trichinosis

3. Place the steaks over the hottest part of the fire and cook until well-seared on one side, about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn and sear the second side, again about 6 to 8 minutes. Move to the cooler side of the grill and cook, turning once, 10 to 15 minutes more for rare. To check for doneness: Cut 1/4 inch into the thickest part of the meat and take a peek; it should be slightly less done than you like it.

4. Remove the meat from the fire, cover loosely with foil, and let rest 10 minutes before serving. Serve with grilled or boiled new potatoes and a spinach salad. For dessert, try grilled peaches with a little honey brushed over them.

PORK PROFITS
Pork offers plenty of great grilling choices, but we recommend the tenderloin. This most tender cut of pork has full flavor and the added advantage of being a kind of mini-roast, which means it cooks quickly, but still can be sliced and fanned out elegantly on a plate. Because pork tenderloin is so foolproof and quick on the grill, you can also take the opportunity to grill some potatoes and red onions, then make them into a simple salad that serves as a base for the sliced pork. This seems fancier (and more restaurant-esque) than it really is, a handy quality when you're trying to create an impression of extravagance.

But your efforts will be wasted if you cook this pork like our grandmothers did, until it is gray all the way through and resembles shoe leather. While this used to be a sensible precaution, it's now a big mistake. With trichinosis all but nonexistent in today's pork, there is no need to cook it any longer than other red meats. Our preference is to cook tender cuts of pork like this tenderloin to medium, which means leaving a bit of pink in the middle. Assuming you let the meat rest after you remove it from the heat, this actually gives you the best of both worlds. The internal temperature will continue to rise as the meat reposes, reaching 155 degrees in about 10 minutes. This will result in meat that is free of harmful bacteria, but still blushingly pink, tender, and succulent.