Grilling to Perfection : Before you don the apron and light the coals, here’s advice from some experts.

Ready? Set?

Whoa! Hold on to your briquettes there a minute. Are you sure you’re prepared to grill that pricey porterhouse steak?

With many Fourth of July revelers primed to strike up the barbecue, we decided to consult a few local experts for some insight on how to ensure a successful grilling experience.

If you are spending big bucks for beef--especially New York, rib eye or porterhouse steaks--then your first consideration is the meat itself.

According to Randy Rhoads, meat manager at Simi Valley’s venerable Green Acres market, you’ll get the most for your money by understanding the quality and type of meat you’re buying.

Rhoads advises that you choose beef graded USDA choice or prime. The top three USDA grades of meat are prime (which is best), then choice and select. The difference between the grades is the amount of marbling--the fine streaks of fat tracing through the lean muscle tissue.

And, according to Rhoads, it’s all in the marbling. “It makes all the difference on tenderness and flavor,” he said.

Jorge Ramirez, owner and executive chef at Landmark No. 78 in Ventura, offered a simple flavor concoction to rub on your steaks before grilling:

Finely chop or press fresh garlic and mix it with some olive oil, a bit of Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Then, at least an hour before grilling, rub the mix into the steak to enhance its flavors.

Ramirez, whose restaurant specializes in steaks and seafood prepared on oak-burning barbecue pits, said a successfully grilled steak must begin with a super hot grill.

When heating up the barbecue, leave the lid on to achieve maximum heat, Ramirez said. Remove the lid when grilling time arrives.

“You want to sear the steak with the lid off for about three minutes a side,” he said. Searing the meat on a very hot grill serves to lock in the juices and flavor. The danger of cooking a steak with the lid on is that the meat will dry out from overheating.

After searing both sides, finish the steak by cooking another three to five minutes per side. Ramirez suggests you not turn the steak more than twice for each side.

But what happens if mom wants her steak medium rare and your neighbor demands medium well?

The solution: Invest in a good meat thermometer, which measures the inner temperature of the meat and, therefore, the degree to which the steak is cooked. For instance, a temperature of 140 degrees produces a medium rare steak.

“The downfall to the thermometer is the thickness of the steak,” Ramirez said. “If it’s not a real thick steak, then chances are you are going to get an inaccurate reading.”

Should that occur, consult your fist to determine how the steak is cooking. Ramirez cautions the following touch system will take some practice, but can be a great guide to judging the “doneness” of a steak.

* For rare: Let your hand hang limp. With the index finger of the other hand, push gently into the soft flesh between the thumb and index finger of your hanging hand. It will be soft and spongy, the way rare steak should feel.

* For medium-rare: Now spread your fingers. Press the same spot with the index finger of the other hand. The flesh will be firmer, slightly resistant. This is the feel of medium-rare steak.

* For medium: Make a fist and press the spot. If the meat is cooked medium, it will feel firm and snap back quickly, just as your flesh does.

Clench your fist tighter and you get an indication for medium-well and well. But who wants to eat a steak that chews like rubber?

*

A nickname like “Captain Barbecue” might give you a hint that Jim Lyons knows his way around a grill. Lyons, an Oxnard resident and caterer, can be found grilling meats Fridays through Sundays outside the Ven-Oak Market in Oak View.

Lyons, who also teaches barbecue classes at The Learning Tree University in Thousand Oaks, said that grilling chicken poses more problems for people than any other food.

Chicken breasts, which cook up in just a few minutes, are easy enough. The trouble arises when grilling quartered and halved chicken.

“The chicken looks fantastic on the outside, but still bloody on the inside,” Lyons said.

Lyons uses direct and indirect heating when grilling poultry. The chicken should first be cooked on each side over direct heat--right over the flames. Finish cooking over indirect heat by pushing the meat off to the side of the grill.

Lyons offered this tip: “I take a cooking fork and stick it all the way through the thigh right above the drumstick. Do this two times at the most. All the blood will drain out of it. That also increases your cooking speed.”

Stuart McDonald, manager of Barbeques Galore in Oxnard, echoed the importance of direct and indirect heat when grilling chicken, fish and vegetables.

“Cooking with high heat is the biggest mistake people make,” McDonald said.

McDonald hosts monthly grilling workshops at Barbeques Galore, which demonstrate a wide variety of grill types, along with cooking instruction.

If your Fourth of July barbecue will include fish, which can also be troublesome to cook, McDonald suggests using an accessory called a grill-topper.

It’s a kind of thin plate with holes and porcelain on either side. The fish--fillets or steaks--are placed on the grill-topper and cooked over indirect, medium heat with the lid down. Depending on the type of fish, cooking time will be five to 15 minutes. And here’s the good part: The fish does not have to be flipped.

DETAILS

Want to learn barbecuing techniques from the experts? Here are two opportunities:

* Grilled-meat guru Jim Lyons will teach the intricacies of barbecuing at a Learning Tree University class July 22 in Thousand Oaks. Lyons will discuss pit-smoked versus open-pit cooking methods, grilling with various wood types, health factors, safety rules, preparation tips and more. Hours: 8-9:50 p.m. The campus is at 72 Moody Court. Cost: $49, plus a $6 registration fee. An optional workshop-barbecue party, $15, will be held at a location yet to be determined on July 24. For more information or to register, call 497-2292.

* Barbeques Galore in Oxnard presents monthly workshops that cover a variety of topics including grilling techniques, rotisserie cooking, smoking techniques, safety and more. Several types of grills are demonstrated, from basic charcoal grills to expensive gas-fired gourmet models. The free workshops are held the last Saturday of every month. Hours: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The store is at 1700 E. Ventura Blvd. For more information, call 485-4665.

Rodney Bosch writes about the restaurant and food scene in Ventura County and outlying points. He can be reached at 653-7572, fax 653-7576 or by e-mail at rodney.bosch@latimes.com.