There are few things I enjoy more than a perfectly grilled steak. I love grilled meals period. Fast, tasty, and easy! My husband and I use a gas grill. We started off with charcoal, but converted to gas because of the convenience. No pre-heating, no waiting, just turn it on and go.
Another thing I love about grilling is it give the family a chance to hang out outside while dinner is being cooked. Here's my oldest little goofball cruising' the patio in his cozy coupe after church while our steaks were a-cookin'.
Let me introduce you to my personal grill master, husband, and dad to my boys...Jim. Over the years he has perfecting his gas grilling technique and there are few people that can match his steak grilling skills. I picked his brain for tips and tricks and today I'm going to share them with all of you!
1. Buy a nice cut & tenderize and season. I always start my steaks first with buying a nice cut, and second by seasoning well. I always use this method when prepping my steaks. A little lemon juice and lots of seasoning! My favorite for steaks is McCormick Montreal Steak. I put them in a ziplock and marinate for 2+ hours. After that you're ready to grill!
2. Shock your steak with heat and then cook it slow. The secret to a perfect steak is to start with a blazing hot grill. Heat it up as hot as it will go. Slap your steaks on to your hot grill and then turn all burners down to medium - low, except for one. Use the indirect heat to cook your steak to your desired, perfect, doneness. By placing your steaks on a hot grill and shocking it, it seers the meat - sealing in all of the moisture. Then, turning down the heat cooks it slowly without drying it out.
3. Flip Once. Another tip is not to flip! A lot of people get flip happy! Resist the urge to flip flop that steak. Turn it only once. Cooking times depend on the thickness of your steak and your desired doneness level. But generally speaking - the first side should be cooked about 2 minutes longer than the second side.
4. Check the doneness by touch. Curious about the doneness of your steak without having to cut into it? Here's a tip that my steak-loving friends Erin and Daniel shared with me - I talk more about them here. You can tell the doneness of your steak just by touching it. Using the meaty part of your palm beneath your thumb, and compare the bounce back of your steak. If your hand is open and your steak feels similar to this - your steak is raw. By placing your thumb and subsequent fingers together your palm will become firmer - and so will the bounce back of your steak as it cooks. Here's a visual aid chart for better explanation - a picture paints a thousand words right?
5. Let it rest. After you have cooked your steaks, let them rest, covered for about 5-10 minutes before cutting into them. This will let the juices settle instead of running out the second you cut into them. I know it's hard to wait - but trust me on this one! And that my friends is the recipe for a perfect steak.
How To Grill The Perfect Steak
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Beef Steaks cut of your choice, about 2 steaks
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 tablespoon McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning
Instructions
- Prepare grill by heating to highest heat possible.
- Place steaks on hot grill, and immediately turn down heat to low-medium except for one burner away from cooking area.
- Cook to desired doneness, using the finger test, and then flip once. About 4-7 minutes the first side. And 3 - 5 minutes the second side.
- Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Another favorite of mine to grill is fish! Check out my tips for grilling salmon and shrimp below:
Fresh Pesto Shrimp
Erin V says
really does make the best steak imaginable !