If you've ever wondered exactly that's going on in your steak as it sizzles away on the grill and how you can use that knowledge to perfect your end results, this is the column for you. Part mad scientist, part chef, and always fun, The Food Lab looks at the science behind every day foods to improve, streamline, and enhance your recipes.
If you're from outside of Santa Maria, California, you may not have heard of tri-tip, the large, tender, triangular muscle cut from the bottom sirloin of a steer. If you're from Santa Maria, on the other hand, you can bet your bowl of pinquito beans that you've had more than your share of the cut. More
I first knew flank steak by its local New England name of sirloin tip. Go to any old school dive or tavern with a menu, and you're bound to run into them, cut into cubes, stuck on a skewer, and grilled over an open coal fire, just like they do at Santarpio's over in East Boston. When grilled right, they're tender, juicy, take on marinades extremely well, and have a robust beefy flavor that a lot of other cuts-for-kebabs lack. That and they're cheap. More
The Koreans and the Argentineans know something that we don't: Short rib is the best cut of meat for grilling. More
Of all the inexpensive cuts on the cow, the skirt is probably the greatest dollar-to-flavor value out there. Riddled with plenty of buttery, beefy fat with a deep, rich flavor and a tender, juicy texture, it's a tough cut not to like. More
Hanger is like that indie band that hasn't quite hit top-40 mainstream status yet, but is big enough that everybody and their mother's heard about it. Most have even given it a try. It has the full, beefy flavor and richness of more expensive cuts of meat like ribeye or strip, without the hefty price tag. More
These are the butcher's cuts. These are the cuts that chefs love to use because not only are they inexpensive, but they've got character. Here is a brief overview of my five favorite inexpensive steaks: the hanger, the tri-tip, the short-rib, the skirt, and the flap meat. More
Summer's here, so now seems like as good a time as any to re-examine some of the things we know (or think we know) about grilling beef. Sure, we can all agree on what our end goal is. The real debate is, what's the best way to get there? You've just dropped $50 on some prime aged beef, and you're rightfully nervous about screwing it all up. After all, there's a lot... ahem, wait for it... at steak. More
I love a good classic panzanella—stale bread tossed with fresh ripe tomatoes, olive oil, and perhaps some basil and vinegar. That is, I love it during tomato season when I have access to completely fresh-off-the-vine, summer-ripe tomatoes. Any other time of the year, panzanella can go over to the corner and suck it. There are, thankfully, other things available this time of year that can be used to riff on the same concept. Asparagus comes to mind. More
This is an ultra-quick recipe that's roughly based off of pasta cacio e pepe—the Roman dish of pasta tossed with Pecorino Romano and lots of black pepper. It's a late night, quick fill'er up specialty popular amongst the tight-jeaned Euro club crowd and the old folks alike. A cheaper, quicker, and easier version of the already super cheap, quick, and easy carbonara, if you will. More
I've already gone deep into the science of risotto in the past, so there's no real need to re-tread in already-been-treaded-in waters. What we're here to talk about today is vegetables, in particular, asparagus and morel mushrooms. The two are partners in crime that could give Pinky and The Brain a run for their money in terms of sheer awesomeness, and now's the time of year to get 'em. More
Meaty tacos are great, but who doesn't love charred sweet asparagus in the springtime? I like to cook mine in olive oil until nearly blackened in spots so that you get a nice contrast between the natural sweetness of the 'gus and the smoky, browned complexity of the charred spots. If you've got a real grill burning charcoal, all the better. More
Now's the time of year that asparagus is at its absolute sweet and tender best around here, so I've decided to make a whole week out of it. Welcome to Asparagus Week! Each day this week you'll find a new asparagus recipe here that'll hopefully demonstrate the crazy versatility of spring's finest produce. The key to truly fantastic asparagus soup is the same as the key to truly fantastic grilled asparagus or braised asparagus or blanched asparagus or sauteed asparagus: start with truly fantastic asparagus. More
Trouble with whole grains is that they don't soften the same way that, say, white rice does. They jump almost immediately from being rubbery and hard to blown out and mushy. In certain contexts, say, a good Short Rib and Barley Stew (recipe here), I don't mind that blown out texture. I enjoy the softness of overly-hydrated barley grains in soup. On their own? That's a different story. Here's a technique to get grains that are perfect in texture and packed with flavor. More
There's no denying it: People love Chipotle's beef barbacoa, and it's with good reason. By fast food standards—I might even go so far as to say by any standards—it's tasty stuff. Slow-braised naturally raised beef shoulder clod flavored with chipotle chilis and cumin, it's tender, juicy, and well-seasoned. This is, of course, only useful news if you happen to be strolling by a Chipotle when the urge for a burrito strikes, which leaves us with one answer: That's right, we're going to make it ourselves. And while we're at it, why not set ourselves the goal of making it even better than Chipotle's? More
Here's a game: go up to any chefs and ask them what their favorite season of the year is. Chances are "Spring. Right now," is the answer. Why is that? Well, they might get all poetic and claim that it's because of what spring represents—those first shoots of tender life that burst forth through the ground after the long, cold winter and all that. But here's the truth: Chefs love spring because it makes their job easier. More
