I’m moving into a new place. It will be the first place in many years that will allow a gas grill. I am probably going to buy one today and start grilling tomorrow.
Obviously I am out of practice. What is the best way to grill a steak? I am thinking I will need some kind of marinade. I have memories from decades ago of people dousing steaks in a marinade of beer, worchestire sauce, pepper and… I don’t know what all, but they tasted pretty good.
A marinade isn’t de rigeur, it is just an idea. I just want it to come off the grill as a tasty steak I can be proud of. With practice I would want to grill steaks for my friends. How long do I cook it? How hot? How much time on each side? Help, I’m no good at this!
No marinade necessary. If the meat is decent quality, coarse salt and pepper are good enough. Steak sauce is to cover up the fact that the meat itself isn’t worth a damn.
Get the grill as hot as you possibly can, and cook the steaks directly over the heat, flipping them often, like every 30 seconds. Yes, that’s against “conventional wisdom”, but it really does make them cook a lot more evenly. (source: Modernist Cuisine)
I get my Big Green Egg up to about 800F, and it cooks a 3/4" thick steak to medium-rare in just a bit over 4 minutes. Want your steak a little more well-done? Extra 30-60 seconds.
I find the amazingribs.com site to be a great resource for all things related to grilling and BBQ - have a look at their article on the “reverse sear” method here.
A good instant read thermometer will save you a LOT of guesswork…the “Thermapen” is the gold standard, but very pricey at around $100, I use the “Thermopop” made by the same company which is almost as good and costs $30.
Salt the meat a minimum of a few hours before grilling (over night if possible) and refrigerate. When ready to grill take it out, pat it dry, add fresh ground pepper. Grill on the hottest setting you can until done to your preference. Cut a garlic clove in half and rub the steak with it. Put a pat of butter on the steak and cover with foil. Let rest 5 minutes. Enjoy!
Thanks! I assembled the new grill this evening and hooked up the propane. It is ready to go tomorrow. It has two burners and a side burner warming plate thing. $119 at Home Depot, plus propane tank.
I guess I will grill a ribeye. I’ll dry brine it and trim the fat. I see the ‘reverse sear’ and I see the idea of heating a griddle with the lid down. It’s new- do I want to eat meat cooked directly on brand-new rails? I bet my cast iron skillet will fit in the grill. How would I change my ‘reverse sear’ technique if I coat the skillet in olive oil, and keep brushing it on the steak, searing it in the skillet? Or is the warming plate burner actually a ‘sear burner’?
first the type and cut of meat are key-your butcher should know-if u don’t have one go to a gourmet market meat dept and ask their butcher. t bone is my favorite-easy to prepare n delicious flavor. google steak marinades if u have the time. I prefer no marinade-a simple sea salt n ground peppercorn lightly sprinkled over each side prior to grilling carefully tended medium rare brings out the juicy flavor-good luck
Rib-eye is the king of steaks. Gas grills, IMO, do not get hot enough to reverse sear, so unless the steak is >1.5" thick, the hot grill will be all you need. A tiny amount of cooking oil on the surface of the steak will help browning. Put the steak on the grill, and keep flipping it every 60 second until done, as determined by a meat thermometer. The goal is brown all over, not grey with black stripes or crosshatch.
If the grill is brand new, I would do a “burn-off” for 30-45 minutes with the lid closed in the morning. When it is time to cook, heat for at last 15 minutes. Clean the grates with a brush and oil them (dip a paper total in cooking oil and wipe grates using tongs). You can super heat a section of the grill by inverting a disposable pan while preheating, or weighting a piece of foil over a section. Never do that to the entire cook surface though!
At $199, you probably don’t have a sear station. Reverse sear works well on a charcoal grill, which run hotter and you can get the charcoal right up to the meat for fast browning.
It was $119- I just wanted something that burned gas, not to compete with the neighbors. Cheap enough that I could afford a thermapen. 135 degrees, eh? I’ll play with that!
Probably too late, but if you want the best steak, don’t use gas or propane, use charcoal. It gets hot enough to sear. Also don’t buy cheap beef, get good steak and then only use garlic salt, no marinade. Marinade is to make cheap meat taste better and be less tough.
Sear both sides, cook a little longer, pull off and let sit a few minutes to finish cooking. Don’t overcook.
That said, easier said than done.
I have a propane grill and can’t afford quality steaks, so I can’t take my own advice!
I few other general suggestions: the grill should be hot (as others have said), the meat should be room temperature when you put it on and the meat should rest a few minutes before you serve.
Too late for me to get a charcoal grill. I didn’t really want one though. I tend to not have a lot of free time, and besides the mess I think charcoal takes more time and attention. I will use a gas grill more often because of the time factor alone. Some of the neighbors have charcoal grills- maybe if I bait them over with the smell of grilled ribeye I can find a way to suggest using theirs some weekend to cook one right on the coals.
Now you’re talking. I just can’t wait to stick my meat in it, it will be sooo hot!
