How to make the perfect steak

While many folks do less outdoor grilling once  Labor Day has passed, I refuse to let the calendar influence my cooking habits. I'll happily grill away year-round and will fire up my Vermont Castings cooker in pretty much any weather.

But if Labor Day does signal your last hurrah for outdoor cooking this year, go out like a pro by following our expert advice for grilling the perfect steak (video, right). A number of my coworkers have tried the tips and report that they've never turned out better beef.

Don't miss our easy-to-make recipes for the grill.—Steven H. Saltzman

Essential information: If you're looking for a good deal on a gas grill, you might find lower prices in stores as the end of summer approaches. But before you shop, read our latest report and visit our gas-grills product page for more information.

Grill purchase turns into a nightmare

Buying a gas grill shouldn't leave you fuming, but that's what happened to one homeowner.

In "A Slow Burn Over a New Gas Grill," in the August 3 edition of The New York Times, Vincent M. Mallozzi wrote about the trouble he had when he bought a new gas grill and tried to convert it to a natural-gas cooker.

His saga included a litany of incorrect parts, aggravating trips to several retailers to search for their replacements, escalating costs, a frustrating phone call to the manufacturer, and lots of waiting  . . . and then some more waiting.

Mallozzi's woes can probably be chalked up to a less-than-knowledgeable salesperson, poor customer service from the manufacturer, and the fact that the proper conversion kit was not available. (If you've experienced your own grill-inspired woes, share your story in our gas-grills forum.)

To keep yourself out of a similar grilling grind when shopping for a new model, read what our experts have to say about choosing a grill, discover the notable features, and look over our Ratings (available to subscribers). Remember, grill prices should come down as summer turns to fall.

If you're looking for a natural-gas grill, buy one of those if available, not a model you have to convert. If you're installing a conversion kit, be sure to carefully follow all instructions.—Kimberly Janeway

Essential information: Use our buying advice to find the grill of your dreams, try our easy-to-prepare recipes for grilled pizza, short ribs, chicken with rosemary, and other delicious fare.

Tip of the Day: Avoid accidents when grilling

Lots of us cook on a gas or charcoal- or wood-burning grill during summertime entertaining. Apparently some of us are spending too much time talking about our golf games, the presidential race, or a recipe for a killer dry rub instead of paying attention to the fire—more than 5,000 people went to the emergency room for grilling-related injuries in 2007, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Burns were the most common injury.

To avoid grilling accidents and keep yourself out of the ER, follow the advice below, compiled from our own experts, the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association trade group, and the CPSC:

• Check hoses and fittings for gas leaks when you first use your gas grill each year and a couple of times during outdoor-cooking season. Mix a small amount of dishwashing liquid and water in a spray bottle. Spray the soapy solution over connections and along the hose. Turn on the gas at the tank but leave the burners off. Bubbling at connections or along the hose means you need to replace the hose or fittings or possibly tighten a loose connection.
• Always grill outside and never in an enclosed area like the garage. Carbon monoxide could build up and make you sick or even asphyxiate you.
• Empty the grease pan, tray, or receptacle to decrease the risk of fire. Replace it after cleaning.
• Cook in a low-traffic area and away from any combustible surfaces. Sweep up dry brush and leaves. If your home has vinyl siding, be sure to keep a hot grill far away or it can cause the siding to melt and sag.
• Keep young kids and pets away from the grill when you're cooking and even after you're done—a grill can stay hot for up to an hour after you've cooked the last kebab. And never move a hot grill.
• Do not start a charcoal or wood fire with gasoline, and don't add lighter fluid after the fire has started; the flame can follow the fluid to its source—that being the container you're holding in your hand.
• When lighting a gas grill, keep the lid open to prevent gas from building up and causing what the HPBA calls a "flash off."
• Cook with long-handled utensils and flame-retardant mitts.
• Control flare-ups to keep yourself and others from getting burned. On a gas grill, lower the temperature. For a charcoal- or wood-burning model, raise the grid or evenly spread the coals.
• Put out a grease fire with baking soda and have a fire extinguisher on hand. If you don't have a fire extinguisher , use bucket of sand or douse the fire with water from your garden hose.
• Let ashes from a charcoal or a wood-burning grill sit for at least 48 hours before you throw them out.

Forum and Function: Readers' solutions to summertime problems

If you find yourself in a bind around the house this holiday weekend—or maybe you just have some spare time—you might want to take a look at the wealth of user-generated information on our forums. You'll find suggested solutions to some summer-specific household issues—or at least get some sympathy from fellow readers.

Summer comfort: Make your air conditioner more dependable and efficient

• Curing noisy air conditioners
• Using an air conditioner with a fan
• Does fan speed affect efficiency?

Outdoor pleasures: Here's what's fueling discussions about grills, an essential summer tool

• Who makes the best gas grill?
• Should you refill or exchange your liquid-propane tanks?
• Natural gas vs. propane: Which fuel is better?

Appliances woes: Higher temperatures take a toll on many appliances. Here are solutions to a few recurring problems

• Dryers: What to do about condensation
• Curing a smelly washer
• Replacing a refrigerator: Which French-door model is best?

And finally, if summer activities have taken a toll on your physique, our best mattresses for bad backs thread might provide some relief.—Gian Trotta

Tip of the Day: How to grill the perfect steak

A recent survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center found that 68 percent of U.S. consumers live in a household that grills outdoors. With the Independence Day holiday upon us, many of you will undoubtedly fire up your gas or charcoal grill to prepare a holiday meal for family and friends.

If steak is on your menu, follow these expert grilling tips from John Macchia, a senior laboratory technician in the Technical Division of Consumer Reports who studied at the Culinary Institute of America, and watch the video (right). And try our other delicious, easy-to-prepare grilling recipes.

If you’re in the market for a new grill, read our latest report to find the best gas grill for your home. Based on the recent ads we’ve seen, you might be able to get a good deal on a grill at the major home-improvement centers.

6 Steps to a Great Steak
• Use fresh beef that you've just bought or have refrigerated for up to three days. Do not use meat that has been frozen.

• Preheat your gas grill on high for at least 10 minutes. Clean and oil the grates. Remember to keep the lid closed during preheating and as you cook.

• Trim excess fat from the steak. Then season the meat with freshly ground pepper and kosher or coarse salt, using a little more salt than usual since some will drip off during cooking.

• To get steakhouse-quality grill marks, place one end of the steak diagonal to the grates facing left (pointing to 10 o'clock). Then, without flipping the steak, move the end so that it now faces right (pointing to 2 o'clock). Flip the steak and repeat the previous two steps.

• Grill a boneless steak, such as rib-eye or sirloin, 1 to 11/2 inches thick, for 90 seconds for each step if you prefer rare meat. Grill a bone-in steak, like a porterhouse, for 2 minutes per step for rare. Add 30 seconds per step for medium-rare. Cook for 3 minutes per step for medium-well. Remove the steak from the grill.

• A meat thermometer should register 145º F for medium-rare, 160º F for medium, and 165º F for medium-well, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

You might have heard that charring your food can lead to the formation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. It’s not yet known how much HCAs might increase cancer risk in people, but there are ways to limit your exposure. Read "Don't Char the Meat" for more details.—Steven H. Saltzman

Essential information: Use our Home Improvement Guide interactive to take a room-by-room tour of the top-rated appliances and most cost-effective improvements you can make to your home.

New feature! Home Improvement Guide Interactive

Remodeling a room in your home or simply replacing appliances or buying new gear for your yard and garden?

The Consumer Reports Home Improvement Guide interactive (picture shown) on ConsumerReports.org lets you click on any room in your house and choose the top appliances, paints, flooring, and other remodeling products for your home's interior and exterior, from the kitchen and bathroom to roofing, siding, mowers, and tools.

The Home Improvement Guide includes expert remodeling tips as well links to Ratings of top ranges, refrigerators, dishwashers, decking, mowers and tractors, room air conditioners, windows, washing machines, vacuums, and many more appliances, tools, and remodeling materials you need to upgrade your home.

Take a room-by-room tour of our interactive home today!

Grilling season is in full swing

In the market for a new gas grill? Read our latest report on these outdoor cookers as well as our recent First Look on the Perfect Flame 720-03533 gas grill.

This four-burner model is an electronically controlled gas grill with an interesting feature: Its control panel has a digital touchpad—there are no dials or knobs. This Perfect Flame also has another unusual twist in that you need to plug it in for the grill to work.

Essential information: Follow our expert advice to ensure you avoid common grilling mistakes and to keep your grill cooking better, longer as you make our delicious, easy-to-prepare dishes and use the chef-restaurateur Bobby Flay’s recipes.

Tip of the Day: Shopping advice for gas grills

While many Americans with grills use their outdoor cooker year-round, with Memorial Day about a week away, high grilling season is about to start. If you're ready to buy a new gas grill, use our shopping tips below and buying advice and watch our video (right) before you head to the store. (Find out what grills other people are buying and what grilling topics are hot in our grills forum.)

Size it up. Match the grill's cooking area to the number of people generally around your table. Remember, manufacturers might include warming racks in their measurements of cooking area. Our measurements are based on the main cooking area and how much food it will hold. Next factor in how much space the grill will take up on your patio or deck. Some of the large grills we've tested are 6 feet wide.

Look over the menu. A basic grill is fine for cooking hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks, kabobs, chicken pieces, and vegetables, but if you regularly cook whole chickens, turkeys, or large roasts, look for a model with a rotisserie burner.

Bring a magnet. Many grills are made of a mix of grades of stainless steel. Our tests have found that 300-series stainless is less likely to rust than cheaper, 400-series stainless. Magnets will usually stick to cheaper grades, so bring a magnet with you to test the metal.

Think safety. The more stable the grill, the better. When shopping, gently push the grill from several angles to see if it tips. Check the cart, firebox, lid, and shelves for sharp corners and edges. Grip the handle. Your knuckles or fingers shouldn't be too close to the lid or your hand could get burned during use.

Essential information: Also read our June 2008 gas-grills report and visit our gas-grills product page. Then follow our expert advice to ensure you avoid common grilling mistakes and to keep your grill cooking better, longer as you make our delicious, easy-to-prepare dishes and use chef-restaurateur Bobby Flay’s recipes.

Q&A: Any tips for getting my propane-gas grill ready for outdoor-cooking season?

I haven’t used my gas grill since last fall—it’s been sitting covered on my deck. How can I be sure it’s in shape to cook this summer?

Memorial Day is just a few weeks away, and this unofficial start of summer also signals the kickoff of outdoor-cooking season. Before you start searing steaks, grilling vegetables, or flipping burgers, you need to make sure your gas grill is in shape. Remember, a clean, well-maintained grill will improve the flavor of all the food you cook and help prevent grease fires and other accidents.

Follow the steps in “Help Your Grill Cook Better, Longer” and you should be all set to fire up your grill—safely—this spring and summer.

Essential information: Before you buy a grill, read our June 2008 gas-grills report and visit our gas-grills product page. Be sure to try our delicious, easy-to-prepare dishes—with expert advice for cooking the perfect steak—and use chef-restaurateur Bobby Flay’s recipes.

Grilling America’s grillers

With 17,431,500 gas, charcoal, and electric grills shipped in North America in 2007, according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, it’s clear that Americans love to cook outdoors.

Indeed, 68 percent of U.S. consumers live in a household that grills outdoors, according to a recent nationwide survey* conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center. Their primary reasons for grilling? Survey respondents say they enjoy spending time outside (88 percent), prefer the taste of grilled food (86 percent), grill when entertaining (72 percent), and want to keep the kitchen cooler and lighten the clean-up load (both 62 percent). Here's what else the survey revealed:

Holidays like Memorial Day, Father’s Day, and the 4th of July are popular grilling events, but Americans who grill fire up their cookers on more than just those occasions. Forty-one percent grill year-round, half do so more than once a week during the grilling season, and a highly dedicated 15 percent grill four or more times per week.

Weather can’t deter these fire-cooking fiends. Sixty-eight have grilled while it was raining, 32 percent have grilled in temperatures below freezing, and 26 percent have used their outdoor cooker while it was snowing, sleeting, or hailing. (Do they still drink beer in that nasty weather?)

Given this propensity to flip burgers, sear fish, and grill vegetables, it stands to reason the biggest problem people face is running out of fuel (36 percent). Other issues they encounter are flare-ups (32 percent), losing food between grates (29 percent), overcooking/burning items (27 percent); only 11 percent deal with undercooked food or drop what they’re cooking on the ground (15 percent). I wonder if they eat it. . . .

Grilling safety is always a concern. Fortunately only 9 percent of grillers admit to grilling in their garage, though we think that number should be 0. Twelve percent of consumers admit to having burned themselves and 2 percent indicate they have burned others. Two percent have started a fire in which they needed a fire extinguisher, and 1 percent caused a fire for which they had to call the fire department.

It’s likely that men are the ones dealing with grilling problems and safety matters. Among married households, 78 percent of men are the primary grillers—though less than a quarter of them handle the indoor cooking. Still, 40 percent of women say they are the person in their household responsible for the outdoor cooking.

Bobby Flay’s tips for great burgers

With diverse restaurants like Southwestern-flavored Mesa Grill, Spanish-inspired Bolo, American brasserie Bar Americain, and Bobby Flay Steak to his credit, chef-restaurateur Bobby Flay might seem like someone with high-style tastes that veer toward the international. Yet the humble hamburger remains this longtime Food Network star’s favorite food to eat.

The 43-year-old Flay is so enamored of hamburgers that he’s planning to open Bobby’s Burger Palace, a chain of eateries with several locations in the greater New York City area.

If you share Flay’s passion for hamburgers but can’t make it to one of his restaurants, use his tips for making topnotch burgers at home. Add some flair to your standard grilling menu by making Flay’s tuna burgers (recipe follows after the hamburger tips).

Before you grill, follow our expert advice to ensure you avoid common grilling mistakes and to keep your grill cooking better, longer as you make Flay’s recipes as well as our delicious, easy-to-prepare dishes. And if you’re in the market for a new gas grill, read our June 2008 gas-grills report and visit our gas-grills product page.—Kimberly Janeway

Flay’s 4 Steps to a Great Hamburger
1. Skip beef that’s too lean. Flay suggests that you use ground chuck with a 20 percent fat content (80 percent lean). “A burger has to be juicy to be good and you can’t get juicy without fat,” Flay says, noting that a lot of the fat will drip off during the cooking process. If you use beef that’s too lean and you like your burgers cooked passed medium doneness, you’ll end up with a dry burger when the meat is too lean. “If you are watching your weight or are under the care of a physician, then use a leaner meat,” adds Flay.

2. Season the meat liberally. Flay recommends that you season the patties generously with salt and freshly ground pepper. Each patty should be about six ounces.

3. Turn up the heat. To get a nice char on the meat while keeping the inside juicy, cook over high heat, according to Flay, who cautions that you shouldn’t play with the meat while it’s on the grill: Place each patty on the grill (which you should have preheated for 15 to 20 minutes), let it get brown and slightly charred (this will take about 3 minutes), and then flip it. Flip each burger only once or they will start to fall apart. Don’t press on the burger either; this will cause juices to come out of the meat and will cause annoying flare-ups.

4. Break out the toppings. “My ideal burger contains two slices of aged cheddar cheese, two slices of ripe beefsteak tomato, grilled sweet onion, say Vidalia or Walla Walla, crisp romaine or iceberg lettuce, and a strong horseradish mustard,” Flays notes. He adds that the perfect burger calls for a soft, airy bun with sesame seeds.

Photo courtesy of Food Network

Buzzword: Staycation

What does it mean? Staycation is a portmanteau that combines “stay” and “vacation” and refers to a holiday that takes place either at or near home. It joins a list of other Buzzwords that are formed by melding two words into one: greenwashing, prosumer, ruralpolitan, and techorate.

Why the buzz? With the U.S. economy sagging and the nationwide average price for unleaded regular gas surging toward $4 per gallon, a pricey destination holiday is beyond the reach of many Americans. Not wanting to experience a summer devoid of well-deserved R&R, many families are trading in their travel plans for a stay-at-home vacation. These staycations take many forms, including backyard camping “expeditions” and romantic “escapes” to a local hotel.

Just like many vacations, staycations require gear, and at-home holidays call for some special accoutrements. Top of the must-have list is a dependable grill. The affordable Brinkmann 810-8410S, $200 (sold at Home Depot), and Char-Broil Commercial Series 463268008, $300 (Lowe’s), are Quick Picks. Read our latest report on gas grills for the full details and try out our easy, delicious grilling recipes.

Beyond a good grill, your outdoor-living area/kitchen needs a few other products to help make your staycation a success. For crushing ice and mixing fruit smoothies, keep a quality blender handy. Turn your patio or deck into an open-air entertaining room with outdoor furniture. To keep the bugs at bay, review our Ratings of insect repellents (available to subscribers), and find the best sunscreen. Finally, make sure your air conditioners are up to snuff—when you’re watching a movie at home on a scorcher of a summer evening, you’ll definitely want to keep cool.—Daniel DiClerico

Essential information: To prevent accidents from happening during your staycation, be sure to review our Summer Safety Guide, and see our Outdoor Living Guide for more information on outdoor fun.

Does the Fuego 02 gas grill combine style and performance?

We recently tested the Fuego 02 gas grill, $1,700, for our upcoming grills report, which will appear in the June 2008 issue of Consumer Reports (on sale and online the first week of May).

The Fuego 02 is a single-burner gas grill that seems to be designed for people who might favor form over function. Indeed, here's how the manufacturer describes this outdoor cooker in a brochure: "Part furniture and part grill, it functions as much as an entertainment hub as a place to prepare a memorable meal."

Find out whether this attractive grill left us burning with enthusiasm by reading our product review.

Essential information: See our gas grills product page for expert tips on buying and using a gas grill, including easy-to-make delicious recipes, advice on avoiding common mistakes when cooking, and ways to keep your grilling working well and looking good.

Black Friday sales for the home

Sales the day after Thanksgiving—Black Friday—can mean big savings on home items both big and small. Whether you’re talking tools, appliances, or home furnishings, deals are available at the major retail stores as the end-of-year holidays approach.

While Consumer Reports has not tested many of the products listed here, our free buying advice (listed with each section) can help you make wise shopping decisions. Also check out our all-star appliances and kitchen gear, and be a smart shopper when you’re looking for new kitchen and laundry appliances.

Check local store locations for product availability, and note that prices and models are subject to change. (Prices have been rounded up to the nearest dollar.)

For more information on Black Friday deals, visit Black Friday 2007.—Helen A.S. Popkin

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