Spring Mix: Steak, Chef Jason Roberts & No Kid Hungry…

Hi everyone,
Welcome to Chop Talk. First things first, we would like to congratulate the men and women’s UCONN championship wins…wow! Well done Huskies! In this month’s installment we have a great line up. In Food Tricks and Kitchen Tips, we are covering how to grill the perfect steak. In this edition of Chef’s Spotlight we are featuring Chef Jason Roberts, a good friend of Ergo, and his upcoming ride from NYC to Washington, DC to raise funds and awareness for No Kid Hungry. Jason has also provided us with a great steak recipe for you to try out your new grilling skills with. We can’t forget the ongoing adventures of Chef Randy and the Costco Road Show. Lastly, we want to wish all those celebrating Easter and Passover our very best.
Without further ado, let’s jump right in…
Food Tricks and Kitchen Tips
As we stated in our last post, spring has indeed sprung and grilling season is just around the corner, so we thought we’d get your juices flowing by covering grilling basics, specifically as it pertains to steaks.
It all starts with good product, so be sure to purchase the best quality meat available. Know your source, and check packing and “use by” dates. Your local butcher and even Costco carry premium meats to use at home. If you have a friend in the food service industry, find out if they’d like to attend your next BBQ or maybe let you buy
some steaks from the restaurant!
So now you have your meat, let’s turn to the grill. Turn the grill on with the lid closed for about 20 minutes before using. It is extremely important that the grill is very hot, and also clean. Use a wire brush to clean off the grates before using. For extra smoke flavor, try buying some mesquite or hickory wood chips to burn over the coals or gas flame. Be sure to soak the chips in water for about an hour; this will help them smoke and smolder, rather than just flare up and burn away. Smoking Wood Varieties you might consider are Alder , Apple, Bourbon, Cherry, Grape, Hickory, Mesquite, Wine, Oak, Peach, Pecan, Persimmon, Sassafras.
There is a school of thought from some chefs who like to bring the meat up to room temperature for 20 minutes or so. It helps cook more evenly, especially when cooking further than a medium rare temperature. We at Ergo always suggest that steaks be grilled to a medium rare, so we leave it in the fridge until we’re ready to throw it on the grill. Oil your meat before grilling! You can use vegetable oil or even soybean oil, something that’s fairly neutral in flavor and also won’t burn too fast on the grill. Extra Virgin Olive Oils should NOT be used to coat the steak for grilling, but you may drizzle some over the steak or incorporate it in a sauce if you wish.
Seasonings are a personal choice and can vary from simple salt and pepper, to a five peppercorn blend and crushed sea salt, to a variety of steak salts, seasonings and rubs. Depending on how adventurous your palate is, the options can be endless, though be sparing as if a steak is properly cooked, the natural sugars caramelize and form a crust which yields an amazing flavor.
Know your Grill
Start Grilling!! Every grill has its hot spots, so practice makes perfect. Find an area on the grill that gives off a pretty even and constant heat. Place the steak carefully on the grill and LEAVE IT ALONE for about 1 ½ – 2 minutes. This is where most people make their first mistake. They try to move or flip the steak too early and it sticks to the grill. It takes a few minutes for the steak to release from the grill as the heat penetrates through the meat. You may close the lid or leave it open at this point, it’s up to you. Grill Trick: To make those perfect, diamond grill marks that you see on TV,  take your 15 inch Duo Tongs and rotate the meat about 45 degrees for diamonds and 90 degrees for squares. Then flip it over and repeat on the other side.
This is the hardest part for an at home chef. How to check if it’s done! Because each grill’s fire is different and cooking time depends on the size and shape of the steaks, it’s difficult to give exact times. But there are four basic ways to determine doneness. The first two of these methods are best for novice cooks, while the last two can be learned through experience:
A. Cut into the steak in an unobtrusive place, and examine the interior to check the doneness.
B. Slide an instant-read thermometer through the side of the steak into the center to check the temperature.
Keep in mind that the temperature of meat will increase 5 to 10 degrees after resting.
C. Use the touch test. A rare steak will feel fleshy, like an un-flexed muscle; a rare to medium-rare steak will just begin to bounce back to the touch; a medium-rare to medium steak will feel firmer still. I tend to use the hand test: Make a loose fist and press the part of your hand between the index finger and thumb. When using a relaxed fist; this will indicate rare. Slightly tighten fist and repeat touch; this indicates medium. Tightly close fist and repeat touch; this is well done.
D. Look for juices on the steak’s surface. A rare steak doesn’t release any juices. As the steak approaches medium rare, you’ll begin to see red juices forming on the surface (you might also hear them sizzle as they drip over the coals). As the steak approaches medium, it releases more juices. As it approaches medium well and well, the juices will turn brown.
***Note: Remember, you can always put a steak back on the grill if it’s too rare, but you can’t un-cook a well-done steak.
This is where the home griller usually fails. LET YOUR MEAT REST! This is the most important step when trying to achieve a flavorful and more importantly, MOIST steak. Cook the meat to about a half a temperature lower than my desired temperature (for example if I desire a steak cooked medium, I would bring it to a medium rare and then let it rest). All the flavorful juices that have been stressed out by the heat, need to relax and distribute themselves throughout the meat again. Steaks should rest for about 5 minutes before being reheated and served. If you serve the steak right away, those tasty juices will spill out all over the plate after you cut into the steak. To kick your steak up to the next level and what some restaurants do to, is brush the steak with some whole melted butter before it goes on the plate. The butter really adds great flavor to that crust and helps soften up the outside of the meat. The only thing left to do is enjoy your steak, Bon Appetit!
 

Chef’s Spotlight

Chef Jason Roberts A native of New Zealand, Roberts is best known for his charismatic smile and fun personality. Having grown up in a family of food professionals, he discovered a passion for food at a young age. Turning it into a career, he spent seven years as an Executive Chef of the restaurant Bistro Moncur in Sydney, where he was immersed in the traditions and techniques of French Cuisine in by his mentor, Damien Pignolet. His accolades caught the attention of Australia’s Channel 9, where he became the host of Fresh, a cooking program which aired five days a week in Australia and New Zealand.
In January 2003, Roberts was introduced to the US on ABC’s Good Morning America. He has also appeared The Wayne Brady Show, The Sharon Osbourne Show, E!, The Style Network’s You’re Invited, New York City’s morning show Ali & Jack, and Talk Soap with Lisa Rinna. In 2005, Roberts hosted the award winning food talk show, Jason Roberts’ Taste on the PAX Television Network which earned him two American Accolade Awards for Best Host and Best Health & Lifestyle program. Roberts is the author of two cookbooks, Elements and Graze: Lots of Little Meals Fast. Jason Roberts is an internationally known chef and former cast member of the hit daytime talk show The Chew on ABC. Roberts brought his unique flair and cooking style to the show for in studio segments and traveled the country in search of unique and interesting food. He is currently working on a new cookbook, scheduled for release in late 2014,. For more information about Jason, visit his website, www.chefjasonroberts.com .
Jason believes that meal time fosters deeper connections between family and friends and his motto is “A family that cooks together, stays together.” As a long time supporter of OPAL, an initiative founded in Australia that teaches families in under-served areas how to cook healthy foods, Roberts’ advocacy for healthy living continues to make a difference. He is also a partner with Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign as a spokesman and advocate to end childhood hunger.
More than 16 million kids in America struggle with hunger and with his “PUT YOUR $$$$$ WHERE MY PEDAL IS” campaign, Jason is raising vital funds and awareness through the 1st Annual Chefs on Bikes ride, May 30-June 1, to make sure kids have access to food where they live, learn and play. Jason plans to ride from New York City to Washington, DC, and is asking you for pledges of $1 for every mile he ride – nearly 300 miles! Every $1 you donate can help connect a child with up to 10 meals. Help Jason make No Kid Hungry a reality. You can also support Jason by Donating here.
Ergo Chef supports Jason on this campaign for No Kid Hungry and will donate 30% of all sales when you include code: NoKidHungry when purchasing from www.ergochef.com

 Recipe

Grilled Sirloin Steak with Herb Crust~courtesy of Jason Roberts
This crust works well with beef or fish. Once made, it will keep perfectly well in the freezer for up to 2 months. It always looks impressive when served; in fact I would be surprised if you don’t get the occasional ‘wow’ when served over your favourite piece of fish or meat.
Serves 2
Ingredients
For the Herb Crust
3 1/2 butter
3 1/2 oz fresh breadcrumbs (brioche crumbs if you can get them)
3 1/2 oz Gruyere cheese
1 3/4 oz basil, chopped
1 1/3 oz curley parsley, chopped
1 tbls Worcestershire sauce
Cracked black pepper
For the Steak
2 – 7 3/4 oz sirloin steaks
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tbs olive oil
Method
For the crust
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth and homogenous. Remove from the processor and place on a sheet of greaseproof silicone paper. Cover with a second sheet of paper. Roll flat to about an 1/8th of an inch thick. Chill for 10 minutes before cutting to the desired size, obviously the size of whatever you are serving it on.
For the steak
Season the steak with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 to six minutes each side or, until your desired liking. Remove steaks and let rest for 3 to 4 minutes.
Pre heat a broiler. Top each steak with a piece of the herb crust, cut to the size of the steak. Place under the broiler until crust has lightly browned. Remove from grill and serve immediately alongside a helping of grilled mushrooms or your favorite side dish.
Where’s Randy? 

And last up, but certainly not least, are the ongoing adventures of Chef Randy, who will be appearing with the Ergo/Costco Road Show these next two weeks at the following locations, so mark your calendar and come out and say hello…you never know, you may even see your picture here in one of our next installments!