Grilling a Good Steak – It’s Easy

Grilled steak – a delicious way to end the day

Is grilling steaks a complicated task? No, not really. Just some basic facts and a few steak grilling tips to pave the way and you’re good to go.

Grill temperature, steak type and thickness, spices and marinades, and whether you want your steak rare, medium, or medium will guide you down the path of how to cook a steak. You get great tips for grilling steaks just by doing it. So let’s start grilling.

A hot grill warms my heart. (I use a Weber two burner gas grill for under $115 at Lowes) One side fully high and one side slightly cooler. The hot grill serves to sear the steak so it locks in those precious juices. Just as you always use steak tongs instead of a fork to flip meat, poking holes with a fork in the meat will let all those juices run out, and the juices are the flavor.

The type of steak you are grilling will determine the temperature and seasoning options. Filet Mignon with so little fat, although tender it has very little flavor so you have to season it. Ribeye, ribeyes, and sirloin steaks have large ribbons of fat throughout the meat, so flavor is not an issue. Don’t forget about some of the less expensive steaks like flank steak, london broil, round steak, and even strip steak. With proper care it could be a success.

Where you source your steaks can make all the difference. A butcher shop cuts fresh meat to order. Grocery stores have pre-frozen, pre-packaged, and thinner-cut steaks.

A little preparation goes a long way in grilling some great steaks. Make sure the steaks you are about to grill are at room temperature. If you put cold or frozen meat on a grill, it will burn the outside and leave the inside raw and icy. Take those steaks out of the freezer or refrigerator well before you cook them. Trim the fat around the steak every inch and a half. It will prevent the steak from curling up because fat shrinks faster than meat.

To season or not to season? – That is the question! Spices and seasonings are often the cook’s choice, as various combinations are possible; however, pepper is probably one of the elements that cannot be missing. Steak marinade recipes for tenderizing and steak marinades enhance the flavor of many cuts of beef steak. For tougher cuts of meat, choose a steak tenderizer marinade recipe with ingredients like vinegar or citrus juice mixed with a little olive oil and seasonings and soak all day in the refrigerator.

When grilling a steak, most people turn the meat from one side to the other. Not good! That will destroy your steak. As an example, on a hot grill cook the steak for 2 minutes, then turn it to 45 degrees and cook for another 2 minutes. Then flip it over, look at the (nice|unique|nice]grill mark design you made, and do the same for the other side. I usually move steaks to a cooler part of the grill so they cook a little longer without charring.

Everyone seems to like their steak differently. You’ll hear “just a little pink” or “cutting up the steak.” Push the top of the steak in with your thumb; if it’s soft and fluffy you have a rare steak, if there’s a little resistance it’s medium rare and if it feels firm there’s no pink.

If you have a sensitive thumb or are just smarter, there are little digital steak thermometers that tell you the exact temperature if your steak is just the way you like it. Life becomes easier.

Enjoying friends and family while grilling steaks is a wonderful experience. Repeat weekly and report back on your success.