Derek Wolf's Method To Maximize The Crust On Grilled Steak
Ever dreamed of quitting your day job to pursue your passion? Derek Wolf can relate. Speaking to Tasting Table, Wolf, who has no background in food, admitted his food blog, Over the Fire Cooking, was born out of a "just for fun" weekend escape from the daily grind. Six years later, its correlating Instagram page boasts more than 2 million followers.
During the interview, meat-lover Wolf gives pointers on choosing less costly cuts of steaks such as teres major and chuck ribeye. But, whatever cut of steak you choose, he says he's found that bringing the steak up to room temperature prior to hitting the heat isn't needed — and Beef Checkoff agrees, citing safety reasons.
As for what Wolf does recommend when it comes to cooking steaks, he's revealed a tip on how to maximize the crust on any grilled steak on Instagram. Cooking on his Fuegos grill, Wolf gets down to business with a play-by-play tutorial, starting with a technique he learned from chef Adam Perry Lang.
The Method
In his Instagram video, Wolf starts with the Adam Perry Lang method of scruffing a steak, which essentially means to score the meat with a knife, thereby creating more surface area for the grilling process. This is followed by a dry brine of kosher salt as Wolf melts bacon fat flavored with lemon juice, garlic, sage, and rosemary in a small pan on the grill. If you're worried about going overboard with bacon's saturated fat, Healthline notes that the serving size is so small that you shouldn't be concerned.
After a couple of flips on the grill, the steaks are nearly crusted to perfection. He pulls them off the heat to baste with the rendered bacon fat and herb mixture. He says to cook the steaks a few more minutes until the internal temperature reaches 120 degrees Fahrenheit. While this is on the rare side, according to Certified Angus Beef, there will be some carryover cooking for those who prefer a little more toward medium-rare. Resting also prevents the flavorful juices from running out of the steak, per Beef Checkoff. Additionally, they recommend cutting across the grain to assure maximum tenderness in every bite.
"These were so freaking delicious," Wolf says.