With 4th of July next week, grilling is on our minds. Whether it’s a great steak, fish or veggies, Michelin-Star Chef, Heston Blumenthal of famed The Fat Duck and Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in London, has shared his summer grilling tips with us.
Seasoning:
“In terms of seasoning, there is always a rule that I go by, salt first, no black pepper prior to cooking as it will burn during the cooking process. When using salt for seasoning, it is important to use fine salt. It will cover a larger surface area because of its size. Once the meat, vegetables are cooked, can use sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. The salt crystal will help release more flavor when biting into them. Freshly ground pepper will add not only flavor but also a wonderful aroma.”
Timing:
“It is important to know about the carry over cooking process which happens during the resting period. It is always important to rest the meat after cooking. This will help redistribute the juices internally. During this process, the meat will continue to cook. The larger the piece of meat, the more it will cook during resting. This means that if you are cooking a steak and would like to cook it to Medium Rare, remove it from the BBQ at around 51C, place it on a cooling rack over a tray and allow to rest for approximately 3 to 4 minutes. This will allow all of the juices to redistribute so that when you slice into the meat, the juices don’t come running out, as well as continue cooking for a few more degrees.”
How often should you clean your grill?
“After every use. This is one of the questions that comes up the most when my team is doing demos. Also, when I am at home, we clean it after every use. It is very simple with the Everdure Range. All I would recommend is if using the charcoal range, remove the charcoal and allow to cool slightly. Remove as much of the ash as possible and remove the black tray. This can be place in the dishwasher or wash with soap and water. Using a sponge, soap and water, can scrub the inside of the BBQ. For The gas range, carefully remove the grills and they can be scrubbed with a brush, soap and water. I like to put a bucket in the center, underneath the BBQ and using a sponge with soap and water, scrub the inside while still warm but not hot.”
How often should you flip your food while grilling?
“Steaks, pork chops, lamb chops, burgers, every 15 to 20 seconds to help achieve an even doneness in the center.”
To top it all off, Chef Blumenthal has just launched a line of grills that you can order here. From quick-starting charcoal, to the convenience of gas, they’ve each been designed from the ground up.
When you want someone else to make you an amazing steak:
APL Restaurant
One of the U.S. chefs with a serious longtime pedigree that includes Daniel Boulud, first caught our attention with pop-up grilling on the Jimmy Kimmel Live! lot in Hollywood. Adam Perry Lang has opened his first Los Angeles brick and mortar restaurant, APL.
If you don’t feel like grilling at home over the holiday week, or any other time, we can also tell you what to order (don’t miss the French onion soup peppered with the signature short rib), at this classic brasserie style eatery where you can also get a phenomenal steak cured in the underground environmental chamber)– just don’t call this a steak house. Here are the prime cuts from our recent discussion with owner and chef Adam Perry Lang.
On opening in Hollywood:
“This is kind of like the perfect storm for me, when I think about it I love that buzz and energy in this area — the locals, tourists and pre-theatre crowd. My specialty is making people feel good – [not just making steak] - it’s what I focus on. Are you excited to come to the restaurant? Do you want to invite someone back to try something?”
On the Design: (by Sammy Hayek and Kathleen Delgado)
“I didn’t go for a steakhouse clubby feel. I collected [antique] pieces from a butcher shop in the Midwest and [modern] art was curated from a mix of myself, Jimmy Kimmel and Portia de Rossi [General Public].
On those handmade “felony” knives:
“I made 320 knives by hand. I’m not looking for people to “pay dearly,” just the thieves. $950 will be added to your bill if you steel one.”
On the French Onion Soup and capturing a “lemon” food moment:
“At the end of the day, I’m just going classic technique and we make the stock for 2 days. Everything about this restaurant is about restraint. So, if you look at the dishes – it’s about taking the most basic things and distilling it down to what it’s window is. Lemon is my example: Acid drops out of a lemon and becomes floral after 30 seconds, so you want to put that wedge on the plate with fish and not squeeze it on before serving. Every food has a moment when it’s at its peak, and when it starts to go downhill. We are in the business of trying to capture that moment.”
On His Favorite cuts of meat:
“I bounce around but right now, I love the skirt steak with chicken skin gravy. It’s like a chicken fried steak without being fried. I love all the dry age meats. I’m also crazy about the fish.”
On Dock to Dish:
“This is not APL steak house - it’s APL restaurant. Fish is impeccably sourced by dock to dish. Product is there within 48 hours of the catch. We subscribe to a level of sustainability not to feel good about ourselves but because it’s better for the diner. We also hand-roll our pastas which are world class. You have to because everyone is raising the game. How do you distinguish yourself? For me it’s not about being different but maintaining a quest for perfection rather than a quest for difference.”
On Staying Power:
“It’s been received so well. I took a pulse of the area. You see people and trends come and go. I like to invest in timeless. This whole style is brasserie with finishes that will wear well during the 20-year lease. I just wanted to wait until it was the right time. This is the restaurant that I wanted.”
