach, cucumbers, red bell peppers, sunflower seeds and of course I had salad dressing.  I choice to use Italian dressing instead of the Ranch.  Ranch has double the sugar than Italian.  This will be difficult but I think it is well worth it!  We will see how it goes.

http://www.rd.com/sugar_body

http://authoritynutrition.com/10_reasons/

http://www.webmd.com/healtheffects