Sizzling Steak Tips From Morton's

If you're looking for advice on grilling the perfect steak, the folks at Morton's steakhouse are the experts. Elias Iglesias, the executive chef at Morton's in New York City, stopped by The Early Show on Wednesday to share grilling tips for your Fourth of July cookout.

Iglesias says the best cuts for grilling are sirloin, porterhouse and rib-eye, which is his favorite for grilling at home.

"You don't need to spend a lot of money, whether you buy choice or prime. What you want to look for is steaks that are nice and red, have abundant marbling because that gives you that flavor, that tenderness. You want steaks that are at least an inch to inch and a half in thickness, because that way they can cook nice and even and they won't overcook and turn to a burnt piece of cardboard on the grill," he says.

One important tip is to cook the steak when it is at room temperature, and not straight out of the fridge. "Take the steaks you're going to grill out at least two hours before you're going to grill them. What happens is you get that steak nice, and it is not as cold, in other words. When you grill it, it will cook up nice and evenly. If the steak is cold, what happens is the outside gets charred and the inside is still red," he says.

When seasoning a steak, Iglesias keeps it simple – he only uses salt and pepper.

How often should you flip a steak? Only once, Iglesias says. "When you're cooking, we have the grill up. When you cook, you really want to keep the grill down. That way you don't lose the heat. And also, the meat isn't as tough if you keep the grill down. And pretty much it depends how you like it how long it is going to take," he says.

Before serving the steak, which Iglesias likes to pair with a red wine such as a Cabernet or Merlot, he says let the meat rest for about five minutes, so the juices don't all run out at once as soon as you cut into it.

Finally, if you are not in the mood for a giant steak but something smaller, Iglesias says choose a filet mignon. "Smaller cut, very tender, flavorful. It's always a nice choice if you want something smaller, smaller cut."

Timing the Steak

We test steaks' doneness by time and by their feel. Both are subjective. Timing will vary upon broiler to broiler and grill to grill, and we hope you view the cooking times in our recipes as guides, not absolutes.

Not all cuts of meat feel exactly the same. But as they cook, all reach different degrees of doneness in similar ways. If you press lightly on a raw strip steak of T-bone, it will feel firmer than a raw filet or mignon. As these cuts cook, they will feel different as they reach each stage of doneness but the principle will be the same.

To understand our method, follow these guidelines:

Hold your hand out, palm up. Poke the pad at the base of the thumb. This is how rare meat feels when it's ready to come off the grill or out from under the broiler. (The strip steak may feel a little different from the filet mignon, but not remarkably; if you feel them both when they are raw, you'll be able to determine this.) The area of your hand between the thumb pad and the center of the palm feels how medium-rare meat feels; the middle of the palm is how medium meat feels; and the base of the pinkie is how well-done meat feels.

There are other tests for doneness. For example, if you like medium-rare meat, a bone in steak is done when the meat is still firmly attached to the bone. When the meat on a porterhouse or T-bone starts to pull away from the bone, it is past medium-rare and on its way to medium.

Watch the juices that naturally escape from the meat. The steak won't release much juice when the meat in the middle is still red, but when it starts to turn pink inside, it will. If you notice small pockets of juice collecting on the meat and they look a little white, you can be sure the meat inside is medium.

Many home cooks like to use instant-read thermometers to determine when beef is done. We don't recommend this because we don't like to puncture out steaks until it's time to take knife and fork to them. If you would like to use and instant-read thermometer until you get the hang of our testing methods, go ahead. After a while you won't need to poke one of these little things into your beautiful steaks. In the meantime, here are the temperatures for doneness:

Extra rare: 115-120F
Rare: 125-130F
Medium-rare: 135-140F
Medium: 145-150F
Medium-well: 155-160F
Well done: 165F

(These temperatures apply to lamb as well, except lamb is rare at 140 F.)

Chopped Salad with Hearts of Palm, Artichoke Hearts, and Bleu Cheese
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:
1 medium head iceberg lettuce, washed and dried
1 medium head romaine lettuce, washed and dried
10 to 12 frozen or canned (in brine) artichoke hearts (not marinated; about 12 ounces drained)
1 cup hearts of palm (about 12 ounces drained)
1 avocado
6 ounces bleu cheeses, such as Saga, Maytag, or gorgonzola, crumbled (1 cup)
¾ cup bacon bits, or 12 to 14 crumbled, crisp-cooked bacon strips
¾ cup chopped hard-cooked eggs (2 large eggs; see Note)
¾ cup finely minced red onion
¾ cup seeded, chopped plum tomato
¾ cup Dijon Vinaigrette

Preparation:
1. Cut the iceberg and the romaine lettuces into ½-inch squares. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Cut the artichoke hearts into eighths and the hearts of palm into ¼-inch-long pieces and add to the lettuce.

2. Peel the avocado and remove the pit. Cut the avocado into ½-inch cubes and add to the lettuce.

3. Crumble the bleu cheese over the salad. Sprinkle the bacon bits, chopped egg, onion, and tomato over the salad. Add the vinaigrette, toss well, and serve.

Note: To hard-cook eggs, put them in a saucepan with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, remove from the heat, and set aside for 15 minutes, during which time the eggs will harden. This is a better method than cooking the eggs in boiling water. There is less chance of the eggs cracking.

Grilled Asparagus with Roasted Red Pepper
Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 large, thick fleshed red bell peppers
36 thick asparagus spears (about 1 ½ pounds), all as close to the same size as possible
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground white pepper
6 tablespoons balsamic glaze (see Note) or a balsamic-based vinaigrette

Preparation:
1. Char the peppers over a grill or a gas flame or under the broiler, until lightly blackened in all sides and barely softened. Put the peppers in a plastic bag and let rest at room temperature for about 5 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Peel the skin off the peppers, but do not do this by running around water, which will wash away the flavorful oils.

2. Cut the peppers lengthwise through one side. Discard the ribs and seeds. Cut each pepper into three pieces. Set aside.

3. Break the tough, woody stems off of the asparagus, and then peel the bottom 2 inches of the stems to the white. The asparagus stems will break naturally where they should when bent.

4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the asparagus for 1to 2 minutes, or until their color brightens. (Do not let the asparagus spears turn soft.) Drain again. Dry with paper towels.

5. Preheat the broiler.

6. In a small boat, whisk together ½ cup of the oil with the vinegar, salt, and pepper. Transfer the asparagus to a baking sheet. Drizzle with the dressing and toss to eat.

7. Broil the asparagus, turning twice, for about 6 minutes, or until tender, rotating with tongs several times during cooking. Lightly brush the peppers with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil.

8. Using a preheated countertop grill or a gas or charcoal grill, grill peppers for about 1 minute, or until they have grill marks.

9. Center 2 pieces of pepper, grill sides up, on a plate. Fan six asparagus spears over the peppers. Repeat to make five more servings. Drizzle each with 1 tablespoon of balsamic glaze and serve immediately.

Note: Roland Balsamic Glaze is available in supermarkets. It's a concentrated sauce made with balsamic vinegar. We use it in the restaurant, but you may choose to use your own favorite balsamic vinegar (aged is best) or favorite balsamic-based vinaigrette instead.

Mushrooms and Onions
Serves 6

Ingredients:
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 cups thinly sliced Spanish onions (about 1 pound)
14 to 16 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, sliced (about 4 ½ cups)
¾ cup Au Jus (optional)
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh curly-leaf parsley

Preparation:
1. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the mushrooms release their liquid and are softened.

2. Add the Au Jus, if desired, bring to a simmer, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until liquid has almost evaporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley and serve hot.

Lyonnaise Potatoes
Serves 6

Ingredients:
3 ¾ pounds baking potatoes, baked and cooled (3 to 5 large baking potatoes; see Note)
1 cup bacon fat (see Note)
2 ¼ pounds Spanish Onions (3 medium onions), sliced ¼ inch thick
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh curly-leaf parsley

Preparation:
1. Cut the ends off the potatoes, peel, and slice in half lengthwise. Cut each half across into 3/8-inch-thick slices and set aside.

2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When warm, add half the bacon fat and heat until hot. Add the potatoes and toss. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until light golden brown.

3. Add half the onions, season to taste with salt and pepper, and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to a large bowl, cover loosely, and set aside to keep warm. Repeat to make the second batch with the remaining fat, potatoes, onions, and seasoning.

4. When all the potatoes are in the bowl, add the parsley and toss. Serve immediately.

Note: For 1 cup of bacon fat, cook 1 ½ pounds of bacon until crisp. Reserve the bacon for another use. To bake potatoes, scrub the skins, pierce them several times with the tines of a fork, and bake them for 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes in a preheated 400 F oven until tender when pierced with a small knife or skewer.

Key Lime Pie
Serves 6 to 8; Makes one 10-inch pie

Ingredients:
One 10-inch prepared graham cracker pie crust (see Note)
1 large egg white, plus 15 large egg yolks
Two 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk, such as Eagle Brand
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon lime juice (see Note)
6 tablespoons sugar
Sweetened Whipped Cream (recipe follows), for garnish

Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.

2. Brush the inside bottom and sides of the pie crust with the egg white (you may not need all of it) and bake for 5 minutes to set. Let cool on a wire rack.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and set on medium speed, mix the egg yolks, condensed milk, lime juice, and sugar for about 2 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Scrape the bowl from the bottom during mixing to make sure everything gets combined.

4. Set the pie shell on a baking sheet. Pour the filling into the pie shell so that it reaches the rim. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until just firm in the center and the filling is golden brown around the edges. Remove the pie from the oven and refrigerate immediately for at least 3 hours or overnight.

5. Serve the pie garnished with whipped cream.

Notes: At the restaurant, we usually use Keebler Redi-Crust but you could use another brand or even make your own.

We use Real Lime lime juice, but another brand would work well, too. You could also squeeze fresh limes for the juice; you'll need 10 to 12 of them.

Chocolate Velvet Cake
Serves 10 to 12; makes 1 cake

Cake
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 large eggs
7 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

Filling And Topping
1 2/3 pounds semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
3 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
1/3 cup praline paste
¼ cup (2 ounces) dark crème de cacao
¼ cup (2 ounces) dark rum
¼ cup (2 ounces) Kirsch
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan that is 2 inches deep. Set aside.

2. To prepare the cake, in a small saucepan, melt the 3 tablespoons butter over low heat and set aside, covered, to keep warm.

3. In another small saucepan, bring ¼ cup of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Whisk in the cocoa powder and vanilla until smooth and set aside.

4. In the top of a double boiler, combine the eggs and sugar and set over simmering water over medium heat. Whisk continuously for about 3 minutes, or until frothy and a deep golden yellow. The mixture will be hot to the touch. (about 105 F)

5. Transfer the egg mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.

6. Fold 1 cup of the egg mixture into the cocoa.

7. Sift the flour over the egg mixture still in the bowl of the electric mixer and gently fold into the batter. Fold the cocoa mixture into the batter. Fold the warm butter into the batter just until mixed. Do not overmix.

8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

9. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely. When the cake is cool, slice it in half horizontally using a serrated knife. Line a 9-inch springform pan with plastic wrap so that the ends of the plastic wrap extend over the side of the pan. Put the better-looking half of the cake in the springform pan. Reserve the other half for another use. (Wrapped well in plastic, it will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.) Set the pan aside.

10. To prepare the filling, chop 1 1/3 pounds of the chocolate into small chunks. Put the chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over gently simmering water over medium heat. Slowly melt the chocolate. Set aside. (Reserve the remaining 1/3 pound of chocolate for the topping.)

11. Put the egg yolks in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water over medium heat and whisk vigorously for about 1 minute, or until warm to the touch. Take care that the eggs do not cook. Remove the top of the double boiler from the heat and whisk in the coffee granules and then the praline paste, crème de cacao, Rum, and Kirsch. Whisk in the melted chocolate and set aside.

12. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip 1 ¼ cups of the cream on high for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, or until soft peaks form. Set aside while you beat the egg whites.

13. In the clean, dry bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (make sure the whisk is clean and dry), whisk the egg whites for 1 to 2 minutes, or until soft peaks form. Add the sugar to the meringue and whisk for 90 seconds longer, or until the egg whites form stiff peaks.

14. Fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream, and then fold this chocolate-cream mixture into the meringue.

15. To assemble the cake, pour the filling on top of the cake layer. It should fill the pan about three quarters full. Gently tap the pan on the countertop to remove any air bubbles, and smooth with a spatula. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or until the filling is set.

16. Finely chop the remaining 1/3 pound of chocolate. In the top of a double boiler set over gently simmering water set over medium heat. Combine the chopped chocolate, butter, and remaining 3/5 cup of cream. Whisk until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Set aside for about 10 minutes to cool until warm.

17. Remove the cake from the springform pan by releasing the sides, (the plastic wrap will help remove it too.) Using a wide spatula, carefully transfer the cake, still on the metal base of the pan, to a wire rack set on a baking sheet or pan. Ladle the chocolate topping over the cake and spread it over the cake so that the sides and top are evenly and completely covered. Refrigerate the cake for about 15 minutes, or until the topping is set.

18. Carefully transfer the cake to a serving plate or platter. If you can remove it from the metal base, do so. Otherwise, leave it in place. Let the cake sit at room temperature for 15 or 20 minutes before slicing.