How To Cook Steak Well
Well-done steak has gotten a bad rap, with some chefs even refusing to cook the meat to this doneness. It may seem well-done would be the easiest to cook, but in actuality, it is the hardest as cooking until the meat is no longer pink and not drying it out is a challenge. The secret is to do it low and slowthe only way to prevent burning while fully cooking it through the middle.
This steak should not be burnt on the outside. While there is not the faintest hint of pink in the middle, it should be browned through, not burnt through. This steak will feel solid to the touch.
For a 1-inch steak, grill over medium heat between 10 and 12 minutes per side. It should reach an internal temperature of 170 F or higher.
How To Cook A Steak Medium Rare On The Grill
Meat cooked on the grill is great. Everyone loves a steak. Whether its a steak from the grocery store, or the one that you grill yourself, everyone enjoys the taste of a steak cooked on the grill. One of the great things about cooking a steak on the grill is that its pretty easy. Cooking a steak medium rare on the grill is not rocket science, it just takes a few tips, and plenty of practice. If you want a steak that has a great taste, but also a nice texture, youll love this recipe.
Do You Put Salt On A Steak Before Or After Grilling
Some people like to put salt on their steak before grilling, while others do not. It all comes down to personal preference. Grillers typically use salt on their steak before grilling, but some people prefer to not put it on. This is based on personal preference or what they think will improve the flavor of their steak. Grillers also vary in how much salt they put on their steak, so it is important to choose the right amount for your own taste.
Read Also: Best Steak To Grill At Home
What To Serve With Your Grilled Steak Dinner
The most important step after grilling steak is resting steak. Giving the meat 5-10 minutes to sit gives it extra time to cook & lets its juices redistribute before carving.
This grilled steak is fantastic on its own the herbaceous flavor from the herb butter & natural richness of the beef are truly all you need! If youre looking for an extra touch, add some smoky finishing salt, a bit of super-luxe truffle oil, or a vibrant homemade sauce like pesto or chimichurri.
Serving your grilled steak with a few simple sides creates an epic at-home steak dinner that rivals any restaurant. Some of our go-to grilled steak sides to try:
- Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes give dinner a classic steakhouse feel. . This recipe is our forever fave!
- Grilled vegetables like asparagus, sweetpotatoes, & red onion are a great side for grilled steak. Plus, theyre easy to whip up since the grill is already lit! Our A-Z Grilled Veggie Guide walks you through how to grill every type of vegetable imaginable.
- Greens Keep it simple & satisfying with a good ol wedge salad or whip up our All-Purpose Vinaigrette to toss in a bowl of your favorite greens.
- Plus a big glass of red wine, of course!
How To Cook Rare Steak
A steak done rare isn’t requested that often it is for the true carnivore who wants something nearly raw but gets it cooked as little as possible. A rare steak should be warm through the center, lightly charred on the outside, browned around the sides, and bright red in the middle. The meat should be soft to the touch, much like raw meat, but browned over the surface.
For a 1-inch steak, place steak on a hot grill for 5 minutes. Turn and continue grilling for another 3 minutes. Cook to an internal temperature of 120 to 130 F .
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Also Check: What Is The Best Steak To Buy
How To Choose A Good Steak For Pan Frying
Before you start cooking steak on the stove, it is essential to have a good piece of meat. Look for steaks that are thick and well-marbled, with fat that renders or melts down during cooking. This rendering process adds flavor to the steak. Choose a steak that is at least one inch thick. This will prevent your steak from drying out. Selecting a thicker steak can also be delicious but will increase your cooking time.
Consider these cuts of steak for the best results:
- New York Strip Steak
How To Cook Medium Steak
If you are grilling for a large group of people, this level of doneness often pleases most everyone. A medium-cooked steak should have a thick band of light pink through the middle but have more browned meat than pink overall. The sides should be a rich brown color and the top and bottom charred darkly . This steak will have some play through the middle, but feel firm to the touch.
For a 1-inch steak, place steak on a hot grill for 6 minutes. Turn and continue grilling for another 4 minutes until an internal temperature of 140 to 150 F is reached.
The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Don’t Miss: Lloyd’s Auto Glass Free Steaks
Pit Boss Pellet Grill
The Pit Boss Pellet Grill is the perfect way to cook a delicious meal for your family and friends. It is a wood-fired grill that uses 100% natural hardwood pellets for fuel, giving your food the delicious smoky flavor of a wood-fired grill. The Pit Boss Pellet Grill also offers precision temperature control, meaning you can cook anything from low-and-slow BBQ to high-temperature searing. This grill also has an 8-in-1 feature that allows you to grill, bake, smoke, roast, braise, char-grill, barbecue, or even sear. With its large cooking surface, you can easily cook up a feast for the entire family. The Pit Boss Pellet Grill is the perfect way to bring the flavor of wood-fired cooking to your next meal.
Pellet grills are the most dependable and time-tested outdoor cookers on the market. Traeger is unquestionably the market leader in this category. Pit Boss is one of the top competitors, and we frequently get questions about it and Traeger. Pellet grills and smokers come standard with a digital controller that allows temperature and fuel management. One of the most important factors to consider when selecting a wood pellet smoker is how it can maintain a steady temperature. Traeger has an advantage in temperature control and heat management over other brands due to its smaller increment settings and more precise heat management for cooking duration. You must determine how much cooking space you need based on the number of people you intend to cook for.
Best Way To Cook A Steak Without A Grill
Craving a well-seared and seasoned steak but dont have a grill? No problem. There is an easy way to cook a steak without one. Heres the best method for cooking steaks indoors so you can enjoy that perfect, grilled flavor all year round! All you need is the best cut of meat and a cast-iron pan.
Also Check: 12 Lbs Whole Beef Brisket From Omaha Steaks
Fourth Position And Testing For Doneness
As you prepare to turn the steak for the last time, its time to start checking for doneness. The steak should show no red around the side and the top side should have a rich brown color. As you pick the steak up to rotate it 45 degrees , feel the density of the steak. A medium-rare steak should be firm but still have a good amount of give. Close the lid of the barbecue and continue grilling.
After this last position, turn down the heat on your grill and, if needed, test the temperature of the steak. The internal temperatures for different levels of doneness are:
- Rare: 120 to 130 F
- Medium Rare: 130 to 135 F
- Medium: 140 to 150 F
- Medium Well: 155 to 165 F
- Well: 170 F or higher
If your steak needs more cook time, leave it where it is and continue grilling on medium heat until done.
Why You Should Rest Your Grilled Meat
Since I last wrote about resting your meat, there have been some questions called as to the validity of the science behind it. Here is the prevalent theory as to why resting your steak is important :
“As the steak cooks, the muscle fibers on its exterior tighten, squeezing juices out of its surface. This creates an imbalance of juice in its interior, with most of the liquid being concentrated at the center of the meat. If you cut the steak open as soon as it comes off the grill, the juice has only one place to goonto your plate. On the other hand, allow the steak to rest until its temperature has normalized, and the juices will distribute themselves more evenly throughout its interior. Cut the steak open, and the juice stays put exactly where it’s supposed to be: in the meat.”
However, Nathan Myhrvold of the James Beard 2012 Cookbook of the Year Modernist Cuisine says otherwise. His claim is that it’s not so much about redistribution of moisture, but that it’s about the relative viscosity of hot vs. cool liquids. The juices stay in place because they’ve managed to thicken up a bit as they cool.
In either case, the fact remains: resting your meat works. That said, if you are using the reverse-sear method, then resting is largely unnecessary: the steak cooked gently enough that there is not a large temperature gradient inside it anyway.
Q: Should I pre-carve my steak before serving?
Isn’t that pretty?
Q: Do you have a favorite steak knife or serving tool?
You May Like: Steak And Shake Franchise For Sale
Tips On How To Grill Steak
- The best steaks to grill are ones with a lot of marbling. While Ribeyes tend to have the most marbling, other excellent options are the T-Bone or Porter House, Filet Mignon, and New York Strip.
- Let your steak rest after pulling it off the grill. This allows the residual heat inside the meat to bring it up to the desired temperature and keeps the flavor and juices inside.
- If youre looking for a great steak seasoning, try this Coffee Rub. It has coffee, cocoa, and spices that enhance and bring out the beef flavor. Another great option is this BBQ Rub. Give them a try! You wont regret it.
- I wouldnt recommend marinating your steak. Marinating steak can cause issues of texture and rarely enhance the flavor. Because of the extra moisture from the marinade, the outside of your steak wont be able to get that beautiful seared look. It will be unbrowned and dull in appearance. I suggest sticking with spices and rubs for the best results.
- How Long to Grill Steak will depend on the thickness. If your steak is 1-1.5 inches thick, 7-10 minutes on each side should be about the perfect amount of time.
How Do You Cook Steak In A Frying Pan
Once you have your meat and a cast iron pan, you are ready to cook steak without a grill. Heres the step-by-step process for the perfect steak.
Bring the meat to room temperature and season it well. Classic seasonings are salt, pepper, and garlic. If youre feeling more adventurous, use a premade steak rub or make your own. I prefer to add a little oil and then the spices to my steak as this gives it a crust when you put it in the piping hot pan.
Preheat your cast iron skillet before adding the steak. Add oil and let the pan get really hot. The oil should glisten and may even be right at the smoking point. Having a hot pan ensures you get the seared finish with a nice crust and also keeps your steak from sticking to the pan.
Once youve added the steak, resist the urge to move it around too much. You want those juices to stay in the steak, not get jostled around. Let it cook for two to three minutes before flipping, and then cook for an additional two to three minutes on the other side. Use the tongs to hold the steak on its sides to get the all-over searing. Use a meat thermometer to test for doneness.
As the steak is cooking in your cast iron pan, use a spoon or basting brush to take the oil and juices to rejuvenate the steak. This cooks in even more flavor.
For the last few minutes of cooking, add a few fresh aromatics such as rosemary to add extra flavor and the freshness improves the presentation, too.
Recommended Reading: Open A Steak And Shake Franchise
Steak Cooking Time & Temperature
A key element in learning how to BBQ steak flawlessly is knowing the finished temperature depending on personal preference when it comes to your meats doneness. Heres a quick list of cooking temperature per steak doneness and key indicators to help you determine when the meat is ready to be taken out of the grill.
-
Rare: 120-125°F internal temperature red, shiny, and soft when touched
-
Medium-rare: 130-135°F internal temperature deep red to pink, soft but firm
-
Medium: 140-145°F internal temperature pinkish color in the center part, a bit firmer
-
Medium-well: 150-155°F internal temperature very light pink center with slight graying on the edges firm but tender meat
-
Well-done: 160°F+ internal temperature no hint of pink color anywhere meat is very firm
To check the internal temperature precisely and conveniently, we recommend using a digital BBQ thermometer or meat thermometer. This stops you from opening the lid. To ensure your steak remains juicy and tender, never cut into it to check doneness and use tongs to prevent the meat from being pierced. Remember that when the lid is closed, the grill will be able to maintain optimal cooking temperature, resulting in beautifully and evenly cooked steak. When youve taken it off of the fire, allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Also Check: Mcdonalds Steak Egg And Cheese Bagel Nutrition
Do You Cook Steak On A High Or Medium Heat
Regardless of whether your grill is charcoal, wood-fired, or gas, youll need two heat zones to cook steak: a high heat zone and a medium heat zone . The region with high heat is for scorching the steak, while the one with medium heat is for cooking it to the appropriate doneness.
How can I make my steak succulent and juicy?
Recommended Reading: Mccormick Grill Mates Smoky Montreal Steak Seasoning
Selecting The Right Cut
First, a definition. Steaks are basically any piece of meat that falls under the category of “fast-cooking” cutscuts that are low enough in connective tissue that they don’t require the long cooking times that “slow-cooking” cuts require. The difference between a steak and roast essentially comes down to size. Any good roast can be cut into individual steaks .
Make The Steak Seasoning
Start by making the homemade steak seasoning. Trust me this homemade version is light years better than anything you have pre-mixed in your cupboard. Add rock salt, whole black peppercorns, minced dried garlic, minced dried onion, fennel seeds, and red chili pepper flakes to a mortar then grind it up with the pestle.
If you dont have a mortar and pestle, add the ingredients to a heavy duty Ziplock bag, squeeze all the air out then crush with a meat mallet, rolling pin, or heavy bottomed skillet.
Recommended Reading: Laguiole 6 Piece Steak Knife Set
What Temperature Do You Sear Steak On A Pellet Grill
If the steak is directly heated, it can be cooked at 400F or 204C on the pellet grill. It is best to cook your steak on a pellet grill with 225 F or 107 C as the temperature of the pellet grill. After one hour, you can change it back to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Its a combination of convenience and temperature control that makes a pellet grill similar to a gas grill. Wood pellets, which serve as the primary heating fuel, are used to cook and smoke the food. Pellet grills can be used in the rain and wind because they heat up quickly, cook the food consistently, and are effective when its windy. Pellet grills are ideal for smoking large cuts of meat such as brisket, pork butt, and ribs, as well as maintaining a near perfect temperature. As a result, they cant withstand high heat, similar to how coal is heated over direct coals or propane is heated over propane gas. You should also consider combining some Grill Grates with your pellet grill. A grate is a piece of wood that sits directly above the grates on your pellet grill.
How To Grill The Perfect Steak
Making the perfect steak on the grill is easier than you think, but it requires a little practice and good timing.
Given the differences between grills, cooking surfaces, and cuts of steak, there arent specific cook times for grilling steak. Meat changes in texture and density as it cooks, so it helps to know how each steak feels before it hits the grill. A meat thermometer is also helpful when checking doneness.
Take note of the thickness of the steak since it will affect the cooking time.
Youll need:
Also Check: Mcdonalds Steak Egg And Cheese Bagel Recipe
Read Also: Owning A Steak And Shake Franchise
