How To Grill Steak on a Panini Maker
A panini maker can also be used as an indoor grill. Take a look at the George Foreman grills. Do you think that if they were called hamburger cookers, they’d be as popular as they are? No, they wouldn’t. People love the way you can cook almost anything on a George Foreman grill, and it’s the same with a panini maker.
You can grill some vegetables or meats before you press them together in your panini sandwich. No reason to create dirty frying pans when the panini press can do it all.
A panini grill is a must-have kitchen appliance for everyone, whether you live in a house or a small apartment. Why, even a college dorm is a great place for a panini maker. You can make fantastic panini sandwiches with a panini maker and you can also use it as an indoor grill.
This is how to grill steak on a panini maker
Here are some of the things to consider when you buy a steak:
- The initial step in properly grilling steak is picking the right cut according to your budget and taste.
- All steaks are not created equal
- The cuts differ not only in price but also in fat content, thickness and weight
- A smaller, thinner cut with a smaller amount of fat marbling will cook more quickly than a larger, thicker, more marbled steak
- Talk to a butcher about the differences between the different cuts of steak
- Think about your individual taste preferences and how much you are ready to spend
- The greatest steak starts with a well-informed product choice
The next step in grilling steak is correct preparation. Ideally, you ought to be using a fresh chunk of meat that isn’t frozen. Remove the steak from the fridge approximately thirty minutes before grilling. This allows the steak to reach room temperature, which, in turn, ensures steady cooking.
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While the steak is warming, cover it with a rub of sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Remember to apply the rub almost immediately after the steak comes out of the fridge. The longer the rub and meat are together, the less rub you will leave on the grate of your grill and more of it will stay on the steak.
While the steak is warming to room temperature, organize your grill. If you are using charcoal (and you should be), make sure that you use enough coal to cover an area a few inches bigger than the slice of meat to be cooked.
Nothing spoils your steak more quickly than cooking it on an under-fired grill. Always use a sizzling grill when grilling a steak. The grill should be set to go when the coals have all ashed over and you are unable to hold your hand an inch or two over the grill surface for more than a second.
Next, put your steak on the center of your hot grill. Allow the steak to sit until the lower side is gray and seared with grill marks. This will take anywhere from three to six minutes based on the type of cut and its thickness.
After the lower surface is gray and seared, turn the steak over and allow it to cook for an additional three to six minutes. Again, the time should depend on the cut and thickness.
Turn the steak over once and only once! Never fiddle about with it. Leave it be and let it cook. Once the other side is gray and seared, check to see if the steak is done by making a tiny cut transversely across the grain of the meat.
Bear in mind, you could always throw an undercooked steak back on the grill but once a steak is overcooked, it’s ruined. If the steak is done, take it off the grill and allow it to sit for about five minutes before serving.
Wrap-Up
Whether you call it a panini press or a panini grill or a panini maker, it’s still an appliance that you should start using. The act of heating up food and pressing it together between thick slices of hearty bread makes for some great sandwiches. You’ll be amazed at how even the most dissimilar ingredients can blend together to create new and interesting flavors.
So that’s it. Recall these steps the next time you’re grilling steak and you will surely make the best steak you’ve ever had.