You've Been Grilling Steak All Wrong: Here's The Right Way

You've been grilling steak all wrong, did you know that? Let us set you on the right path to steak success: Here's how to grill it the right way

A well-marbled, dry-aged, gloriously thick USDA Prime cut of beef is a work of art and damn expensive, so why would you do that? Why would you disrespect the meat like that?

Let's take a moment and list the many ways you may have gone astray: You chose a lean piece of beef; you tried to cook a cold steak; you didn't season it properly; you didn't prep the grill; the heat was set too low; you kept flipping and meddling with the steak; you over/under cooked it; you sliced into it immediately; and, lastly, you weren't grateful for all of the work that went into that masterpiece. From farmer to butcher to your role as grill master, you didn't appreciate it.

Let us fix this. Let us set you on the right path to steak success.

Letting the steak temper will help to ensure that the steak cooks evenly. Pull the steaks from the refrigerator a good 30 minutes before you plan on grilling. That said, if you like your steaks blue or very rare, leaving it in the fridge will keep the center of the steak cool, just the way you like it. 

Click here for this Ribeye with Pepita-Lime Butter recipe.

All a good cut of beef needs is a light coating of oil, a generous layer of good, evenly placed salt, and a few cracks of fresh black pepper. Now leave it alone! Allow the flavor of the steak itself to shine through; you'll want to taste that beefy goodness.  

Click here for this recipe for Blackened New York Strip Steak.

To oil your grill, brush canola oil or an olive oil blend (not the good stuff) on the grill grates; this will help with the initial sear and keep the steak from sticking. Click here for this recipe for Grilled Steak With Blue Cheese Potatoes. 

Turn the grill on high — really. We are searching for a dark brown, thick, crunchy crust on the steak, and this is only achieved over high heat. As you turn the grill to high, pour one out for Louis Camille Maillard for helping everyone to understand how and why dark brown food is delicious food. 

If you want cross-hatch marks, first hold your steak parallel to the grates, then turn it 45 degrees to the left before setting it down on the grill. After only about two minutes, you'll want to lift the steak from the grill, and turn the steak 90 degrees to the right (45 degrees to the right from parallel), and set down the steak in a different place on the grates.

It's important to place the steak in a different spot because the new spot will be hotter than the old one, which will help with the color and sear. After another two minutes, flip the steak and repeat the steps to get the cross-hatch marks on the opposite side.

If you don't care for those grill marks, leave the steak alone for three to four minutes before flipping over to a different place on the grill. Try not to get anxious and mess with the steak too much; relax, and let the heat work its magic.  

Play with your food and use this awesome five-finger trick to check the doneness in your steak. For the feeling of a steak cooked medium-rare, bring your left-hand index finger pad and lightly touch the top of your thumb making a version of the "OK" hand sign. Now touch the thick muscle at base of your thumb; the contracted thumbs muscles will make it feel slightly firm, just like a medium-rare steak should feel like when touched.

The general rule is to let your steak rest at least half the time it took to cook. This allows the internal temperature to equalize and will lock in all the meat juices. It's also important for air to circulate around the entire steak, so it is best to rest the steak on a cooling rack. This will keep the crust crisp and brilliantly delicious. 

A lovey addition of coarse salt (grey salt is awesome) or a little tab of compound butter will send you into beef paradise.