The Perfect Grilled Steak

Follow these 6 steps from a chef on how to grill a perfect steak. Grilled steak with a delicious, flavorful crust on the outside while keeping the inside juicy and tender is easier than you think.

About This Recipe

Not long ago, I shared how I finally learned how to make the perfect pan-seared, oven-finished steak thanks to my pal and personal chef, Chef Bryan Williams. The deal is: It ain’t hard!

To surprise my steak-loving husband for Father’s Day, I wanted to try it on the grill. So I turned to Chef Bryan once again for expert advice. Spoiler alert: Grilled steak also ain’t hard! It turned out perfectly, and I’ve tested it many, many times since.

How to Grill Steak: 6 Steps to Perfection

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you grill steak like a pro…

If you’re like me, you might need to start with the basics: what are the different cuts of steak? Hy-Vee’s Summer Grilling Guide has a helpful infographic…

I realize everyone has different tastes. However, my husband’s favorite of all these is probably the New York Strip, or as we like to call it in these parts, the Kansas City Strip. The ribeye and sirloin are also good choices for grilling.

Then, at the meat counter, you may also see various grades of meat. Here’s what they mean…

David Walzog, executive chef at Michael Jordan’s Steak House in NYC, says to look “for meat with the most marbling, i.e., visible grains of fat running through the steak. As the steak is cooking, the fat melts, naturally tenderizing the meat and building in flavor. (He avoids vein steaks — the ones with a half-moon-shaped vein running through the cut — because they’re too tough.)” (source)

Don’t be afraid to ask the expert at the meat counter for recommendations if you’re unsure of what to get. 

Set your steaks out on the counter for about 30 minutes to bring them up to room temperature. This is an important step! Move on to preheating your grill while they sit out.

Right before grilling, pat the steaks dry on both sides and rub each steak with a little high-heat oil like avocado oil. Then, season well on both sides.

Chef Bryan says, “I love Montreal Steak Seasoning, but the classic Kosher salt and ground black pepper is great, too.” Chef Walzog thinks it’s ideal to coat each side of the steaks with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. “You can’t have too much salt on a steak,” he says. “It makes a great crust.” (source)

Get It Hot: Your grill isn’t ready until it’s seriously hot–hot enough to sear the outside of the steak quickly and form a crust. So crank up the heat initially and close the lid. It’s ready when it reaches 500°F.

Clean It: Once the grill is hot, be sure to clean the grates well. Chef Bryan says, “I preheat the grill and brush the grate with an appropriate brush for your grill. Ceramic-coated grill grates don’t like metal bristles much.  Aluminum foil crumpled up can be used for many grills with tongs to scrub the grates too.”

Grease It: Lastly, oil the grates carefully. To do this, douse a few paper towels in a high-heat oil like avocado oil or grapeseed oil. Grab them with tongs and rub over the grates. Avoid allowing it to drip down.

How long you grill your steak on each side depends on the thickness of the steak and to what doneness level you desire. Below is the general grilling concept, but note the cooking times and temps in Step 5:

1. Place the meat on the hottest part of the grill, keeping grill lid off.
2. Grill for a few minutes on the first side and then gently turn the steak 45 degrees on the same side. Sear for another few minutes, to get those perfect char marks.
3. Once you have good grill marks on that side, flip the steaks over to another hot part of the grill and sear for another few minutes. Then, turn the steaks 45 degrees one last time for the final few minutes of cook time.
4. If the steaks are burning before cooking to your preferred doneness, move them to the cooler area of the grill to finish up.

It’s important to note that the cooking time can vary depending on the thickness of the steak and the heat of your grill.

A meat thermometer and paying close attention to internal temperature are key if you want the perfect steak every time. The USDA recommends these safe cooking temperatures, but most chefs will disagree that this is the best way to cook a steak.

Chef Bryan recommends removing the steaks off the grill when the internal temperature (taken in the thickest part of the steak and before resting) is:

• 115 degrees for rare
• 125 degrees as medium-rare
• 135 degrees for medium
• 145 degrees for med-well
• 155 degrees for well-done

Once the steaks are removed, “carry-over” cooking happens for the next few minutes while they rest. Cover the steaks with some foil and they’ll continue to cook an additional 5-10 degrees.

If you’re wondering how long a particular steak will take to cook on the grill, this chart from Omaha Steaks is a helpful resource. Please notice that their suggested cooking temperatures are higher than Chef Bryan’s, so it’s important to cook your steaks a little less than they list.

After pulling steaks off the grill and covering with foil, let them rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing. The purpose of resting the steak is to let the temperature even out and let the juices settle in the steak.  If you cut into a steak right off the grill, all the delicious juices will run right out on your plate and not stay in the steak.

Bonus Tip: Top With Butter

Everything’s better with butter, right?! Chef Bryan says he loves to make different steak butters to top his grilled masterpieces with–like a roasted garlic/red wine butter or a chimichurri butter. Try our quick and easy Garlic Herb Butter.

Alrighty, it’s time to fire up the grill and get ready to impress your family and friends with your steak grilling skills!