Flames, Glowing Coals, and Cwoils

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Published 2004

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Aids to Successful Grilling and Frying:Warm Meat and Frequent Flips

Because grilling and frying involve high heat, they tend to overcook the outer portions of meat while the interior cooks through. This overcooking can be minimized in two ways: prewarming the meat, and flipping it frequently.

The warmer the meat starts out, the less time it takes to cook through, and so the less time the outer layers are exposed to high heat. The cooking and overcooking time can be reduced by a third or more by wrapping steaks and chops, immersing them for 30–60 minutes in warm water, so that they approach body temperature, 100°F/40°C, and then cooking immediately (bacteria grow quickly on warm meat).
How often should the cook turn a steak or hamburger when grilling or frying? If perfect grill marks are necessary, once or twice. If texture and moistness are more important, then flip every minute. Frequent turns mean that neither side has the time either to absorb or to release large amounts of heat. The meat cooks faster, and its outer layers end up less overdone.