The 7 Easy Steps On How To Grill The Perfect Steak

Perfecting steak is probably one of the hardest things to do especially if you don’t have any idea on how to do it. Some people simply throw the steaks into the grill and leave. Others are worrying about over cooking the steak, so they cut into the meat every 2 seconds wringing their hands to check whether it is done or not. This how to grill the perfect steak article will help you achieve the result that you want.

For those who love outdoor cooking, making a perfect steak is one of the most important steps in achieving summer backyard grilling experience. It is all about getting that sweet spot of inviting exterior char with perfectly cooked tender, juicy meat. With this guide, you will find preparing the perfect steak is not hard after all. 

What You Need:

Step 1: Choose Your Steak

Choose the well-marbled steaks all the time – the extra fat improves the flavor and promotes tenderness. The steak is categorized into two, the thick cuts and the thin cuts.

Thick Cuts

The thick cuts can be purchased at the butcher, where you can ask to cut the meat into 1 ½ – 2 inches thick for optimum juiciness. Types of thick cuts meat:

Ribeye is the flavorful, well-marbled cut of meat taken from the middle of the cow. The meat has a high-fat content providing extra flavorful and beefy. But, because of the high amount of fat, it needs to be trimmed and be careful about grill flare-ups.

T-bone is a richer, tender, and chewier strip steak. If you grill T-bone, you have to make sure that the tenderloin is placed away from direct heat and the strip part closer to the heat, it’s because the tenderloin will cook fast.

Strip Steak is also known as the New York Strip or Top Sirloin, is a bit chewy and comes from the rear of the cow, behind the ribs. Its beefy flavor is not as strong as the ribeye, but it is well-marbled, and you don’t have to trim it as much. This type of steak is easier to grill because it does not produce flare-ups.

Thin Cuts

Don’t be deceived by its look, they are thin, but they are rich in flavor and provide an addictive chewy texture – a good choice if you are buying at the supermarket. Types of thin cuts:

The flank steak was taken from the belly of the cow, near the back leg. This part is rich in flavor. To enjoy its tenderness, serve flank steak sliced and make sure to cut it against its grain.

The hanger was taken from the front part of the cow’s belly – it is the part that hangs down. This part has strong beefy flavor and tastes good when marinated since it has looser fibers that absorb the flavor.

The skirt is from the cow’s diaphragm. It is very thin with lots of fat, so it is intended for well to high-heat searing. To enjoy its tenderness, slice the skirt steak against the grain.

Step 2: Thaw Frozen Steaks

Some people simply take their steaks directly out of the fridge to the grill. They are not aware that it is impossible to cook the steak evenly if they do that.

The best thing to do is to pull the steaks out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking them and allow it to thaw until it comes up to room temperature to make sure you will achieve the doneness you want.

Step 3: Prepare the Grill

Make sure your grates are clean. You can brush it or use a paper towel to spread the canola or vegetable oil before heating the grill. Make sure to remove the old bits of food, to achieve the steak you want.

Heat your grill according to the type of steaks you need to cook. Read this article if you are looking to buy the best grills. For steaks with seared surface and grill, mark heat your grill to high. 

​Step 4: Touch Your Food

Step 5: Let it Cook On Its Own

This is one mistake most people do when cooking their steak. Flipping and moving them several times will not give you a perfect steak. Just place them on a hot grill, it will start to sizzle right away. Leave the steaks there until they emit their own accord. If you are struggling or pulling with them, they are not yet ready to be flipped.

Flip them only once and continue cooking until they feel done. Stabbing them using a fork will not help at all, it will only release the tasteful juices to the flames. Pressing it using a spatula is also not a good idea. Just let it cook on its own.

For steaks with thicker cuts, cut at least 1 ½ inches thick, use a meat thermometer to get an accurate reading. For medium steaks remove at 130 F to 135 F, medium rare 125 F to 130 F, and for rare at 120 F to 125 F.

On thinner steaks, it is hard to get an accurate temperature reading. You can use the timer instead. If your steak is one-inch thick cook them for four minutes on each side at high heat to have a rump steak medium rare, for quite a rare cook for three minutes and for a medium for five minutes.

If you are not sure, you can remove the steak and peek and make a cut at the center using a paring knife. Check how things are going.