Getting our outdoor grill cleaned, polished, and ready for summer got me thinking about how much fun it would be to celebrate. After all, the last day of school, first day of summer comes but once a year, so why not do things up right with an amazing menu and a few good friends to kick off the season—even if that means grilling on a budget.

What happened next I can only attribute to a momentary lapse of good judgment.

I visited the website of Lobel’s of New York, “The best source for the finest and freshest USDA prime dry-aged steaks, roasts, specialty meats, and gourmet products that money can buy.”

Getting the grill ready seemed like an event worthy of a few high-quality American Wagyu steaks delivered overnight on a bed of dry ice. I checked the price. Gulp! Five (minimum order) 20-oz Porterhouse steaks: $799.95—plus overnight shipping! (Not a typo).

Just the thought of forking out that kind of money on the best beef money can buy jerked me back to reality with enough force to cause whiplash.

Surely, even in these times when beef prices have shot up in ways enough to choke even Nathan Lobel himself, there has to be frugal ground somewhere between Lobel’s and what’s left of the buy-one-get-one-free hotdogs sitting in the freezer.

• MORE: All You Need to Know to Fire Up the BBQ 

Backyard Grilling on a Budget

Professional butcher, John Smith, and author of Confessions of a Butcher: Eat Steak on a Hamburger Budget and Save $$$ says that the cheap cuts of beef are often the most flavorful. And also the toughest. But don’t let that discourage you from buying those meat-counter bargains. If you know the tricks you can buy the flavorful cheap cuts of meat without ending up with meat that is bland and tough.

Select first

Don’t get set on what you’ll be grilling before you get to the store. That particular cut may not be on sale. Instead, go with an open mind. Zero-in on the cuts of meat that nearing their “use or freeze by” date and thereby marked down for quick sale. (I loaded up at Costco last week on huge markdowns for that very reason. And if it’s a bargain? Buy extra for the freezer.

• MORE: Worst and Best Ways to Grill Chicken

Marinade

A marinade is a secret to making a tough cut of meat as succulent and tender as a prime cut. Just make sure your marinade of choice contains acids like vinegar, lemon, and wine. Acid breaks down the meat to make it tender. Enzymatic action from beer, cider, and soy sauce also help.

Scroll down to find a printable for my favorite All-Purpose Beef Marinade, excellent for any cut of beef, even kabobs. This is so flavorful and loaded with tenderizing acids that you’re going to understand why I call this a miracle in a jar.

• MORE: It’s All About the Sauce

Temperature

The only way to guarantee that your meat will be moist, tender, and cooked to a safe temperature is with a food thermometer. Forget the “poke test” where you’re supposed to be able to discern a piece of meat’s level of doneness by poking at it with your finger. You need a decent thermometer that can get deep into whatever you’re grilling.

Not sure what is the exact right temperature for the items you’re grilling. Check out the extensive grilling and temperature charts.

The easiest and most reliable way to serve perfectly grilled fare is with a probe alarm. You simply insert the probe and then sit back and wait for it to reach the temperature you have designated.

And just in time for grilling season, our favorite ThermoWorks is having a SALE on all cooking alarm thermometers!

 

ThermoWorks Dot is EC pick for the Best Inexpensive quality probe alarm thermometer out there. It’s a few dollars more than the cheapest thing you could find, but this is the probe thermometer you will use and rely on for years—decades—to come. It is super accurate, reliable, and durable, too.

ThermoWorks $33.75

 

 

 

A second option is this ThermoWorks Instant Read ThermoPop easy-to-use, and reliable digital read thermometer. It returns an accurate and reliable temperature in only 3 seconds. Hold the ThermoPop in either hand or read it when it’s upside down—any angle that’s convenient. To check the temperature, simply insert then wait for 3 seconds for an accurate, digital display. Comes in a choice of  9 cool colors.

ThermoWorks $35.00

 

 

Revised & Updated 5-8-22

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