By: Amy Dell
image credit  http://www.beefinfo.org
Grilling Vs Marinating Vs Simmering Steaks.

We are a meat eating family and I love to support Canadian products.  The Canadian Beef Association has a wealth of information available to help you choose cuts of meat for every occasion. They also have recipes, nutritional information, and tips on cooking each cut of beef the appropriate way to achieve a thumbs up from your family. One way they achieve this is to list the cuts of beef in categories like ROASTS, STEAKS, GROUND BEEF, and STEWS STIR FRYS & KABOBS.  For each category the consumer is offered examples of the names of cuts that would fit each label and tips on how to prepare the beef.

From time to time I have cooked steak and had it turn out with disappointing results.  Since we don’t own a BBQ, and I cook on an indoor grill instead, I wondered what I could do to achieve making a tender juicy steak.  I watched Steaks 101 and think it is a great video. This video helped refresh my understanding of how to choose a cut of steak according to what method of cooking I intend to use.  More specifically, it was interesting to know that marinating steaks should have about 1 cup of marinade. Here is a little more about the differences between grilling, marinating, and simmering steaks.

Grilling steaks can be purchased and prepared in anyway you desire- pan fry or grill to desired doneness without much prep-work.  The Canadian Beef Association recommends only flipping the beef once during cooking.

Marinating steaks need to be drenched in a liquid for 2 or more hours after poking them all over with a fork. Pat them dry and grill, broil, or pan fry.

Simmering steaks should be browned on both sides in a hot pan, then simmered in a broth or sauce to tenderize the meat.

I’ll have to revisit my recipes and tweak them to reflect my new knowledge of the difference between these three types of steak.  Since I buy my meat in bulk when there are good sales, it helps to know that I have a resource to turn to when I end up with a cut of meat I’m not as familiar with.

I’d like to know your favourite way to prepare steak?

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Mimi’s Marinade 


2 marinating steaks (300-400 grams or 10-14 ounces)
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons of lime juice
2 tablespoons of canola oil
1.5 tablespoons low sodium Garlic Seasoning blend.
  1. Put the ingredients in a resealable bag or covered bowl.
  2. Marinate for 2 hours in fridge.
  3. Pat dry with paper towel.
  4. Grill or fry to preferred doneness.