Old Town Pour House
Corporate Executive Chef Paul Katz's tips for grilling meat.

1. First and foremost, start off with quality meat.

2. Make sure steaks are thick, at least 1-1 ½ inches. The reason for this is when you sear the meat, it is thick enough to char on the outside, yet not overcook the inside. Searing creates a crust on the meat that will lock in juices and flavor.

3. Bring all meat to room temperature before cooking. This does two things. First, the meat will cook faster. Refrigeration tightens the meat, so bringing meat to room temperature will relax the muscle (meat) and thus cook quicker. Secondly, the meat will cook more evenly.

4. Whether you use gas or charcoal, you always want to get the grill extremely hot (at least 500 to 700 degrees; depending on the grill, you can go even hotter) and sear the meat on one side and then finish with indirect heat. This will allow you to sear the meat and lock in those juices, yet finish cooking without charring too much.

5. ALWAYS let your meat sit before serving. This allows the juices, which have been driven to the center of the meat, to redistribute and reabsorb.

Old Town Pour House, 1419 North Wells Street (at Schiller Street); 312-477-2800.


Photo: Courtesy of Old Town Pour House