Grill season is nearly here and we know you’re excited about moving out of the kitchen and back to the grill. Whether you use a gas grill or swear by an old-fashioned charcoal grill, there’s surely something everyone can agree on — steak just tastes better grilled. No offense to a good ole cast iron pan, but the flavor and texture of grilled steak is what we dream about all winter.
Cooking a perfect steak will depend on a few factors. Between cuts, rubs, flavors, techniques, and timing, you can choose how to make the perfect steak. Of course, at the end of the day, the perfect steak is a highly personal choice.
Different Steak Cuts
Let’s begin with the right cut. Not all cuts are created equal, especially for grilling. Here is a rundown of different steak cuts from what is generally considered lower quality to the highest quality you can find.
New York Strip Steak or Sirloin Steak
This is a great all-around steak that is a true American favorite. This steak cut has both top loin and tenderloin, which gives you a great combination of the soft juicy texture of tenderloin with a little extra fat, bringing out those flavors. This cut can be a little on the leaner side, so be sure to watch out for overcooking.
Porterhouse or T-Bone Steak
As the name suggests, this steak cut is a sirloin steak with a T-shaped bone in it. It’s slightly bigger than sirloin and has a little more of the highly desired tenderloin part.
Filet Mignon or Tenderloin
This steak is cut from the short loin of the cow, which is a muscle that hardly does any lifting. This means that the meat is soft, juicy, devoid of fat, and allows for your knife to slice through it like butter. As the name suggests, this cut is very tender. Some may argue that it has a little less flavor because it’s not as fatty as other cuts. But, this makes tenderloin very versatile and perfect for the grill.
Ribeye Steak
While not as soft and buttery as a tenderloin, the ribeye comes with loads of flavorful fat that makes it very popular and bursts with flavor. Coming bone in or bone out, ribeye is a great steak for the grill for its balance of fat and meat.
Japanese Kobe Beef
One of the most prized kinds of beef in the world is the ribeye Kobe beef cut from Wagyu cows in Kobe, Japan. These cows live a pampered and luxurious lifestyle, which is reflected in both the extraordinary price of the meat and the extraordinary taste. This melt-in-your-mouth meat is perfect for grilling and the fats dissolve at an even lower heat than regular meat.
Marinades and Rubs
Like cuts, there are many marinades and rubs to choose from. Here are some of our top picks so you can get the flavor profile that you’re looking for.
French and Italian
Mix herbs de Provence or a mixture of Italian herbs with white or red, wine, or balsamic vinegar, chopped garlic, cloves, olive oil, black pepper, and salt. Let it sit in a zip lock bag in the fridge for over 6-48 hours for best results. Use the vinegar sparingly; vinegar in small amounts is great to help break down the surface of your steak so the marinade can be better absorbed and to make the meat more tender. You can also explore using ingredients such as Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce for a European flavor profile.
Asian
Opt for these flavors to go with Asian cuisine. Consider using ingredients such as soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and a little chili to make your marinade. Similarly, put in a zip bag and marinate for 6-48 hours before cooking.
TexMex
Make your Tex-Mex rub to copy your favorite Southwestern barbeque flavors. Rub ancho chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, sugar, garlic and onion powders, and dried oregano into your steak. Let sit for 10-30 minutes and then throw on the grill for those awesome down south flavors.
Grill Time
Preheat your grill to a high temperature. Whether you’re using a gas or charcoal grill, you want to make sure the grills are hot! Everyone has a different preference of how they liked their steak cooked and the exact timing on the grill will depend on both desired result and thickness of the meat. The different ways to cook your steak rare, medium rare, medium, medium well, and well done. Essentially rare means hot and seared on the outside and cool bloody on the inside. Well-done means cooked totally through so there’s no redness at all. And everything else represents the spectrum in the middle. As a general rule, put a steak on the grill and let it be. Don’t over prod or poke and only flip once to get the best result.
For a rare steak, you want to throw it on the hot grill for a few minutes on each side to give it a good searing without overcooking the middle. If you don’t like blood on your plate, leave your steak on the grill a little longer. The butcher’s or chef’s standard is medium rare, which means it’s reddish pink in the middle and still juicy without being bloody. Medium rare is the ideal preparation for grilled steak as the juicy flavors are locked in and the outside is crisp and smoky. To get a more cooked result or firmer texture, keep your steak on the grill for longer. For the best result and a perfectly grilled steak, be sure to look up how long to cook your steak depending on the weight, cut, and cooking preference. For aged steak, you want to quickly sear each side of the steak to lock in the juices and flavors.
The chef’s secret is to let the steak rest at the end of cooking before eating. Take it off the grill and let it rest on a plate for a few minutes so the flavors and textures can settle. It will continue to slowly cook a little while resting to produce the perfect result. And now, it’s time to enjoy! Bon appetit and happy grilling!
While do-it-yourself projects can be fun and fulfilling, there is always a potential for personal injury or property damage. We strongly suggest that any project beyond your abilities be left to licensed professionals such as electricians, plumbers, and carpenters. Any action you take upon the information on this website is strictly at your own risk, and we assume no responsibility or liability for the contents of this article.
