When To Season A Steak
A quick note on seasoning a steak: just about any cut of steak is improved with a healthy sprinkle of salt and pepper on each side. Thats because the salt is essentially brining the steak from the outside, leaving it more tender and juicier once reabsorbed into the meat. Be sure to salt your steak either right before grilling or ideally more than 40 minutes beforehand to allow that brining process to occur. Kosher salt works better than table salt.
Final Thoughts On Grilling The Perfect Steak
Like we said before, if you pay for a good steak then its only right that you treat it with the proper respect. Grilled steaks taste best when theyre cooked to around medium-rare , but theyll be tough and chewy if you try and cook them more than that. Treat the meat with respect, and it will give you the perfect reward.
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When In Doubt Oversalt
When youre grilling steak, its not the time to be shy about overseasoning! Its always best to use sea salt or kosher salt, and then some pepper if youd like.
When adding pepper, add about the same amount as you did for the salt.
And once again, when you think its enough the first time, its PROBABLY NOT. So add a little bit more!
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How To Grill A Perfect Ribeye Steak On A Gas Grill
You cant beat the flavor of a ribeye. If youre not familiar with how to cook this cut of beef, its simple on a gas grill. Follow the steps below to cook the perfect ribeye at your next backyard barbecue.
Ribeye steaks are one of the most flavorful cuts of meat because of their marbling, or fat content. The more marbling, the higher the USDA grades the steak. Prime is the highest rating, followed by Choice and then Select. Our experts recommend buying ribeyes that 1.25 inches thick with marbling throughout. Anything much thicker or thinner could make cooking more difficult, and the fat enhances the flavor.
Best Steak Marinade For Grilling
In this particular grilled steak recipe, were using our favorite grilled steak marinade. Its made with some of our favorite ingredients. Heres what you need:
- garlic: minced garlic is such an amazing flavor for pretty much any marinade.
- Worcestershire sauce: Worcestershire sauce is tangy with a punch of vinegar and its so necessary.
- balsamic vinegar: balsamic adds a hint of sweetness with too much sweet.
- lemon juice: a little citrus goes a long way and really brightens up this steak marinade.
- olive oil: olive oil will help keep things nice and juicy.
- lemon pepper: I love that you get the traditional pepper flavor, but also a lemon zest punch with lemon pepper.
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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.
Common Grilling Steak Times
So, how long do you cook steak on the grill? That answer largely depends on the thickness of the meat youre cooking. You can cook thin or thick cuts on the grill just fine, but youll definitely want to alter your times to cook your desired cuts to the right doneness, which, again, is a matter of preference.
One good tip to keep in mind is to use a meat thermometer for thick cuts of steak and a timer for thin ones. A steak thats ¾ of an inch thick or less may be difficult to get an accurate temperature reading from, so a timer can help. But a meat thermometer can give you a more precise idea of the doneness of your steak to make sure its right.
For a medium-rare doneness, you typically will need to grill your steak between 4 to 6 minutes on each side, depending on thickness. For medium cooks, shoot for closer to 5 to 8 minutes on each side. Its always best, though, to start with the lower grilling steak time and check with your finger to see if it might need a bit more time, instead of allowing it to cook for a couple of extra minutes. You can always cook it a bit longer if required, but you cant get back tenderness you lose from overcooking.
When you touch the center of your steaks, a medium rare cook will spring back slightly, yet still feel squishy. A medium cook will be more springy than squishy. If all else fails, you can always cut a small slit in the center of your steak to check its color, but this should only be used as a last resort.
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How Can You Tell If Grilled Steak Is Done
- Rare steaks. Soft textured steaks that maintain an indent when pressed will be rare 140°F internal temperature
- Medium-rare steaks. Steaks with a soft and springy feel will be medium rare 145°F internal temperature
- Medium steaks. Steaks with a springy feel will be medium 160°F internal temperature
- Well done steaks. Firm steaks are well done 170°F internal temperature
I recommend removing steaks off the grill when they are around 5° below desired doneness as they continue cooking while resting!
How To Cook Ribeye Steak
How to cook steak depends very much upon the cut you choose. Ribeye steak is always a popular steak choice, prized for its tenderness and flavor. The best way to cook ribeye steak is on the grill. But pan-seared ribeye steak is also delicious, and you can broil ribeye steak in the oven as well. No matter which method you choose, our cooking instructions and video will deliver the tender and juicy steak you crave. Use a meat thermometer and you can be sure your steaks are cooked to perfection!
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Dont Keep Flipping It
Flipping steak over and over again is tempting when youre trying to achieve the perfect crust. But while trying to get that sear, youre taking it away from the heat that it needs for searing! What usually happens is the steak tips will stick to the grill, or theyll end up just turning grayish-brown on the outside instead of getting the rich, brown sear you were looking for.
Leave them on one side until they reach seared status, then flip and do the same to the other side. Once that side browns up, you can move the tips over to indirect heat to continue cooking all the way through.
Reverse Sear Ribeye Steak The Professional Way
- Preheat oven to 275°F. Place steaks on a wire rack over a baking sheet.
- Place baking sheet on the center rack of the hot oven. Cook until internal temperature reaches 10°F lower than the desired final temperature.
- Remove and let steaks rest for 5 minutes, covering lightly with foil.
- Preheat a heavy skillet or cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot, about 5 minutes. A hot skillet delivers the best sear.
- Add some butter or oil and sear steaks for one minute each side. The final internal temperature of your steak should be 135°F for medium-rare and 145°F for medium.
- The sear will give your steaks the rich golden brown color and enhanced flavor that is typically associated with grilled steaks.
- Serve immediately. Unlike other methods of cooking steak, the low heat of the oven used in reverse searing does not draw the juices of the meat to the surface so additional resting time is not needed.
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Top 5 Steak Grilling Tips
How Long Do You Preheat An Electric Grill
You are probably going to need about twenty minutes to get your electric grill up to four seventy-five, but this definitely depends on the model. Newer models have a light that shows you when the grill hits its ideal temperature, but you can use a drop of water on the surface of the grill to see when youve reached your cooking temperature on an older grill.
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How Long Should I Grill A Steak
This really depends on the thickness of your steak. One of the best ways to avoid overcooking it is by using a quick-read thermometer as you cook. This allows you to see whats going on in the middle of the steaks without having to open them up and losing all their juices. The USDA recommends that rare steaks should be cooked at 140, medium-rare between 145 and 150, and well-done steaks are around 155 If you want your meat more or less than this then check out the chart below for some more details.
Medium Rare is the traditional flavor for a medium-rare steak. You will notice a little bit of pink in the center when you cut it open, but not much. The juices should be clear or light red and there shouldnt be any hint of brown anywhere on the meat.
This steak will be tender, but its also fairly easy to overcook. If you cook this steak for much more than 3 minutes per side then its going to turn into a hockey puck that tastes like shoe leather.
Medium is the next step up from medium-rare and adds about 10-15% of the time to your cooking time. Medium steaks will have a little bit of pink in the center, but instead of clear or light red juices, there will be more of a medium-red color to them. The steak itself will also probably look browner and some people consider it to be done. This is our favorite level for cooking on the grill because its fairly easy to do and the results are almost always good.
Dont Choose Cheap Meat
You never want to go with cheap steak if youre looking for flavor and texture, which are what a good steak is all about! Steak tips are a particular cut of meat that you dont want to skimp on. Theyre sliced thinly, so cheaper cuts labeled as steak tips will likely end up getting tough and chewy, which is precisely the opposite of what real steak tips should be.
So, stick to quality meat using the guidelines weve listed above. And, make sure you talk to the butcher to make sure youre getting real steak tips from the sirloin cut.
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Do You Close The Grill When Cooking Steak
Yes, you close the grill when cooking steak. Closing the grill helps the temperature stay high, achieving the tasty sear you want on the surface of the steak.
But you should check the temperature of the steak frequently. If you have a Traeger that’s no problem, because you can use the temperature probe to keep track.
The higher the cooking temperature, the more often you should peek and test. Different cuts cook at different rates, and you never know exactly how long it’s going to take. Sometimes the steak’s internal temperature will putter along around 100 degrees Fahrenheit and suddenly shoot past the 135-degree target.
Dont Use Lighter Fluid
If possible, avoid lighter fluid to help you get your charcoal grill going. Lighter fluid can give off an unpleasant odor that also emanates through the steak as it cooks, giving it a different flavor than you were expecting and not in a good way.
Use a chimney starter instead. This tool helps you light the charcoal faster with a few clumps of rolled-up newspaper in the bottom. Your coals will burn more cleanly, giving you the natural smoky flavor you wanted on your steak.
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Tips For Grilling The Perfect Steak
- Season, then chill: I apply the same technique I use for getting crispy chicken and turkey skin to grilling this steak: season, then let it chill in the fridge uncovered for up to 48 hours. This essentially dry brines the steak while also letting it air-dry. This approach allows the surface moisture to evaporate while the seasoning has time to penetrate the meat resulting in deeply flavored steak that sears beautifully and develops a nice crust on the grill.
- Start with clean grates: Just like you use a clean skillet with a little oil to cook dinner on the stovetop, you want to start with clean and oiled grill grates.
- To flip or not to flip? Flip your steak to your hearts content. Harold McGee, food science writer and author of On Food and Cooking, discovered that frequent flipping creates a steak that cooks more evenly and quickly than those flipped only once.
- Grilling directly on coals: Raichlen seemingly knows an infinite number of ways to grill meat, and theres one in his new book, Project Fire , that I particularly like: he cooks steak directly on hot coalsno grill grates necessary. I love the idea, and its on my list of things to try in the near future.
| Potassium 1129mg | 24% |
| *The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
Insert Heat Retention & Pre
So you really want a get the pellet grill to the highest temperature whether youve got a top temperature of 700°F or 350°F it really doesnt matter.
As long as youve got that form of heat retention that makes all the difference. The ability of a pellet grill to sear and create a crust on the steak is all about holding heat.
You might already have one hanging around at home but basically you just need a cast-iron pan. The biggest tip I have with one of these is to be really careful with the handle.
After I have had a few drinks, Ill still give myself a minor burn by grabbing the handle without some form of protection even an old dish towel drying towel will do the job for you.
Another tip if you want to actually get little bit more crust going on especially if you have a steak with a bit of fat either separated fat or when its intertwined into the muscle wagyu.
The old chef trickIf you using a cast-iron pan youre able to get oil in the pan and then put some butter in, the oil will slow down the butter from burning and then steak will sear, brown and crust more easily.
You dont need a lot of butter.
Trust me, youll get another level of crust, I learned this trick when I was doing some observations inside commercial kitchens as a pseudo fine dining consultant and seeing how the chefs were doing things .
Grill Grates
Also if you have the right tool, I sometimes flip them over after a grill session to burn off the grease then all I need to do is brush them down.
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