Show 1. Choose the Right Cut I’d saythis step is the most pivotal. There’s only so much you can do for a steak that’s not that great to begin with. Most (certainly not all) really good steaks are on the expensive side, so let’s just get that out of the way. You’ll need to be willing to spend a bit more for a premium cut and it will be well worth it when you take that first juicy bite. There are some cheaper cuts of steak that can be great too, but in general, you won’t have much luck hitting the bargain basement. Pay attention to thickness as well, for best results buy steaks that are at least one inch thick and preferably more like 1 1/2. I could write a whole post on different cuts of steak, so just for today we’ll focus on the most traditional backyard bbq steaks. My personal favorites for grilling are Rib Eye and NY Strip, so I’ll show those in my photos. If I had to go for just one, I’d pick a rib eye every time.A quick note on the strip steak- my butcher taught me this. See the steak in the middle? How it’s got that line of what appears to be marbling right up the center? Well it’s not marbling, it’s gristle, and it comes along with the “end cuts” on strip steaks. So if you’re looking at steaks, avoid those end cuts. They’re not bad, they’re just not as great as a non-end cut. Notice both cuts of steak have good marbling. That fat adds both flavor and juiciness. Don’t be afraid of the fat! Here’s a run-down on some popular grilling steaks (According to me. As opposed to a professional meat person. But I eat a lot of meat, does that count?)T-Bone: 2 steaks in
one! You get a strip steak on one side of the bone and a tenderloin on the other. It’s usually a very thick cut with excellent marbling and flavor. Generally comes with a price tag. *If you are working with a less-expensive cut of meat, check out this cool method of salting. Jaden of Steamy Kitchen has a fantastic explanation of how to turn “cheap ‘choice’ steak into Gucci ‘prime’ steak” We’ll cover Filet Mignon in another post because I think it’s better pan seared. Other great cuts of steak for the grill are thin cuts like Flank Steak (one of my faves) and Skirt Steak. These types are best in marinades so we’re not talking about them right now. But if you’re interested, try our Sweet and Savory Flank Steak, Lime-Chili Rub, or this Chimichurri on steak. 2. Trim Excess Fat 3. Season 4. Sear Place the steaks on the hot grill to sear. Don’t move them for 2-3 minutes. If you want diagonal hatch marks, you can rotate your steak 45 degrees after a couple of minutes and then finish searing. Use the tongs again to flip steaks and sear the other side. 5. Finish Cooking If you cook the steaks at the super high heat the entire time, the outside will be burnt by the time the center cooks. So after searing, turn gas down to medium heat, or move steaks to the indirect heat side of your charcoal grill to finish cooking. I said earlier that picking the right cut of steak is the most important step, but the second most important step is to cook it perfectly. When it comes to steak, you can’t follow exact times because it will vary with every cut and every grill. Temperature is the most reliable guide (I’ve outlined temps in the printable version of this post). I love these mini steak thermometers; they come in a set of 4 and they’re short so they sit perfectly in a steak. But I’ll be honest, I very rarely use thermometers anymore. I’ve cooked so many steaks that I can tell how done a steak is by how it feels. This is one of the first little tricks I ever posted on OBB, and it’s a great one. Hold your non-dominant hand up with fingers extended and use your other pointer finger to feel the palm where I’ve indicated below. It should feel nice and soft, quite squishy. That’s the feeling of a rare piece of meat. Now put your first two fingers together and feel again; it’s a little firmer, right? That’s similar to the feeling of a medium rare piece of meat. Follow the chart below and you’ll get the hang of it. Go head, do it! You know you want to. I’ll wait for you. Annnnd we’re back. Cook enough steak and you’ll soon know by a quick touch how done it is. 6. Rest Now, we eat.Steaks can be finished off with an extra sprinkling of kosher or sea salt or a pat of herbed butter. Now you’re all armed the ability to cook a steak-house worthy steak, right at home! Happy grilling, my friends. Invite me over, okay?How to Grill the Perfect Steak 1. Choose a good cut of meat. My personal favorites for grilling are Rib Eye and NY Strip. T-Bone and Porterhouse are both premium cuts. If you can find Tri-Tip, it’s another one of my favorites. 2. Let steaks sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes while your grill is pre-heating. Trim fat off around edge of steak and season liberally with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper on both sides. 3. Heat your grill to a very hot temperature. If you are using charcoal, after they are heated, move them to one side of the grill so you have both direct and indirect heat. 4. Lightly oil grill if needed. Use a pair of tongs to hold a paper towel dipped in oil, or use tongs to hold a piece of the trimmed off fat to to quickly and lightly grease grill grates. 5. Sear. Place steaks on hot grill and do not move for about 2-3 minutes. If diamond grill marks are desired, rotated meat 45 degrees and grill a little longer. Use tongs (not a fork) to flip steaks and cook for 2-3 more minutes. 6. Finish cooking. Turn heat down to medium-high and close grill lid if you have one. If using charcoal, move steaks to the side not directly above it. Continue to cook until internal temperature reaches: 7. Rest. Use tongs to remove steaks from grill and cover with foil to keep warm. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting into. 8. Eat up. How long do you sear a steak on a gas grill?Preheat grill to maximum temperature. Rub both sides of the steaks with coarse kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Place the steaks 3 to 5 inches from the flame to sear the outside and seal in the juices. Sear the steaks for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
Do you close the grill when searing steak?Grilling with the lid on or off – Leave the lid open when you're searing steaks and need to keep a close eye on it. Once you move it to indirect heat, you can close the lid and let the smoke do its thing. Quick-cooking foods can usually be cooked (fish, veggies, hot dogs) with the lid open the whole time.
Can you get a good sear with a gas grill?Gas grills are generally the best option for searing because they maintain high levels of heat with little effort. You can harness enough of that heat by preheating your grill on high for about 15 minutes, and it doesn't hurt to season your grates with oil that has a high smoke point (we like grapeseed and palm oil).
How do you pan sear a steak on the grill?Seared Steak Recipe
When the oil begins to lightly smoke add in the steaks and immediately turn the heat down to medium-high. Add in the butter. Cook the steaks for 5 to 6 minutes on each side while constantly basting the steak with the butter and oil in the pan for a medium-rare internal temperature.
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