Cook Up Steaks That Sizzle

Fire up your grills. With Memorial Day marking the beginning of summer, most people will start entertaining outdoors.

But if you find grilling intimidating, Jamie Purviance visits The Early Show to share easy, straightforward tips from his latest cookbook, "Weber's Real Grilling."

The book contains over 200 mouth-watering recipes with helpful photos for many grilling techniques.

The recipes in the book use easy-to-find ingredients, so you won't be searching for things in the grocery store.

Considered one of the top grilling experts in the country, Purviance has written and edited several cookbooks. He also writes about wine and food for national magazines and newspapers.

To read an excerpt of "Weber's Real Grilling," click here.

The following are his grilling tips:

How to grill the perfect steak

1. The secret to success begins with matching the cut of meat to the method. Small, tender cuts of red meat are ideal for grilling over direct high heat. As the cuts get bigger and tougher, they are better suited for searing over high or medium heat -- then grilling-roasting over indirect heat.
2. Some of the really tough cuts call for slow barbecuing, which breaks down the sinew in meat over hours.

Color - The flesh should have a rich pink or light cherry appearance. If it has a deep red or other color, there's a good chance that it came from a dairy cow and the meat will be tough and bland.

Moisture - The surface should be moist, but not wet or sticky. A cut of meat that has been individually wrapped should not have much liquid in the package. This would indicate that the meat has been frozen and thawed.

Grade - Most producers pay the USDA to grade their beef if they believe the quality is high enough.

The following are his recipes:
Smoked Baby Back Ribs with Cola Barbecue Sauce:

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Grilling Time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours

Sauce:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon pure chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup Cola
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon mesquite liquid smoke

2 racks baby back ribs, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds each

Rub:
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon pure chile powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

*About 2 cups mesquite chips, soaked in water for at least 1 hour
Method

1. To make the sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the garlic, chile powder, and cumin. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, whisk them together, and allow the sauce to simmer for about 5 minutes.
2. Remove the thin membrane from the back of each rack of ribs. Allow the ribs to stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling.
3. To make the rub: In a small bowl, mix the rub ingredients. Season the ribs all over with the rub, pressing the spices into the meat.
4. Drain the mesquite chips and toss them onto the burning coals or into the smoking box of a gas grill. Grill the ribs over indirect low heat (grill temperature should be about 300 degrees) until the meat is very tender and has shrunk back from the ends of the bones, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. About 15 minutes before the ribs are done, start brushing occasionally with the sauce on both sides.
5. Transfer the ribs to a baking sheet and tightly cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

Grilling steak perfectly:

1. A thickness somewhere between 1 and 1 1/4 inches is great. If the steak has more than about 1/4-inch of fat on outside, trim it off, to avoid flare-ups. Allow the steak to "stand" at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling.
2. Pat the steak dry. Lightly brush or spray with oil on both sides and season with kosher salt and black pepper 5 to 10 minutes before grilling. Sear the steak over direct heat for 2 minutes.
3. Be sure to close the lid. If flare-ups occur at any time, move the steak over indirect high heat temporarily (about 10 seconds); the marks will be blurred, but you'll save your steak from the flames. To create cross-hatch marks, rotate the steak 90 degrees and sear for 2 minutes more, with the lid closed. If you don't want cross-hatch marks, just sear the steak for 4 minutes total in the previous position.
4. Turn the steak over and continue to cook over direct high heat with the lid closed, until it reaches the desired doneness, 2 to 4 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer the steak to a cutting board or serving plate and "let it rest" for 3 to 5 minutes. This allows the juices that have been driven to the center to ease back into place.