It's Father's Day: Grill your dad a steak

If I were going to grill my father a steak for Father’s Day, I would look for some expert advice to brush up on types of steaks and grilling techniques before jumping into the recipe search. Fortunately, a perk of my job is that I get to rifle through The Times’ archives, and they offer plenty of guidance.

Along with meat purchasing considerations, there are tips on how to check for doneness, insider tips for alternative cuts that are just as flavorful — if not more so — than rib-eye but a bit easier on the budget and simple tips for grilling. We’ve got your grilling basics covered, as well as some finer points to achieve perfect results. With my research done, I would then look to The Times’ recipe database.

The rib-eye is hailed as one of the best steaks, if not the best for grilling, so I would have to consider one of these recipes. Grilled rib-eye with pistachio gremolata and charred balsamic broccolini is for true devotees: It calls for a 3-inch-thick steak (have your butcher cut it for you). It also makes meal-planning a cinch: The “sauce” and vegetable preparation are mapped out along with the meat so everything is ready to serve at the same time. Perfect grilled steak calls for more conventionally sized steaks and suggests a less-than-conventional trick to prevent the meat from sticking to the grill grate. Kalbi rib-eye steaks beg for a side with some tang to balance the robust Asian flavors and the richness of the meat.

Rib-eye is great, but for some, nothing beats a Porterhouse, also known as a T-bone steak. Prepared with a ketchup-spiked red wine sauce, it is a barbecue lover’s delight.

Full of meaty flavor, skirt steak is a bit less expensive than rib-eye or a Porterhouse and grills up more quickly. It takes well to a sauce with oomph such as chimichurri or marjoram and lime salsa. Hanger steak, here seasoned with Sichuan peppercorns and 3 cups of chiles, also packs a lot of meaty flavor (and some heat) for not a lot of money. Wrapping hoisin-marinated steak in spring onion pancakes (sirloin, another popular lower-cost steak, is used here) seems like a party on a plate.

My father liked things simple. He would probably opt for a perfectly grilled rib-eye, Porterhouse or hanger steak, all sans sauce. I wish he were still alive so I could cook him a steak he would love and watch him savor it. Instead, I will have to settle for making one to honor his memory and eating it myself. Happy Father’s Day.

Grilled Rib-Eye Steak With Pistachio Gremolata and Charred Balsamic Broccolini

Aged rib-eye steak is sauced with a garlicky, citrus-heavy gremolata made with rich pistachios in this main dish recipe that will impress dinner guests.

Time 50 minutes

Yields Serves 4 to 6

Grilled beef skirt steak with onion marinade and chimichurri

Skirt steak soaked in an onion marinade, grilled and topped with flavorful, spicy chimichurri, is a favorite at Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton and Greg Denton's Portland, Ore., restaurant, Ox.

Time 50 minutes

Yields Serves 4

Skirt Steak with Marjoram and Lime Salsa

Skirt steak is grilled like a filet, seasoned simply with salt and pepper, then served with a salsa packed with marjoram and lime juice to contrast the richness of the steak.

Time 30 minutes

Yields Serves 4

Grilled Steak With Chunky Guacamole Salad

Large chunks of avocado and veggies act as a salad to super-flavorful steak seasoned with taco spices.

Time 1 hour

Yields Serves 4

Kalbi Rib-Eye Steaks

Rib-eye steak and Korean flavors are an irresistible combination. In this recipe, the even marbling of the rib-eye quickly absorbs the intense flavor of the Asian marinade.

Time 20 minutes

Yields Serves 4

Hoisin-marinated steak in spring onion pancakes

Spring onion pancakes, which are crepe-like in texture, are perfect for stuffing with grilled meats and vegetables.

Time 30 minutes

Yields Serves 4

Perfect grilled steak

Mayonnaise is a great release agent for meat like rib-eye steak. It adheres well to the food, helps release food from the hot grill surface, and gets a beautiful golden color.

Time 20 minutes

Yields Serves 4

Sichuan Chile Hanger Steak

Chef Brandon Kida of Hinoki & the Bird in Century City uses the intense beefy flavor of prime hanger steak as a backdrop to flavor with loads of red chiles and Sichuan peppercorns.

Time 25 minutes

Yields Serves 4

Rosemary-crusted porterhouse steaks with red wine sauce

The red wine sauce served with these rosemary-crusted steaks calls for a half-cup of ketchup, giving it a subtle kinship to barbecue sauce.

Time 1 hour

Yields Serves 4