Discover the art of making that perfect steak, which is surprisingly not as difficult as it seems. Chef Inam Khan of Inam Steak House lets us in on the trade secrets
THE PROCESS
The marination
Inam believes that this is the secret to steak-making. He tells us, “Sprinkle some sea salt, crushed peppercorn, finely chopped garlic, balsamic vinegar and some Worcestershire sauce on the steak and marinate it for at least 12-14 hours before you make the steak. I do not prefer using tenderizers like pineapple or papaya as they take away the juices, making the steak ‘dry’.
The basting
Technically basting is nothing but glazing of the meat. Says Inam, “It is important to coat the meat with oil or other seasonings before putting it on the grill. The one that is most often done is bbq sauce and butter, applied with a brush. But you can get creative and use mustard sauce, thyme peppers, roasted garlic, rosemary, or oyster sauce and cayanne pepper. I believe that there is no standard way to cook — the more creative you are, the better.”
The making
You either use a gas grill, an electric one or a charcoal grill. Inam’s choice is the charcoal grill, which he believes brings out the best in a steak. He says, “I heat my grill to about 270 to 300 degrees centigrade, and then put my steak onto it. After five minutes, I flip it. And how one wants the steak done is important to know. There is rare, medium to rare and well done.”
Is your steak done?
Since not all grills work with the same heat, he suggests a simple way to know when your steak is ready to be served.
Rare: Press the fleshy part of your palm below the thumb. The softness is similar to how it feels when the steak is rare. You just flip it often.
Medium to rare: This is for those who like to eat their meat well done on the outside and yet, tender and pink on the inside. When you make a fist with your hands, and feel the fleshy part of your palm again, it is soft yes, but a little tougher than before. That is the medium to rare steak. This is usually is done in five minutes on either sides.
Well done : Nothing pink, all cooked. Keep it for a little longer than five minutes and you know it is done.
Preparing accompaniments
Inam suggests an assortment of healthy sides to complement the steak. He tells us, “I add boiled and mashed potatoes with milk or fresh cream and sautee them in garlic and oregano. Then there is steamed broccoli, grilled carrots, grilled white onions, or Italian herb rice, which is simple cooked rice sauteed with chopped garlic, onions, parsley, chilli flakes and a mix of dry rosemary and oregano.”
Ingredients
- A juicy piece of tenderloin cut meat
- Chopped garlic
- Balsamic vinegar
- Chili flakes
- Rosemary
- Oregano
- BBQ, Oyster sauce
- Sea salt
- Worcestershire sauce
Chef Inam Khan
Rent a grill
Inam’s Steak House offers a package for those who love the steak life. Rent a grill for Rs.500, buy five to six kilos of charcoal for Rs.25, and marinated steaks for Rs.350 apiece and you are good to go on your picnic.
Weekend parties
For a get-together, away from the city, Inam organises informal and interactive barbecue sessions. The menus are exclusive and the marination definitely not the ordinary. For those who need an experience away from the clichéd dine-in restaurants, Inam’s Steak House is the best alternative.