Steak

There are few things in this world I like more than food and there are few foods in this world I like more than steak. Steak is a favorite of everyone in my family, but because it's so expensive we don't eat it very often. When we do eat it, we all savor every bite.

You are all aware that I know my way around the grill pretty well. On the rare occasion when we do splurge and order a steak at a restaurant, we almost always regret it. Not because it's not delicious (it is), but because I know I can grill a better one at a fraction of the cost. Not that I'm bragging or anything, but restaurants really have nothing on me when it comes to grilling steaks.

There are generally five ways to cook a steak. Well done, medium well, medium, medium rare and rare. In my opinion, if you order a steak well done or medium well, you should probably go ahead and grill yourself some shoe leather. You're just eating a glorified piece of charcoal. If you order your steak medium, it can possibly be acceptable, but you're coming very close to the line. The optimal way to order and eat a steak is medium rare. This gives you the best steak flavor while incorporating some of that smoky grilled goodness. I can eat a steak rare, but for me that's just not enough grilled flavor. The blood running all over the plate doesn't bother me at all (for some the blood is a deal breaker). Did you know there is yet another category for the cooking of a steak? It's called "blue". This is a real thing... you can Google it if you don't believe me. If you order a steak blue, it means it is more rare than rare. You basically wave the steak over the hot coals for a minute or so and serve it up. It's just this side of raw. I wouldn't order my steak this way. However, if somebody said they'd buy me a steak dinner, but only if I ordered it blue, I'd eat it in the blink of an eye.

I'm just starting a three day weekend and I am suddenly in the mood for a nice Ribeye, Porterhouse or New York Strip. I like the larger cuts of steak that you have to chew a little bit. Filet Mignon is fine, but it's too small and the melt in your mouth quality is not appealing to me when it comes to steak. I'm not saying I like my steak tough... just enough chewiness to feel like I'm eating a nice cut of meat.

In honor of steak, enjoy this nice photo of a steak shaped like the best country in the world.