Chef critique
Basque Grilled Strip Steak
A conceptually excellent bistro-style meal that effectively utilizes the grill for all major components. However, the recipe suffers from severe underseasoning for both the steak and the potato boiling water, and it targets an overly high internal temperature that will result in overcooked beef.
Score: 6/10
Suggested fixes
- Increase the kosher salt for boiling the potatoes to 2 tablespoons, updating both the ingredient list and step 1.
- Increase the kosher salt for the steak to 1/2 or 3/4 teaspoon in step 4.
- Adjust the target temperature for the steak in step 8 to 125°F-130°F for medium-rare.
- In step 6, specify to start grilling the pepper first and add the tomatoes during the last 3-4 minutes. Suggest using a grill basket or foil for the delicate tomato wedges.
Issues
- high / flavor: The steak is significantly underseasoned. An 8-ounce steak requires about 1.25% salt by weight, which is roughly 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt, rather than the 1/4 teaspoon provided.
- high / flavor: The boiling water for the potatoes is drastically underseasoned. Two quarts of water needs about 2% salinity (approximately 2 tablespoons of kosher salt) to properly flavor the potatoes, rather than 1 teaspoon.
- medium / cookability: The target pull temperature of 140°F will yield a medium-well steak after resting. For a typical bistro-style medium-rare steak, it should be pulled at 125°F to 130°F.
- low / cookability: Grilling thick wedges of delicate heirloom tomatoes directly on the grates is risky, as they can easily slip through or turn to mush. Step 6 also implies putting the pepper and tomatoes on at the same time despite vastly different cooking times.
Strengths
- Excellent use of overlapping tasks, keeping prep organized while water boils and potatoes cook.
- Smart utilization of the grill to cook the steak, vegetables, and potatoes, minimizing kitchen cleanup.
- Clear, strictly formatted bulleted lists for prep and vinaigrette mixtures.