Throw on the Steaks
Now that your steaks are at room temperature and your grill is screaming hot, brush some olive oil onto your steaks and season liberally with salt and pepper. The salt and pepper will provide a ton of flavor and give you a great bite in those spots where the steak really sears. Throw the grills down on your hot grill and listen to that sizzle.
Give the steak four-to-five minutes before flipping over to the other side, but trust your eyes, as well. If you’re not seeing a good sear or the exterior hasn’t browned properly, keep it on longer. Flip it to the other side to finish off your steak, ranging from three-to-five more minutes for medium-rare to up to ten minutes for well-done.
Understanding Temperature
The best way to check the doneness of your steak is to know the temperature. Do not, I repeat, do not cut open the steak to check to see if it’s done inside. Get a meat thermometer like this one and use it to check the temperature. If you cut open a steak too early, all of those juices spill out and you get an uneven finish to your steak.
Let Your Steak Rest
This may be the most important step to grilling a perfect steak. As mentioned above, if you cut into your steak too soon, all of those great juices will spill out instead of redistributing throughout the meat, giving it an uneven finish. Rest your steak five-to-ten minutes, depending on the size of the cut, and tent it with aluminum foil. Once your steak has rested, and the heat is evenly distributed throughout the meat, your steak is ready to be served.
Grilling steaks can be a great addition to your summer barbecue. At the end of the day, find your ideal cooking temperature and preferred seasonings, but follow the basic guidelines and you’ll have steakhouse-quality dinners starting tonight. And let that steak rest!