If you are a meat lover, nothing beats a great steak. In fact, if you talk to many chef’s and ask what they cook for themselves when they are not at work or not preparing a dinner party, they will often say ‘a great steak and a simple salad with the freshest ingredients’. This is definitely true at the homes of the Glutenfreeda chef’s as well.

So 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.

Whether your preferred preparation for steak is grilling, broiling or pan-frying, we’d like to offer a few tips that will help you to prepare the perfect steak.

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.

The touch test:

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.

The next tip is to always cook steak over high or medium-high, direct heat. This sears the outside making it crisp and keeps the inside moist and juicy. There is nothing less appealing than a steak cooked over medium or low heat on a grill. The steak will lack flavor, be gray in color and will probably be stiff and leathery. High heat searing is what causes that great steak flavor, just as in pan-frying, high heat produces browned bits that are the flavor and the base of any great steak sauce.

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.

Buying tips: In the supermarket choose steaks that are at least _ inches thick. If you have the luxury of a butcher request steaks that are about 1-1/2 to 2 inches thick for the best results. Steaks thinner than _ inch tend to dry out and toughen quickly.

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.

This month we have some great steak recipes — some prepared in traditional ways and others using slightly different creative approaches.

Grilled Steak with Warm Corn Salsa

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

For corn salsa:

• 1 Tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 3 ears corn on the cob, kernels cut from cob
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh salsa
• Kosher salt to taste

For steak:

• 4 New York or Rib Eye steaks, trimmed of fat
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Prepare a grill.

For corn salsa:

Add oil and butter to a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn, red pepper and onions and sauté for 2 minutes. Add garlic and salsa and season to taste with salt and pepper. Continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes or until the vegetables are softened and the corn begins to turn a golden color. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl combine salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin and sugar. Sprinkle spice mixture over both sides of steaks.

Grill steaks over high flames for gas grill or hot coals for charcoal grill for about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare.

Re-warm corn salsa.

Remove steaks from grill and transfer to serving plates. Spoon warm corn salsa over part of and next to steaks. Garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately.

Steak Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients:

• 2 large russet potatoes, washed and dried
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• One 8 oz top sirloin steak
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 2 cloves roasted garlic*
• 4 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 Tablespoon Marsala
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 2 teaspoon chopped chives
• 2 Tablespoons butter

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F.

Rub potatoes with oil, sprinkle with salt and pierce with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour.

Place potatoes on serving dishes and cut down the center and across. Press to open potatoes. Add 1 Tablespoon butter to each potato and fluff with a fork. Spoon steak mixture onto each potato. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 pasilla chile
• 2 poblano chiles
• 4 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 5 Roma tomatoes, halved
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 6 filet mignon steaks
• Olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the chiles, garlic and Roma tomatoes (cut side down) on the prepared baking sheet. Broil until peppers and onions are blackened, turning frequently. Transfer the peppers, tomatoes and garlic to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let steam for 10-15 minutes. When cool enough to handle remove the peppers and peel away the outer blackened skin and discard the stems and seeds. Transfer to a blender. Remove the skins from the tomatoes and transfer to the blender. Add the garlic, cover and process until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt, freshly ground black pepper and lime juice. Set aside.

Meanwhile, brush both sides of the filets with olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill steaks over medium-high flame for 5-7 minutes per side for medium-rare (or cook to desired doneness). Transfer steaks to a platter and top each steak with a generous spoonful of the chile sauce. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.

To serve, spoon extra chile sauce over the top of each steak and garnish with feta and fresh cilantro.

Steak & Lentil Soup with Roasted Garlic

Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 leek, white part thinly sliced
• 10 roasted garlic cloves, mashed*
• 7 cups gf beef broth
• 3 Tablespoons gf soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 cup red lentils
• 12 ounces bok choy, chopped
• One 1-1/2"-1-3/4" flank steak, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Chopped parsley for garnish
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and when hot, add leek. Sauté until leek is softened. Add stock, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add garlic and simmer 10 more minutes. Add bok choy and simmer until wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a large, heavy skillet heat 1 Tablespoon oil over high heat. Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. When hot, add steak and cook until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board let rest for 10 minutes. Slice into bite-size pieces. Divide soup into soup bowls and arrange steak slices on top. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and parsley.

We hope you enjoy these great steaks as much as we do!

-Glutenfreeda