Grill your steak perfectly and SMASH your potatoes!

Chef Jeff from Smith's came to the FOX 13 Studio and showed us how to grill steaks to perfection, then he gave us a unique recipe for potatoes.

Tips for Grilling  Perfect Steaks

1. Pick the right steaks. Steaks on the thicker side are usually best for grilling.  Steaks 1 to 2 inches thick work best to get the right amount of char on the outside while maintaining the ideal internal temperature.  New York and rib eyes are perfect cuts for grilling.  Look for a bit of fat marbling in the steaks.  Fat helps juiciness and flavor.
2. Salt is important. Salt not only helps season the meat, but it helps produce a juicier finished product.  Salt helps the cells of the meat retain water which helps it maintain that juiciness. Kosher salt usually works best for this.   A few hours before grilling, lightly salt both sides of the meat and let it rest in the fridge on a wire rack on a sheet pan.  An hour before grilling, take the meat out to come to room temp.  Wipe off with a paper towel and sprinkle a bit more salt over the steaks.  Fresh cracked pepper would be great at this point as well.
3. Preheat your grill. Preheat your grill with one side on highest setting and the other side on low.  The high heat side is for getting that sear or char on steak.  Two or three minutes per side should do the trick.  After getting the char, move to the low side to finish cooking.
4. Use a thermometer. Everyone’s perfect steak is a little different.  There are a few tricks to guessing the right internal temperature, but the best way is using a thermometer.  For a few dollars you can buy a nice thermometer that has a digital display and sometimes an alarm to let you know when your steak hits that perfect temperature.  120 to 125 is for rare, 130 to 135 is for medium- rare, 140 to 145 is for medium, 150 to  155 is for medium- well, and 160 and above is for those who like their steaks well done.  Remove the meat about 5 degrees before the desired temperature as it will continue to cook a little while it rests.

Let it rest.  Resting the steak is important as this allows the meats juices to “settle down” and redistribute throughout the meat.  Five to ten minutes works best.

Crispy Garlic and Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

Ingredients

2 lbs. small Yukon gold or red potatoes, about the size of a ping-pong ball

1 cube butter

1 tbsp. garlic, minced

½ tsp. dry thyme

2 tbsp.  fresh chopped parsley

¼ c. parmesan cheese, shredded

Canola or olive oil cooking spray

Salt and pepper to taste

Sour cream for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 450. Place the potatoes in a large pot of salted water.  Bring to a boil and simmer 20-30 minutes, depending on size, and cook until a fork or knife can easily be inserted and removed.  Drain and let sit to dry.
2. As the potatoes are cooking, put the butter in a small pot and melt along with the garlic, dry thyme, and parsley. Let it bubble a minute or so, then remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Coat a parchment lined sheet pan  with the cooking spray.  Arrange the potatoes on the sheet pan.  Using the bottom of a glass or your palms if the potatoes aren’t too hot, gently smash the potatoes down to about ½ inch, trying to keep them from falling apart.
4. Using a spoon, pour some of the butter mixture over each potato. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and pepper and then the parmesan cheese.  Spray the whole pan with a little more of the cooking spray.   Place the potatoes in the center of the oven and cook 20 to 25 minutes or until the potatoes are crispy and golden brown.  Serve immediately with maybe a dollop of sour cream.