A vegetarian's guide to BBQing the perfect steak

What the what?!

What does a vegetarian know about BBQing steaks? And more importantly, why would a vegetarian want to BBQ a steak?

I know, most vegetarians prefer their steak on the cow… And still alive, however like most other things, I’m not your average vegetarian! While I am a vegetarian, I grew up in a family of three other meat eaters, one of which (my Dad) didn’t consider a meal a meal unless there was beef on the plate! While the people have changed, I remain the sole vegetarian in a house of three meat eaters, and being as I’m the primary cook in the house learning how to cook a steak was practically a life skill! I mean after all, my mother did teach me that the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach, and this is a fact!

I have fond memories of cooking with my mom, and watching my Dad BBQ (two things in that mans life that were off limits were his BBQ and his cars! I guess it’s true that you marry a man who resembles your father!) as a child. I’ll never forget my Mom (who to this day orders her steak “blue” at restaurants) and her habit of “sampling” the raw steak before it even hit the grill. She still does it in fact and it still makes me shiver, however I’ve been caught eating my veggies raw too so perhaps same difference?!

Anyways, with the weather getting better, and the house warming up we’ve taken the cooking outdoor as much as possible so I would love to share with you my tips for BBQing the perfect steak!

Preheat your BBQ. This may seem like a no brainer, but it’s not. A nice even heat is paramount to ensuring that your steak is cooked well.
If you’re going to marinate, pierce your steak a few times with a fork. This increases tenderness, as well as helps the marinade soak in. Allow steaks to marinade briefly prior to putting on the grill. If you’re going to simply season, you can grill right away.
For the love of god only flip it once! Once the steak hits the grill it’s a 2-4 step process. Angle the steak when you put it on the grill, half turn it once so that you get nice cross hatched grill marks, flip it and repeat. If you like your steak more rare, no need to angle, just flip.
Use this nifty tip to check for doneness on your hand.
Once done cooking, put your steak on a plate and cover with foil prior to eating.

Easy right?! If a vegetarian can do it, I’m sure you can too!

The fantastic people over at Canadian Beef have also made a series of great short clips to help you cook your Canadian Beef! Want to learn How to Grill the Perfect Steak in 36 seconds?

Yes…

Yes you do!

Canadian Beef wants to help little ole’ me get to Eat, Write, Retreat by offering up SIX scholarships for Canadian Bloggers to head off to this retreat in Philadelphia, PA, just after my 30th birthday!! WOW, what an amazing birthday gift that would be! Keep your fingers crossed for me!

What are your go to steak BBQing tips?