Grillin’ the Perfect Steak

Video

Want to know how to cook a steak perfectly? In this lesson you’ll learn the principles of cooking prime steaks, including cooking with direct and indirect heat, calculating cook times, and testing doneness.

Lesson

Medium-rare, well done, rare—everyone likes their meat cooked differently. But in this lesson, we’ll show you how you can cook steaks to please everyone’s individual tastes.

First, choose the type of cut you want to grill. Bring the steak to room temperature before you start to cook.

Lightly season each steak, going lightly on the salt, as too much salt actually draws moisture out of the meat. You can also marinate steak or add a rub. A great prime grade steak doesn’t need much seasoning.

If there is any excess fat on your steak—more than 1/4 inch—trim it off after you cook the meat. A moderate layer of fat helps keep the meat moist, tender, and flavorful.

Prepare your grill for direct and indirect cooking. The heated side of the grill should reach 500°F or more; the other side of the grill should remain unheated.

Cookin’

Sear the meat for 2 to 3 minutes per side, at the highest temperature your grill will produce. Steak houses generally begin cooking steaks at near 1,000°F to sear in the juices and create a light char on the outside.

Then, using tongs—not a barbecue fork—transfer the meat to the unheated side of the grill (over indirect heat) and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the ideal temperature is reached.

Why not use a barbecue fork to turn steaks? The holes you put in the meat allow the wondrous juices to escape, which dry out your steak.

The secret to cooking it just right

Take your steak off the grill when it reaches approximately 10° less than your desired temperature. (For a table showing the temperatures for different levels of doneness, see our temperature lesson.) Use a meat thermometer to gauge the temperature.

Then let the meat rest on a warm platter, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the juices to circulate and the temperature to rise that final 10° to your desired temperature. While you’re at it, add a pat of butter on top of each steak.

Using these techniques, you’ll create a steak that will wow you and your guests.

Check out our steak recipes!