Ultimate barbecued steak - recipe - Best of the West - Cover Story

Sunset, Feb, 1993 by Linda Lau Anusasananan

NOTHING MAKES a stronger statement about how Westerners like to barbecue than our year-round love affair with cooking on the grill. Come rain or come shine, we use fire and smoke to work magic on foods. One of the favorite grilling candidates is beef steak because it benefits from the hot glowing coals; beef also takes well to an imaginative spectrum of seasonings, such as this robust tequila marinade.

Tequila Beef Steaks
4     New York strip steaks (each 8 to 10 oz., cut 1 to 1 1/2
in. thick), fat trimmed
1/2   cup tequila
2     tablespoons olive oil
1     tablespoon pepper
2     teaspoons grated lemon peel
1     clove garlic, pressed or minced

Salt

With a damp paper towel, wipe steaks; put meat in a 1-gallon plastic food bag. Add tequila, oil, pepper, lemon peel, and garlic; seal bag, and turn to mix seasonings. Set bag in a bowl; chill at least 1 hour or up to 1 day; turn bag over occasionally.

Drain steaks and place on a grill 4 to 6 inches above a solid bed of hot coals (you can hold your hand at grill level only 2 to 3 seconds, or set gas barbecue at this heat).

Turn steaks to brown evenly; for medium-rare (cut to test), cook 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer meat to plates; season to taste with salt. Serves 4.--Judy Murphy, Foster City, California

Per serving: 385 cal. (44 percent from fat); 49 g protein; 19 g fat (6.6 g sat.); 0.7 g carbo.; 116 mg sodium; 129 mg chol.