There are few — if any — more delectable foods than a perfectly grilled cut of beef. Slicing into a thick steak with a salty, caramelized crust and a tender pink center is a moment of pure joy, surpassed only by the moment that first forkful passes your lips. But grilling a perfect steak requires a certain amount of artistry, particularly with thicker cuts. So, we sat down with celebrity chef Robbie Shoults — owner of Marshall Mercantile and High Horse 1898 and third-generation owner of Bear Creek Smokehouse — for his veteran counsel. His best advice for perfectly grilling a thick steak? Give it a sweet spritz every once in a while.
“If you’re cooking a really large steak and it’s going to take more than 30 minutes to get done, I do recommend spritzing as it will help create a flavorful layered crust,” Shoults says. Giving meat a light spritz while it’s on the grill does more than just keep the meat juicy; the liquid also cools the outside of the meat, slowing the cooking process and forming a thick crust with the complex flavors of the grill. Just like spritzing a brisket creates a beautiful bark, spritzing your steak creates an incredible savory crust. “Spritz after about 10 minutes, then Spritz about every 15 minutes,” Shoults suggests. “Stop spritzing before you pull it off so the surface can dry and get that final crust.”
The best liquids for spritzing grilled meat
As for what liquid you use to spritz your steaks and other grilled meats, well, there is some room for experimentation and personal preference. But it’s always good to start with the advice of an expert like Shoults, whose Texas BBQ knowledge has landed him as a judge on “Beat Bobby Flay” five separate times. When Tasting Table asked for his favorite spritzing liquid, he had a simple answer: “plain old apple juice.”
Apple juice is a great choice for a few reasons. For starters, it adds an interesting sweetness to the crust of the meat, which is particularly good as a counterpoint to the savory flavors of Shoults’ Bear Rubz Grillin’ Spices. The juice also provides plenty of sugars for beautiful caramelization. On top of that, you might be surprised to learn that apple juice is actually more acidic than orange juice, so it serves as a tenderizing element for your grilled meats. Finally, when the grilling is done and you’ve got some apple juice left over, you can whip up a quick two-ingredient cocktail with Jack Daniels.
But apple juice is also not the only choice. Sticking to those same principles of sugar and acidity, there are a lot of spritzing liquids that can fit the bill. Apple cider vinegar is a common spritzing liquid for brisket that could also work with a good steak. Or you can try using a dark beer or a soda like Coca-Cola or Dr Pepper, all of which are somewhat acidic and have plenty of sugars.
