How to grill the perfect steak!

Many people stress over the thought of barbecuing for guests.  Actually, the process is quite simple.

When grilling steaks, focus on 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.

Preparing the Steak.  Trim any excess fat from the steak 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. 

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.

If you have a searing section on your grill, start your meat on this section of your grill.  A searing section is nice to have but is not necessary to produce a wonderful steak.

Sear the meat for about one to two minutes on each side while the grill is set on high.   This char on the outside of the steak helps retain the moisture inside the meat.  Do this no mater what level of doneness you are targeting.  One word of caution, if the steak is less than an inch thick this might be all you need to get it to medium rare.  To continue cooking, move the steak off the sear burner or turn down the temperature to a medium to medium high setting depending on your grill.

Rare Steak
A rare steak is bright red in the middle (about 1/3 the thickness of the steak) and charred on the outside. 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 a little firmer than the raw steak. 

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 (about 1/4 the thickness of the steak) and then pink.  The outside surface is charred dark brown.  When you use the touch technique it will feel firm on the sides but still soft in the very center. 

Medium Steak
A medium cooked steak has an internal temperature of 140 to 150 degrees F.  The center is pink (not red) and then brown.  The outer surface should be charred dark brown.  The steak should feel firm to the touch with some flex to the meat. 

Special Tips
1) All grills have different settings with 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 when the meat is done. 

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 or 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, there's no going back.

4) Meat continues to cook after you take it off the grill.  You are better off taking the meat off the grill about 5 degrees below your targeted temperature. 

5) Don't pierce the steak with a fork, use a spatula or tongs to turn and move the steak.  Piercing allows moisture to seep out and dries out the steak.  Hold the salt until you are done grilling for the same reason. Salts pulls moisture to the perimeter and makes for a dryer steak.

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!

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