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 the pleasant minerality 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 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 virtually identical to sea salt. He also advocates seasoning with pepper, and recommends combining with salt in equal quantities.
And when you do, “Always overseason your steaks a bit,” adds Christian Ragano, executive chef at Cindy’s rooftop restaurant at the Chicago Athletic Association. “When you think it’s enough, always add a little more. A lot of salt and pepper falls off during the cooking process and doesn’t always penetrate the meat.”
Jayawardena, regional executive chef for Radisson Hotel Group Americas, concurs. “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.”
How To Grill Steak
Take steaks out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking and let them sit on the cutting board to warm up.
Pat steaks dry with a paper towel, rub it with some oil on all sides, and season it generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
Place steaks on the hot side of the grill to sear them. After a couple of minutes, use metal tongues to turn the meat to the other side and move them over to the cooler side of the grill .
To check your steaks for doneness, use a meat thermometer, it will give you the most accurate reading. If youre a seasoned chef or cook steaks all the time, Im sure you can trust yourself to know when your steak is ready by touch, but otherwise, use a thermometer.
When the steaks are getting close to your desired temperature , move it back to the hot side to finish the sear on the lighter side. After youve moved the steak back to the hot side, check the temperature every couple of minutes.
To check the temperature: hold the steak with tongues and insert the thermometer through the side of the steak, towards the middle. You want to hit the reading on the thickest part and in the middle. If you are cooking the steaks with bone, dont get the reading right next to the bone.
When the steaks are just a couple of minutes away from being done, brush it with rosemary garlic butter generously, on both sides.
Take your steaks off the grill and let them rest for about 5 minutes before cutting.
The Six Inexpensive Steaks You Should Know
These are the steaks that butchers and chefs love to use because not only are they more inexpensive, but theyve got character. Many of them are whole muscles that must be trimmed by the butcher just-so if you want them to be tender and large enough to cook as steaks. There are also not many of them on a steer. For every 20 pounds of ribeyes and T-bones you can get off a steer, you get two hanger steaks. That aint much.
These butchers cuts tend to be more packed with flavor because of the work they do, yet because theyre not as marketable to the general public and require a bit more skill to cook and serve correctly, they remain much cheaper than their mainstream counterparts. This is good news for you if you want to maximize your flavor and your dollar.
The Hanger
Also Sold As: Butchers steak, hangar , arrachera , fajitas arracheras , bistro steak, onglet .
Where Its Cut From: From the plate section of the cow , it hangs off of the cows diaphragm, hence the name. U.S. meat-cutting classification of NAMP 140.
The Skirt
Also Sold As: Fajita meat, Roumanian Strip .
Where Its Cut From: The outside skirt is the diaphragm muscle of the cow, cut from the plate. It is the traditional cut for fajitas, and is generally sold to restaurants. Inside skirt is part of the flank, and is the more widely available form of skirt.
The Short Rib
Also Sold As:Kalbi , Jacobs Ladder , asado de tira
The Flap
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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
What To Do With Leftover Steak
Got leftover steak? Dont waste it! Here are a few ideas to repurpose it:
Salad: make our Butter Lettuce Salad and top it with sliced grilled steak. Or, make our Steak Salad Recipe with tons of veggie and an herby vinaigrette.
Nachos: make a big sheet pan of nachos and instead of using ground beef, use sliced steak instead.
Bowls: Make our beef taco bowls, but use diced steak instead of ground beef.
Mac and Steak: Make a box of mac and cheese and serve it with sliced grilled steak.
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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:
Related: Grilling Times For Beef
How To Grill Steak Under The Broiler
Broiling is an easy, fast way to achieve steak that tastes like it was made on a grill. And this totally makes sense because a broiler is essentially like a mini grill built into your oven. Its a hot direct heat source often an open flame that shoots out to cook the meat quickly. Heres what to do.
Simple Broiled Flank Steak with Herb Oil
Although flank steak is a relatively lean cut of meat, its packed with flavor. This preparation is low-fuss and yields charred, juicy steak that tastes like it was pulled off the grill.
Read Also: How To Grill A Medium Steak
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Dont Start Without A Super Hot Grill
“Be sure to let your charcoal fully catch and heat up before attempting to grill on it, about 20-30 minutes,” says Prentiss. “Your fire should have a bed of red hot coals, high, even heat across the grill, and minimal flames and smoke.”
“A hot cooking surface is extremely important to caramelize the outside of the steak and secure in the flavor,” says Jayawardena. “This method will give you a crispy-on-the-outside, yet moist-and-tender-on-the inside steak.”
Amp Up The Flavor With Butter Sauce
When I first began work on this recipe, I tried dry rubs, oil, and simple salt and pepper. All of these are wonderful things to put on steaks, but I felt like it needed more.
I settled on basting the steak with an herbed butter sauce. First, because butter. Second, because I have an extensive herb garden and it didnt require a trip to the store. I was worried that the butter might burn on the grill, and leave an acrid flavor, but it didnt.
It was pure deliciousness. The herbs added complexity without masking the meatiness of the steak.
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Use A Thermometer And/or A Timer
Whether you are cooking a thick steak or a flat, thin cut of meat will determine whether you need a meat thermometer or not. For steaks that are at least 1 1/2 inches thick, you will want to use a meat thermometer to get an accurate reading. For rare, remove steaks at 120 F to 125 F, medium rare 125 F to 130 F, and medium 130 F to 135 F.
It’s nearly impossible to get an accurate temperature read on steaks thinner than 1 1/2 inches so it is best to use a timer instead. For 1-inch thick steaks cook them 3 minutes each side over high heat for quite rare, 4 minutes each side for medium rare, and 5 minutes for medium.
Try to avoid this if you can, but if you just have to take a peek, remove the steak from the grill and use the tip of a paring knife to make a cut into the center of the steak to see how things are going. Keep in mind that the steak will continue to cook as it rests after being removed from the grill. Cutting into the steak is discouraged because it will release the precious juices that help flavor and tenderize the meat.
How To Cook Steak Sous Vide
Theres another way to get juicy steaks on the stovetop. Its a technique called sous vide . It starts with the same searing technique as above. but instead of going from skillet into a very hot oven, the steak gets sealed in a plastic bag and goes into a hot water bath to finish cooking. Interested? Watch this video for all the details:
VIDEO: Sous Vide New York Strip Steaks
Chef Johns technique doesnt require expensive sous vide equipment all you need is a heavy pot and a cooking thermometer. See how its done!
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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. Lets 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. Dont worry, trimming it off wont 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 Agricultures 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 doesnt have a bone makes that easier.
Zac Sykes Former Head Chef Turned Private Dining Chef In Brisbane:
On seasoning: I like to salt and dry the meat out in the fridge for a few days or up to a week if time permits. Similar to dry aging, this process is called dry brining and it reduces the moisture content and intensifies the flavour.
On bringing steak to room temperature: Theres no need to let the steaks sit out at room temperature if youve dry brined them. If you havent used this method Id rub the steak with a little olive oil, let it come to room temperature and then add a little salt before cooking.
On cooking methods: My preferred method of cooking steak is on a charcoal or wood barbecue. However, a good quality pan and some oil is just as good. Sear it off in the pan and get a nice crust on it. If you like a buttery flavour, you can add butter, garlic, thyme or rosemary and baste the steak with the juices. Finish the steak in an oven at about 185°C / 365°F with some of the aromats on top. A good rest at the end will complete the cooking process.
On restaurant vs home cooking: We give our restaurant steaks a hard sear on a charcoal grill and cook them through to medium rare. Then they are kept warm and set aside above the grill. When they are ready to be served, we get a little heat back into them on the pan, and finish with salt and pepper.
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What Can You Serve With Grilled Steaks
The options are endless! From BBQ sides to pasta salads, there are so many side dishes for steakâespecially when it’s made on the grill. Ladd likes the refreshing crispness of a wedge salad, but you can also choose potato salad, cornbread, or grilled vegetables. And, if you’ve happened to make too much steak, don’t worryâyou can always use the grilled meat for steak sandwiches or any one of these leftover steak recipes. They’ll come in handy all summer long!
Try These Grilled Steak Recipes
Cajun T-Bone Steaks
Clean And Oil Your Grill
No matter what you are grilling, you should always begin with clean grill grates. Not only does this make it easier to flip and remove the food from the grill but it also does not impart any flavors from previous grilled meals, such as barbecued chicken, into the steaks. Make sure to clean your cooking grate using a stiff wire brush. It is best to do this after you’ve finished grilling while the grates are still warm, but you can also clean the grill while it is preheating if you discover caked on residue. Taking the time to brush off old bits of cooked-on food will pay off handsomely when your steaks release from the cooking grate with ease.
You also want to coat the grates with vegetable or canola oil before heating the grill. Pour a little bit of oil on a paper towel and rub onto the clean, cold grill grates.
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Do You Season Both Sides Of Steak
Season both sides of the steak, as well as the sides of the steak, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, making sure there is a visible coating of seasoning on every surface. The salt should not be piled on top of the meat, but it should coat it.
What Do You Put On A Ribeye Before Grilling
Season the Steak: Steaks dont require much seasoning to be delicious. Just before grilling, spray them gently with olive oil on both sides and season them with salt and pepper on both sides. If you want to go really fancy, you may season the rub with spices such as chili powder, paprika, or garlic powder before baking it.
Read Also: Mccormick Kansas City Steak Seasoning
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:
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How To Cook Pellet Grill Steaks
The best way to get a great steak sear is to start with the right meat, and I typically use steaks that are about 1 inch thick. This allows the steak to cook through without getting overcooked on the outside. Get yourself some quality beef and season them up before cookingespecially if its your first time! Its also key to keep the meat cold until it goes onto the grill so they dont lose valuable juices when searing.
Before you start grilling your steaks, preheat your pellet grill for at least 10 minutes with all burners set to high. After preheating, turn the outside burners back to medium and leave just one burner on high in the middle. This will be used for searing. Once your grill is ready light a single flame and let it run for about 3 minutes. After three minutes you can add your steak to the grill and close the lid for 4 minutesfor rare steaks, crease down for medium-well 6 minutes with the lid closed or 8 minutes if well done..after four turns the meat 90 degrees to get those nice diamond sears! Then open up and flip and cook another 5-9 minutes depending on how you like your steak cooked.
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