As one of the chef’s at Glutenfreeda.com, you can only imagine the variety of foods set in front of my family at dinner-time. It is not uncommon for a weeknight dinner to consist of an elaborate presentation of something like Grilled Shrimp & Mango Salad followed by an entrée of Beef Roast with Shallots & Fennel in Marsala Sauce accompanied by Feta Mashed Potatoes and Caramelized Cauliflower with Bacon & Spinach. You can only imagine that after awhile you begin to crave basic, simple foods. Now don’t get me wrong, my husband feels very, very fortunate for the opportunity to be the ultimate taste tester for Glutenfreeda.com, however, if asked what he would like for dinner he invariably will say, ‘How about a grilled steak, baked potato and corn on the cobb.’

So, in honor of all those hard-working Father’s Day, let’s talk steak! What makes a great steak? Success relies on a naturally tender cut of meat. Tender, mild-flavored steaks come from the top and middle sections, while less tender but more flavorful steaks come from the front and hind quarters. Stick to prime or choice grade steaks for optimal tenderness and flavor. Choose your steak based on how you intend to prepare it. Here are some helpful details about several different cuts of beef to help you make the best steak possible.

The Filet: The most popular and also most expensive steak comes from the short loin. These steaks are ideal for grilling and pan searing.

Porterhouse & T-Bones: Cutting the short loin into bone-in steaks will yield the large porterhouse steak and the T-bone steak. The porterhouse will be more expensive because it contains a larger section of tenderloin. Great for grilling.

New York Strip: Another popular steak containing no tenderloin and no bone. Great for grilling, pan searing & broiling.

Rib steaks and boneless rib-eye steaks: These steaks are cut from the rib section of the beef. These often have more fat marbled throughout the meat which gives more flavor than you will find in a filet. They may be less tender than a filet but they are rich and juicy – great for grilling and broiling.

Top sirloin steak: Comes from the top section of the sirloin (hence the name). These steaks are good grill steaks and are sometimes cut into large sections – enough to serve 3-4 people.

Top round steak: This steak comes from the hind leg portion. For many steak lovers, this steak offers the best combination of texture and flavor. Avoid the tough eye-of-the-round steaks – these are best braised until tender. These steaks take well to marinades.

Flank steak: This steak is a lean, flat, boneless cut from the underside of the beef. It has tremendous flavor but must be cooked quickly and sliced very thin across the grain to be tender. This steak does very well when marinated.

Skirt steak: This long, narrow steak is also referred to as fajita steak. It is more tender and contains more fat than the flank steak. Like flank and top round this steak is best quickly broiled or grilled and takes well to marinades.

Over the years, I’ve had ample opportunity to experiment with what I feel produces the best possible steak. Everyone seems to have their own "best-method" for grilling, so if you’ve figured out what works best for you, than keep with what you’re doing. My method begins with having a well-oiled grill rack. If using 2-sided propane grill, start by heating both sides over high heat (top closed). Once the grill reaches 450-500 °F, turn off one side of the grill, leaving the other side on. Place the steaks on the "off" side. Grill for 5 minutes. Turn the "off" side on and the "on" side "off". Flip the steaks over onto the new "off " side. Grill for another 5 minutes. Test the steaks by using the "touch test" (see below on how to use the "touch test"). If the steaks are not done, repeat the above process, flipping over onto the new "off" side, until the steaks are cooked to the desired doneness. This method still sears the outside of the meat, but it allows those thicker steaks the necessary time to cook through.

If using a charcoal grill, heat the coals until hot. Again, place an oiled grill rack over the coals and heat the grill. Place the steaks over the hot coals and grill for about 6-7 minutes per side. If cooking thick steaks, transfer steaks to a 350 °F oven for about 10 minutes or until the steaks pass your "touch test".

Regardless of your method, don’t skip the important step of letting the steaks rest before serving. After grilling, place the steaks on a platter and tent with foil. Let the steaks rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. As meat proteins cook they begin to shrink and a loss of moisture occurs. As meat rests, this process is partially reversed. The moisture that is driven toward the center of the meat is redistributed as the protein molecules relax and are able to reabsorb some moisture. As a result, less juice runs out of the meat when you cut into it. If you cut into meat right away, almost twice as much liquid is lost than if you let it rest before carving. Keep in mind that the internal temperature of the meat will rise about 5-10 °F as it rests — so plan for this as you are grilling it so you don’t remove it from the grill too late.

The touch test:

The number one key to cooking a great steak, regardless of the cooking method, is in knowing when to stop. Many cooks have their own individual ways of telling when a steak is cooked just right. A sure-fire way is to check the internal temperature of the steak to know when it has cooked long enough. The internal temperature for a rare steak is 135 degrees F; for medium-rare it’s 145 degrees F; and for medium it’s 155 degrees F. If you’re wondering what the temperature is for well-done, you won’t find it here because we believe no steak should be cooked past medium. If you like your meat well-done, we suggest you choose a different cut of meat. The only problem with the thermometer method is that steak will continue to cook after it has been removed from the heat source. So, to end up with a rare steak, the steak should be pulled off the heat when it registers about 125 degrees F.

An easier way to test a cooking steak is by touch. To those who are not outdoor barbecue kings and queens, this may sound like unproved science, but it is actually very accurate and it doesn’t require fussing with a thermometer.

For rare: The steak, when touched or lightly pushed on will give easily and feel soft.

For medium-rare: The steak will feel firmer than that of a rare steak but not hard.

For medium: The steak will feel firm and give only slightly.

To get a feel for the touch test method, try cooking a steak to what you think is rare and touch it, then let it cook a little longer and touch it again. You will quickly get a sense for the difference.

Cooking Time: Use the chart below for approximate cooking times. All steaks should be flipped halfway through the cooking time. Keep in mind that the second side will cook faster than the first.

Now for the recipes: If your ‘dad’ is looking for an extraordinary steak, here are some of ‘my guy’s’ favorite steak recipes we know he’ll enjoy!

Grilled Ribeyes with Salsa Butter

Grilled Ribeyes with Salsa Butter

Steaks with Gorgonzola Butter

Grilled Steaks with Caramelized Onions & Feta

Grilled Steaks with Salsa & Roasted Peppers

Grilled Steaks with Sun-Dried Tomato Butter

Grilled Steaks with Fried Leeks

Honey Glazed Steaks with Mushrooms

Steaks with Pasilla Chili Sauce

Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Glutenfreeda wishes all the Dad’s out there a very Happy Father’s Day!