Grilling the Perfect Steak
Many people stress over the thought of barbecuing for guests. Actually, the process is quite simple if you stay focused and don't get distracted.
By the time you are done reading this article and have tried my methods a few times, you will be able to have 30 steaks on the grill at the same time and know at what stage of "doneness" each and every one is!
When grilling steaks, I only concern myself with three levels of doneness: rare, medium rare and medium. Well done is really a no-brainer. People who order their meat well done haven't learned to appreciate the qualities of a good piece of meat yet and are likely to be less judgmental of your work.
Let's start with preparation of the meat for the grill. It is important to trim the excess fat from the meat before placing it on the grill. It is the fat drippings that cause flare-ups and flare-ups burn the outside of the meat. It is a catch twenty-two when it comes to the fat on a steak. Fat within the piece of meat is called marbling and it is marbling that gives a piece of meat its flavor. It is the fat around the edges of the cut of meat you want to trim back. So make sure you trim not all but most of the fat from the edges of your meat. While you are trimming the meat notice the texture and the softness to the touch. A raw piece of meat is soft and spongy to the touch. Remember this because when meat cooks it gets firmer the longer you cook it. By the time you are done with this lesson you will be able to tell if a steak is rare, medium rare or medium by just touching it with your index finger.
The grill should be pre heated on the high setting. You want the grill as hot as it gets. A few minutes after turning the grill on is the best time to brush the grids clean. Brush off any left over food and dust that my have gotten into the grill. In order to do this you will need a long handled BBQ brush so you don't burn your hands or arms.
Those of you who have a searing section on your grill should start your meat on this section of your grill. Those of you who have purchased a grill from us know that a searing section is nice to have but is not necessary in good Barbecuing techniques.
I like to sear the meat for about one to two minutes on each side while the grill is set on the high setting. This chars the outsides of the steak which helps hold the juices inside the meat. I do this no mater what level of doneness I am preparing for. Of course you have to be careful with this now. If the piece of meat is less than an inch thick this might pretty much be all you need to get it to medium rare.
Rare Steak
A rare steak is bright red in the middle, charred on the flat surfaces and browned on the edges. I usually cook a rare steak on high, searing in the juices. A one inch thick steak should be seared on each side for only about two to two and a half minutes. That's it! The temperature of rare meat is between 120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. It would be a good idea to use a thermometer at first to help you learn the characteristics of a rare steak. When the steak gets to 120 degrees F. touch the steak with your index finger. Notice that a rare steak is still soft but not as spongy to the touch, a little firmer than the raw steak.
So what do you do if your steak is 1 1/2 inches thick? Well it is going to take another minute longer on each side to get to 120 degrees F. in the center. Again use the thermometer at first and remember the "feel". If you are still unsure take a knife and cut into the meat to check the color. This is not the best thing to do because it allows all the juices to escape but come on, this is not brain surgery. You are still learning.
Medium Rare Steak
A medium rare steak is cooked to a center temperature of 130 to 135 degrees F. The color is red in the center and pink from the center on out. The outside surface is charred dark brown with browned edges. When you use the touch technique it will feel firm on the sides but still soft in the very center. For a one inch thick steak it should take about 3+ minutes per side on the hot setting.
Medium Steak
A medium cooked steak has an internal temperature of 140 to 150 degrees F. The very center is pink but the outer edges of the cut steak should be mostly brown. The outer surfaces should be charred dark brown with brown sides. The steak should feel firm to the touch with some flex to the meat. A one inch steak should cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side on the medium hot setting.
Special Tips
1) All grills are different with settings that have different temperature ranges. You will have to learn how hot your grill will get at the different knob settings. This will take a few times to get it right but remember a thermometer and/or the touch technique will let you know how done the meat is. It is just the timing that will need to be adjusted.
2) The thicker the piece of meat the longer you will cook it to get to the internal temperature you want. The temperature of the grill should be turned down for thicker cuts after the initial searing because the outside will get too charred if you leave it on longer. You don't want to burn the outside while you are trying to cook a medium rare steak.
3) When you have a number of steaks on the grill and different requests for the degree of doneness you have to pay closer attention to what you are doing. Have the grill set at different temperatures and know where the grill gets hotter and cooks faster. Move the meat around and stagger when you start the steaks. Rare steaks are going to get done a lot sooner than a medium steak. Don't be afraid to get a steak off the grill early if it is cooking too fast – it’s better that then over cooking it. You can always put a steak back on the grill if it is not done enough. If you over cook it, it is history!
4) Meat continues to cook after you take it off the grill. You are better off taking the meat off the grill a little under cooked then exactly how it has been ordered.
Well that's it! After trying this method a few times you should be able to have the confidence to have your friends over for a BBQ and wow them with your skills. GOOD LUCK!
By the time you are done reading this article and have tried my methods a few times, you will be able to have 30 steaks on the grill at the same time and know at what stage of "doneness" each and every one is!
When grilling steaks, I only concern myself with three levels of doneness: rare, medium rare and medium. Well done is really a no-brainer. People who order their meat well done haven't learned to appreciate the qualities of a good piece of meat yet and are likely to be less judgmental of your work.
Let's start with preparation of the meat for the grill. It is important to trim the excess fat from the meat before placing it on the grill. It is the fat drippings that cause flare-ups and flare-ups burn the outside of the meat. It is a catch twenty-two when it comes to the fat on a steak. Fat within the piece of meat is called marbling and it is marbling that gives a piece of meat its flavor. It is the fat around the edges of the cut of meat you want to trim back. So make sure you trim not all but most of the fat from the edges of your meat. While you are trimming the meat notice the texture and the softness to the touch. A raw piece of meat is soft and spongy to the touch. Remember this because when meat cooks it gets firmer the longer you cook it. By the time you are done with this lesson you will be able to tell if a steak is rare, medium rare or medium by just touching it with your index finger.
The grill should be pre heated on the high setting. You want the grill as hot as it gets. A few minutes after turning the grill on is the best time to brush the grids clean. Brush off any left over food and dust that my have gotten into the grill. In order to do this you will need a long handled BBQ brush so you don't burn your hands or arms.
Those of you who have a searing section on your grill should start your meat on this section of your grill. Those of you who have purchased a grill from us know that a searing section is nice to have but is not necessary in good Barbecuing techniques.
I like to sear the meat for about one to two minutes on each side while the grill is set on the high setting. This chars the outsides of the steak which helps hold the juices inside the meat. I do this no mater what level of doneness I am preparing for. Of course you have to be careful with this now. If the piece of meat is less than an inch thick this might pretty much be all you need to get it to medium rare.
Rare Steak
A rare steak is bright red in the middle, charred on the flat surfaces and browned on the edges. I usually cook a rare steak on high, searing in the juices. A one inch thick steak should be seared on each side for only about two to two and a half minutes. That's it! The temperature of rare meat is between 120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. It would be a good idea to use a thermometer at first to help you learn the characteristics of a rare steak. When the steak gets to 120 degrees F. touch the steak with your index finger. Notice that a rare steak is still soft but not as spongy to the touch, a little firmer than the raw steak.
So what do you do if your steak is 1 1/2 inches thick? Well it is going to take another minute longer on each side to get to 120 degrees F. in the center. Again use the thermometer at first and remember the "feel". If you are still unsure take a knife and cut into the meat to check the color. This is not the best thing to do because it allows all the juices to escape but come on, this is not brain surgery. You are still learning.
Medium Rare Steak
A medium rare steak is cooked to a center temperature of 130 to 135 degrees F. The color is red in the center and pink from the center on out. The outside surface is charred dark brown with browned edges. When you use the touch technique it will feel firm on the sides but still soft in the very center. For a one inch thick steak it should take about 3+ minutes per side on the hot setting.
Medium Steak
A medium cooked steak has an internal temperature of 140 to 150 degrees F. The very center is pink but the outer edges of the cut steak should be mostly brown. The outer surfaces should be charred dark brown with brown sides. The steak should feel firm to the touch with some flex to the meat. A one inch steak should cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side on the medium hot setting.
Special Tips
1) All grills are different with settings that have different temperature ranges. You will have to learn how hot your grill will get at the different knob settings. This will take a few times to get it right but remember a thermometer and/or the touch technique will let you know how done the meat is. It is just the timing that will need to be adjusted.
2) The thicker the piece of meat the longer you will cook it to get to the internal temperature you want. The temperature of the grill should be turned down for thicker cuts after the initial searing because the outside will get too charred if you leave it on longer. You don't want to burn the outside while you are trying to cook a medium rare steak.
3) When you have a number of steaks on the grill and different requests for the degree of doneness you have to pay closer attention to what you are doing. Have the grill set at different temperatures and know where the grill gets hotter and cooks faster. Move the meat around and stagger when you start the steaks. Rare steaks are going to get done a lot sooner than a medium steak. Don't be afraid to get a steak off the grill early if it is cooking too fast – it’s better that then over cooking it. You can always put a steak back on the grill if it is not done enough. If you over cook it, it is history!
4) Meat continues to cook after you take it off the grill. You are better off taking the meat off the grill a little under cooked then exactly how it has been ordered.
Well that's it! After trying this method a few times you should be able to have the confidence to have your friends over for a BBQ and wow them with your skills. GOOD LUCK!
