Some people consider a perfectly cooked steak one of the best foods on earth. However, it is not as easy as just throwing your steak on the grill. You need to know a few things to make it a hit. This article will give you some quality advice on grilling the perfect steak!
Contents
Choosing The Right Piece Of Meat
Choosing the right piece of meat is key to cooking up a succulent sizzling steak. The best steaks are made from ribeye or tenderloin because they have the perfect ratio of fat-to-lean. The best ratio to look for is about 1/3 to almost ½ inch of fat. The best way to pick a piece of meat is by looking at the marbling. Marbling is the fat present in a cut of beef that gives it flavor and juiciness. A great steak has small, fine threads of fat running throughout it.
Preparing Your Steak
Once you have picked the right steak, pull it out of the fridge and give it a good hour to come up to room temperature. Doing this will ensure that the steak cooks evenly throughout, so you don’t have the ends of your steak cooked much more than the center. The next step before seasoning is to pat the steak dry. If there is too much moisture on the steak, it can steam, thus preventing a golden crispy crust from forming.
Seasoning Your Chunk Of Meat
The next step in cooking the perfect steak is to season it. You mustn’t forget this because your taste buds are practically begging you to give them something delicious! A liberal coating of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper will suffice for seasoning, but you can use other spices if you prefer. Another common way to season the perfect steak is to use minced garlic and olive oil. Pat the seasoning onto both sides of the steak and let it rest for about 20 minutes.
Heating The Grill
The final step to cooking the perfect steak is to heat your grill. You want a hot grill so you can see those delicious juices sizzling as it cooks! You can tell when your grill is ready by holding your hand about 4 inches above the rack itself. If you cannot hold it there for more than 2 seconds, the grill is hot enough to start cooking. You can also test its heat by flicking a bit of water onto the rack; if it evaporates instantly, the grill is ready and waiting for the steak!
Cooking The Steak
Now that your grill is hot, you are ready to cook the perfect steak. You can either put the steak on a few minutes before you want to eat it or just wait until everyone is seated and then drop it onto the hot rack. How long you cook the steak is entirely up to you, but remember that the longer you cook it, the more done it will become. One way to determine if your steak is done cooking is to cut into the center with a knife and peek inside. You want it to be deep pink or red on the inside because it means the steak is cooked to perfection.
Resting The Perfect Steak
After taking your steak off of the grill, you need to let it rest for about 5 minutes before cutting it. If you cut the steak right after cooking, all of the juices will flood out onto your plate and make a sad puddle. By resting, those juices will redistribute throughout the meat giving you more flavor in every bite! Once it has rested, you can cut into your perfect steak and enjoy it!
Extra Notes
Always make sure your grill grate is clean before cooking. Ideally, it would help to scrub it down and then rub some oil on the grate to keep food from sticking.
One other thing to think about is timing. Most people prefer medium-rare steaks that are done when cooked for 6 minutes on each side. If you cook the perfect steak any longer than that, it will be overcooked, and you have dry, tough meat. However, if you like your steak medium, it should be cooked for 8 to 10 minutes on each side. If you prefer it well done, aim for 12-14 minutes of cooking time on each side.
Conclusion
The key to grilling the perfect steak is all about having a high-quality piece of meat, seasoning it liberally, letting it rest after cooking, and making sure your grill is hot. With a few added tips to make it even better! Now that you have all the info you need, all that’s left to do is go pick up your steaks and get to grilling!