I grill an awful lot, yet despite my wife's claims of loving what I grill she never wants to cook on the grill herself. As a result of this separation I've taken to thinking that grilling is my dedicated manly domain. But I've never felt as macho as I did tonight when i tossed a big ole NY strip steak directly onto scorching hot coals. Intrigued? Read on! 

If you've ever had a tough time getting a good sear on a steak, this is your answer. This method produces a hard-core grilled flavor on the exterior, which encrusts a very tender and juicy interior steak. But before you can enjoy the end result you'll likely panic as you see flames engulfing your twenty dollar slab of beef. Luckily you'll also take my advice and be one with the grill, eschewing any onlookers under the guise of needing to experience caveman-style cooking in solitude. So no one will see you pacing back and forth while you sweat and wonder why you ever thought it was a good idea to toss money directly onto a fire.

But in the end, you simply coat a well-trimmed strip steak in fresh black pepper and kosher salt, cook it for 3 minutes per side directly on hot coals (hardwood coals only, briquettes produce too much ash), remove it from said coals shaking off the ones that sear right onto your meat, and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. You will be treated to an intensely flavored crust, and an unbelievably tender and juicy center. I served this with a simple grilled squash and zucchini salad tossed with tomato, mozzarella, and fresh basil, plus a light drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The cool and fresh salad is a perfect balance to the intense flavor of that steak. But you'll also take this one last piece of advice and drink a beer with your meal - out of a can - and forget that you're eating a salad drizzled with anything, instead focusing on beating your chest as you declare that you have tamed fire. 

(Note: If you do try this, skip the step of adding fresh herbs to the coals as you'll see in the gallery shots. The subtle herb smoke doesn't stand a chance next to the flavor of the charred meat.)