Ron Hubbard wrote:

> I learned way back in Home Ec is to prevent a steak from being tough,
> don't season it with salt before cooking.

Did you ever test that theory? Try seasoning 1 steak with salt and
pepper and another with pepper alone. I'd bet that you wouldn't judge
the salted steak any tougher than the other and it would taste better.
Salting before grilling creates flavours that can't be duplicated by
salting on the plate. Try it, you'll like it.

> Also, buy a good steak to
> begin with: some are inherently tougher than others. The one my
family
> favors are ribeye steak because their fat content gives good flavor.

Excellent advice. I'd rather have a smaller piece of really nice ribeye
or New York than a big hunk of a cheaper cut.

> Also, we
> don't buy really thick steaks; usually a pound, give or take
> a bit is just right because we found that really thick steaks
> are not only tough but often tasteless as well. I hope this
> helps.

Thick steaks are not tough and tasteless.

>
> Ron

My advice to the OP is buy a nice cut of beef from a real butcher shop.
Season with S&P while you let the steak come up to room temp. Get your
grill (or frying pan) as hot as you can get it. Flip the steak only
once during cooking. Cook to the doneness you prefer (takes some
practice and experimentation) and then let the steak rest 10 minutes
under foil before serving.

Cam