Lid Open Or Closed When Grilling Steak

Steak ranks among the most popular foods consumed globally. It’s prized not just for its delicious flavor but also for its various benefits. Available in beef and chicken varieties, there are multiple methods to prepare steaks. Grilling is a common technique, although baking and steaming are also viable options. When grilling steaks, deciding whether to keep the grill lid open or closed is a crucial consideration.

Apart from the grilling apparatus, the overall ingredients of your cooking also hold much importance during the cooking process. The spices and ingredients included in the steak grilling process can indeed be customized according to your needs. In addition to this, the marination process can also be as per your preferences. Marination adds up to the steak’s flavor and helps us reach the ultimate goal, which is tender steak.

As discussed above, apart from the appetizing flavor and taste of steak, it is also a source of many nutrients. Bodybuilders, gymnasts and athletes are recommended to incorporate steak in their diet as it enhances muscle mass and is an efficient source of protein due to the high protein content.

Opinion About Lid Open Or Closed When Grilling Steak

There are multiple schools of thought on whether the lid should be open or closed while grilling steaks. However, a minority of the cooking experts understand that cooking or grilling steak is a combination of both steps.

Closed Lid

The process of grilling steak with a closed lid is called the convection process. However, this is not the only process that accounts for the grilling of steak. Another method, too, takes place with an open lid.

We all want our steak to tender from the inside while being crusty from the outside. In addition, we want the inner moist, buttery, and salivating while the outer should be crispy and charred. The method of cooking is undoubtedly different in thick meat and thin meat. The endpoint remains the same, which is a perfectly cooked steak.

While closing the lid, we aim to create convection. The heat generated will be trapped within the closed lid space. The heat helps cook the meat. The closed lid method is hence used for cooking or grilling thick steaks. This means that they help tender the meat from the inside while allowing it to be crispy and soft from the outside.

Open Lid

The open lid grilling of steak holds similar importance as that of the closed lid grilling. This grilling process is known as searing. The open lid grilling helps the food get caramelized from the outside and make the outer layer crisp, soft and crunchy. This is because the heat from all around the grilling apparatus is acting on the outer portion of the steak.

Often when the meat is thicker than a three-fourth inch, you will have to ensure that you keep a correct balance of searing and convection so that the steak remains crisp from the outside and crunchy from the inside.

Health Benefits Of Eating Steak

We all are aware that steak is one of the most widely eaten foods all around the world. It is now used as a meal and has other benefits. In addition, it is one of the most nutritious and energy-packed food items. It is not always mandatory to cook steak in lots of oil. Instead, you can use 2 to 3 teaspoons of oil while grilling steak using the closed lid method.

Following are the few health benefits of eating steak or incorporating it into your diet.

Steak Is One The Most Protein-Rich Foods

Steak is undoubtedly one of the most protein-rich foods. This is one of the reasons that it is recommended to athletes and gymnasts for building up their muscle mass. Protein is one of the essential macromolecules in our body. It is needed to build muscles, nails, hair, and synthesize enzymes and hormones.

While eating 100 grams of steak, you look at 20 grams of proteins. Hence, you should incorporate protein into your diet.

Source of Iron

Together with protein, steaks are also a source of iron. Iron itself is an important element of the body. This is because iron helps build our red blood cells, which aid in delivering oxygen all over our bodies. If you are suffering from iron deficiency anemia or just anemia, eating steaks is the right choice.

Being rich in iron is itself a huge benefit of steaks. Moreover, the iron in the red meat is readily absorbed into our bodies. Steaks contain 15 per cent of the recommended daily iron intake.

Rich In Micro Nutrients

Apart from the macronutrients like proteins, carbohydrates and fats, our body also needs micronutrients. These micronutrients enhance the normal functioning of the body. Steak also contains many micronutrients, which are carnosine and creatinine.

These two macronutrients help in maintaining the function of the brain and muscle. In addition to these nutrients, steak also contains other elements such as selenium, zinc, vitamin B, vitamin E, vitamin A, omega three fatty acids and CLAs.

Final Verdict

Conclusively, open and closed lid cooking or grilling plays a crucial role in making steak. However, for thicker steaks such as rib-eye steak, you can also use a combination of both searing and convection. The main effort lies in how you intend to keep the balance. This means that you have to caramelize the outer skin while keeping the inner meat soft, moist and tender.

You should also incorporate steaks into your diet. This is due to steaks’ numerous benefits and health advantages on human health. It compensates for multiple types of deficiencies such as protein, iron, and mineral deficiencies.