Gas Vs Charcoal Grills
Most people will tell you that charcoal or wood-fire grills are preferable for grilling steaks because they bring that smokey, charred flavor. If you are using a charcoal grill, skip the charcoal briquettes and lighter fluid, as these can add a kerosene flavor to your steak. Instead, opt for wood or natural, hardwood lump charcoal .
But don’t fret if you have a gas grill. The heat is ultimately more important than how you get it. You can still achieve great results with a gas grill. And gas grills allow for greater precision and control over the heat, which is definitely a plus for the amateur and the grill-master alike.
How Do I Slice And Serve Grilled Steak
Conventional wisdom is to rest a steak before you slice it, but Id argue that a steak hot from the grill is the best, juiciest steak you can have. With that in mind, remove the steaks from the grill and slice across their grain immediately. Top the warm steak with slices of the compound butter and enjoy immediately.
How To Grill Steak Perfectly Every Time
Learn how to grill steak perfectly every single time with this easy to follow recipe where steak is seared on a hot grill and cooked to perfection. Grilling steak doesn’t have to be complicated! Grades of Steak There are three…
Learn how to grill steak perfectly every single time with this easy to follow recipe where steak is seared on a hot grill and cooked to perfection. Grilling steak doesnt have to be complicated!
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Why Youll Love This Recipe
Salt The Steak At Least 30 Minutes In Advance
Salting is the very best thing you can do for a large steak. You dont need much salt just a nice sprinkle of kosher salt over the entire surface. Then, place it on a rack inside the fridge.
For best results, youll want to salt the steak a day in advance. If youre running short on time 30 minutes will workbut when it seasons longer, the salt can work its way deep into the meat. As the salt seasons the meat, it also pulls out moisture. Given only 30 minutes, youll have to blot off that excess moisture off with a paper towel. But, with more time, the brine will reabsorb into the meat and create a super flavorful steak.
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Dont Use Lighter Fluid Or Charcoal Briquettes If You Can Avoid It
According to Prentiss, Always avoid lighter fluid if possible, and while convenient, charcoal briquettes can add an unpleasant kerosene flavor to meat grilled meats and should be avoided. If a wood/natural lump charcoal fire is unavailable or too inconvenient, propane grills will ultimately yield a better steak than charcoal briquettes and lighter fluid.
The best way to go, however, is hardwood or hardwood lump charcoal. Natural solid fuels add the most flavor to steaks while complementing their natural flavors instead of overpowering them, says Prentiss. At P+P we use seasoned oak logs and a hardwood lump charcoal made from mesquite, this yields us a consistent fire with minimal smoke that burns around 800 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dont Forget To Let It Rest
As with all large cuts of meat, you should let your steaks rest before slicing into them. You want those juices to redistribute within the meat instead of spilling out onto the cutting board! A good rule of thumb is to let it rest for 5 minutes per inch of thickness . For most steaks, that means anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes. Dont worry I promise it wont get cold while it rests!
Since a thick steak takes a bit longer to grill than a thinner steak, go ahead and prepare one of these grilled appetizers while you wait to keep everyone from getting hangry!
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How Long To Grill A Steak
According to the USDA, beef should have a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F. However, steak is commonly cooked anywhere from 125 degrees F to 160 degrees F, depending on personal preference.
Of course, how well done you want your steak to be is going to affect your cooking time, so we recommend using an instant-read meat thermometer to check for doneness. Here are some general steak cooking times, based on an internal temperature of 145 degrees F:
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How To Grill A Thick Steak
When grilling steak that is 1 ½ inches thick or more, the best way to get the perfect char on the outside and desired doneness in the center is to do the reverse sear. You will cool the steak until it is almost done over indirect heat, then move it to the hotter direct-heat section of the grill for the final sear.
You will want to make sure the indirect heat section of the grill is around 225 degrees F. Then add the steak to the cooler part and cover the grill.
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How Hot Should The Grill Be For Steak
Raichlen recommends establishing two cooking zones in your charcoal grill: one thats very hot for searing the steak, and one thats medium for finishing the steak and cooking it through.
On a gas grill, heat the grill to 450°F with two burners going, which should only take about 10 minutes, then turn one of the burners down to medium to create two cooking zones.
Not sure if the grill is hot enough? Raichlen’s tip is to hold your hand 3 inches above the grill grate and count “1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi…” If you can only hold it there for a second or two, the grill is hot and you’re ready to cook.
I followed Raichlens advice, and started my steak in the hot zone, then moved it to the medium zone to finish cooking. It worked like a charm.
What’s The Best Cut For Grilling
While personal preference is certainly a big factor when choosing the right cut, steaks with significant fat marbling are always going to be preferable for grilling because when it comes to steak, fat equals flavor.
You’ll also want to pay attention to the thickness of the steak. Thicker steaks about 1 ½ to 2 inches are the best choice for beginners because they’re harder to overcook. Thick, well-marbled cuts recommended for grilling include ribeye, strip , and filet mignon .
Cheaper cuts like skirt and hanger steaks are also good for grilling, but there’s more room for error with these, as they are thinner cuts. For best results, marinate overnight and use a meat tenderizer to break down the muscle fibers.
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How Do You Grill A Frozen Steak
Never grill a frozen steak. Frozen steak must be defrosted before cooking.
Grilling a steak while fully frozen is a health risk because bacteria can form while the steak lingers at low temperatures. Also, the surface of the steak is likely to burn while the inside is raw.
To defrost frozen steak, put it in a dish in the refrigerator. Most cuts will fully defrost overnight.
If you need to defrost frozen steak in a hurry, put it under cold running water.
For A Thick Steak Use The Reverse Sear Method
For steak that’s 1 1/2 inches thick or more, the best strategy to ensure meat that’s perfectly charred on the outside and cooked to desired doneness in the middle is the reverse sear. You’ll cook the steak until it’s almost at the desired doneness over indirect heat, then move it over the hotter direct-heat section of the grill for a final quick sear.
First, make sure the indirect-heat section of the grill is around 225°F , add the steak to that cooler part of the grill, and then cover the grill. When the lid is down, hot air circulates around it, and you can gently warm the meat so that from top to bottom, its the same temperature and color, Goldwyn said. You’re basically creating an oven for your meat.
Start checking the temperature of the steak after about 15 minutes , and continue checking every 5 minutes, until the internal temperature of the steak is 10-15 degrees below your target temperature . Once the food hits that temperature, its ready to move to the direct-heat side for a quick sear.
Next, you want to crank up the heat. Remove the steak to a plate and set aside. For a gas grill, close the lid and turn all the burners to high heat for a few minutes. For a charcoal grill, gather the lit coals into a pile or add half a chimney’s worth of fresh lit coals to concentrate the heat.
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How Do You Grill The Perfect Steak
The trick for perfect grilled steak is to create two heat zones on your grill one side will be screaming hot with a high flame, while the second side will be unlit and cooler. Sear the steaks on the hot side to get a flavorful, golden brown crust and those coveted grill lines, then move them over to the cooler side to finish cooking all the way through. This creates a sizzling steak on the outside, and tender, buttery steak on the inside.
YUM.
Hey you know what? Steaks on the grill with sweet corn on the side? THIS is the kickoff to summer Ive been waiting for!
Grilled steak with herb butter melted on top
Which Cut Of Steak Is Best For Grilling
When I first started working on this recipe, my top contenders for the steak were the ribeye , the rib steak , the porterhouse, and the T-bone.
Any of those cuts will taste great grilled due to the significant marbling of fat, which leaves the meat tender, and flavorful. Let’s take a closer look at each:
- Ribeyes vs. Rib steaks: A ribeye has the bone taken out a rib steak, also known as a bone-in ribeye, is a ribeye with the bone in. Due to its extensive marbling, this cut cooks beautifully on the grill, bone in or out. Trim the thick fat from the outside edgeleaving it on will cause flame flare-ups that can give your steak an unpleasant burnt flavor. Don’t worry, trimming it off won’t result in lost flavor!
- T-Bones vs. Porterhouses: People often confuse these two cuts, which is understandable because both cuts come from the loin and both have a T-shaped bone with meat on both sides. But porterhouses are larger and actually have more of the tenderloin than the T-bone. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications say the tenderloin of a porterhouse must be at least 1 1/4 inches thick at its widest, while that of a T-bone must be at least 1/2-inch.
Ultimately, I chose to use ribeye steak for its flavor, size, and the lack of bone — I wanted to slice and serve this steak family-style, and the fact that it doesn’t have a bone makes that easier.
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Taking Off The Chill Speeds Up Cooking
The goal of grilling a steak is to brown and lightly char the surface while also cooking the interior to a perfectly juicy doneness, right? If the steak is too cold, the interior might require so much cooking time to reach that perfect doneness that the steak overcooks deep below the surface, turning gray and dry.
Let your steaks stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. They will cook faster all the way to the center and stay juicer.
Dont Season Your Steak Too Soonyes Thats A Thing
With larger steaks it’s always a good idea to finish with some large flake or finishing salt once it’s sliced, says Prentiss. If you do not have an hour to temper and season ahead of time, season immediately before grilling, anything shorter than 40 minutes will only pull moisture out of the steak and not let the outside get those beautiful grill marks and crust.
Chef Juan Carlos of SoBou in New Orleans likes to add in a bit of olive oil as well, which he says help gets better sear or griddle marks. If you do decide to add some fat, stick with olive oil, not butter, says Angelo Auriana. Hes the chef at Factory Place Hospitality. There is no real need for butter when cooking a steak because it already has plenty of fat and flavor in the meat itself, he says.
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What Temperature To Cook Steak On A Grill
You should aim to reach a temperature of 450 degrees Fahrenheit. When it comes to this kind of meat, high heat is essential.
Fire up your charcoal grill at least half an hour before you plan to put any meat on it. You don’t want the steak to be touching a flame, as this will add an unpleasant burning taste.
If possible, create different sections of heat on your grill – if you’re using charcoal, this means moving the coals around a bit to utilize some indirect heat. The meat needs to cook on high heat to get a good sear. Also, create a low-heat area to let the steak rest once it’s cooked .
Dont Use The Wrong Kind Of Salt And When In Doubt Oversalt
True sea salt is always the way to go when seasoning a steak, Prentiss says. We use Jacobsen’s Kosher Salt from Portland, Oregon. The grains are medium sized and have a pleasant minerality that lends itself perfectly to grilled beef. Any true fleur de sel or sel gris type sea salt will work well for good beef. Avoid table salt, iodized salt or small fine-grain sea salts as they have more weight to volume than larger grain salts and you can easily over season with them. Just think medium grain, true sea salt.
Cervantez is a fan of kosher salt, which is, according to experts, virtually identical to sea salt. Cervantez is a fan of pepper, as well, and recommends combining both in equal quantities.
And when you do, Always overseason your steaks a bit, adds chef Christian Ragano. Hes the executive chef at Cindys, the rooftop restaurant at the Chicago Athletic Association. When you think it’s enough, always add a little more. A lot of salt and pepper always falls off during the cooking process and doesn’t always penetrate the meat.
Jayawardena of FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar in Bloomington, Minnesota, agrees. Now is not the time to be shy about seasoning, he says, adding that salt is the most important ingredient you could ever add to a steak. Do this before you let the steaks rest so the seasoning has time to work its way deep into the meat.
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Salt Salt And Salt Again
A few hours before you grill, lightly sprinkle both sides of the steak with salt put it on a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet. The salt helps the cells retain water, guaranteeing juicy meat. Before placing it on the grill, pat dry with paper towels, and generously salt the meat again. Finally, pass some fleur de sel at the table to sprinkle over the sliced steak for more flavor.
How To Grill Steak In 10 Easy Steps
Getting ready for summer means buying too many beach towels, trying to find a friend with a pool, and learning how to grill steak properly. A perfectly-cooked steak is the pinnacle of achievement in the grilling world, but it’s an easy thing to mess up if you don’t know what you’re doing. Commit these 10 rules to heart, and you won’t need to rely on your watch or even a recipe. The skill to grill will forever be in your bones.
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How To Prepare Steak Before Cooking
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Cooking or grilling a good steak is one of the fundamentals of a chef’s or home cook’s repertoire. In almost all cases, the quality of a steak is judged by the quality of the cut. The better the cut of meat, the less seasonings should be used because they can mask the natural taste of the beef. However, there are a few things you can do in the preparation process to ensure you are serving the best steak possible. This article will tell you how to prepare steak before cooking.
How To Cook Steak On A Grill
A perfectly grilled steak is one of life’s great joys. The warm summer air, the laughter of friends, and beautiful cuts of meat cooking to perfection on the grill create some of the best memories and meals.
Of course, if you’re the one cooking for your family or throwing the party, you have to know how to get it just right. It’s just as true if you’re cooking for yourself as a group – you deserve amazing steak all of the time!
Read on to discover how to grill meat just right, every time.
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