When it comes to the absolute best cuts of meat for grilling, you want to pick those that will be the most flavorful, which is why Andrew Zimmern says you want to choose a bone-in piece of meat over a boneless. The celebrity chef, who is always happy to share his steak cooking tips, shared on his website that if you are grilling, the bone is going to be the flavor difference. Zimmern states, “Bone-in steaks taste better than steaks cut off the bone. Grilled bone-in chicken thighs may take a few minutes longer to cook, but that time allows the char to develop. It enables you to go a little slower.”
Why is the “Bizarre Foods” show host so right? The reason bone-in meat tastes better has less to do with the bone and more about its removal. When meat is removed from the bone, it creates a scenario where the meat is going to lose juices it otherwise would not if it remained on the bone. This is because the bone in the bone-in steak, pork chop, or chicken serves as an insulator. You are going to lose less moisture simply because it is there.
Use your meat thermometer
The phrase “go a little slower” is really the key. You need to slow down and grill with a little patience to allow the meat near the bone to properly cook, and that’s what is going to ultimately make it taste better. A boneless steak or piece of chicken may cook faster, but it is also going to lose juices quicker.
But following Zimmern’s philosophy is also going to require you to use a kitchen tool that may get buried in a drawer: a meat thermometer. Yes, you actually do need a meat thermometer. When grilling bone-in meat, this tool will help you discern if it is ready to come off those grates. Just be sure to place your meat thermometer away from the bone or you will end up with an inaccurate, lower temperature, resulting in overcooking your T-bone or Tomahawk steaks. The minimum temperature you want to cook to for any type of poultry is 165 degrees Fahrenheit, while meats like steaks need to be cooked to at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit if you like it rare, around 160 degrees Fahrenheit for medium, and 170 degrees Fahrenheit if you prefer your meat well done.
