Cooking with Steaks

Cooking with steaks

To properly know when your steak is done it is good to know something about what it's like before it even hits the grill. Developing a feel for the meat raw will help you learn how it changes as it cooks. I recommend taking a raw steak and getting a good feel of it. A raw steak is going to be spongy and soft. The fat will typically be hard, but the meat will be squishy to the touch. As the meat cooks it will become harder and more solid through the middle.

Internal Temperature 120 to 130 degrees F. (50 to 55 degrees C.)

A rare done steak should be warm through the middle, lightly charred on the outside, browned around the sides and bright red in the middle. The meat should be soft to the touch, feeling like the raw meat but browned over the surface.

Cook this steak as hot as possible for a very short period of time, probably about one to two minutes per side for a one inch thick steak (depending on your grill).

This is the steak for the true carnivore who wants raw meat, but gets it cooked (as little as possible) to be polite.

Internal Temperature 130 to 135 degrees F. (55 to 57 degrees C.)

At medium rare your steak should be warm through the middle with a hint of red. Most of the center of the steak should be pink. The sides should be well browned, the top and bottom charred to a dark brown color. This steak should have a firm surface but be soft in the middle.

Grill this steak as hot as you can for about 2 to 3 minutes per side (depending on your grill).

This is the recommended level of doneness for a good steak. Ask any chef how they like their steak and they'll say medium rare.

Internal Temperature 140 to 150 degrees F. (60 to 65 degrees C.)

A medium steak should have a thick band of light pink through the middle but be more browned than pink. The sides should be a rich brown color and the top and bottom charred darkly (but no black). This steak should have some play through the middle but feel firm to the touch.

Grill this steak over a medium high heat for about 5 to 6 minutes per side (depending on your grill).

If you are grilling for a large group of people this is the best level of doneness to please most everyone.

Internal Temperature 155 to 165 degrees F. (68 to 74 degrees C.)

A medium well steak should have a hint of pink in the very middle of the steak. The surface should be a dark brown with good charring on the top and bottom. This steak will be very stiff but still have a little squish in the middle.

Grill this steak over a high heat for one minute per side then move to a medium heat for 5 to 6 additional minutes per side (depending on your grill).

This is the steak for the squeamish who don't want color in their meat. If you can sneak this one in for someone ordering Well you will be doing both of you a favor

Internal Temperature 170 or higher degrees F. (77 or higher degrees C.)

This steak should NOT be burnt on the outside. While there is not even the faintest hint of pink in the middle it should be browned through, not burnt through. This steak should feel solid all the way through.

A Well Done steak is the hardest to cook. The secret is to do it low and slow. It's the only way to prevent burning while getting it cooked through the middle. Grill this steak over a medium heat for between 10 and 12 minutes per side.

Most people will tell you that this is the steak for people who don't like steak. While there is some truth to that, it is a popular way to get a steak so any good griller needs to know how to do it.

Knowing the steak you are going to grill is very important. I encourage you to literally get a feel for the meat. A steak changes in texture and density as it cooks. Knowing how it feels before it hits the grill is going to help you hit your desired doneness. Given the differences between grills, cooking surfaces, cuts of steak, and weather there isn't a set rule for how long a steak will take to cook. Knowing the feel of the meat will serve you better than any clock. If you feel better using a thermometer I will go over the temperatures as we get cooking.

Also take note of the thickness of the steak. I'm using a 1-inch thick steak for this demonstration but will tell you how to adjust for other thicknesses. Make sure you know how thick your steak is and that you remember that thickness for later.

Things you will need:

A Steak
Salt and Pepper (or your preferred seasoning)
A very hot Grill
a reliable Meat Thermometer (optional)
A Clock or Watch with a second hand
Good contact on the grill without letting your steak stick. This means that you need to make sure that your cooking surface is clean and oiled. It is best to oil the cooking grate while it is hot so while you are heating up the grill is a good time to put on a light coat of oil. The easiest way to this is with an oil soaked paper towel and the brush you use to clean your grates.
Fold a paper towel in half until it is the size of your grill cleaning brush. Soak it with some oil. I suggest an oil with a high smoke point like an extra light olive oil or grape seed oil. Brush this over the cooking grates evenly. Yes, it will smoke some, but that's okay. As long as you don't let the grill sit at its highest temperature for too long before you start grilling the oil will still be there when the steaks go on.

A good steak doesn't need a lot of seasoning. A little salt and pepper will enhance the flavor. Small amounts of herbs and spices can go a long way. Anyway you season your steak it is important that you don't overdo it. Make sure that you get an even application of whatever you do use. Remember that some of these seasonings will come off during cooking. You can apply the seasonings early to let the flavors sink in a little, but it isn't necessary since the affect isn't going to be that noticeable

To get your steak cooked right you need to do this hot and fast. This sears the surface giving the steak a crisp, caramelized surface while letting you pick how well you want it done in the middle. This means that you need to get you grill as hot as it will go. If you are using charcoal you need a heavy layer of burning, white hot charcoal. If you are using a gas grill you need to let that grill heat up as hot as it will go. It is a good idea to know how hot your grill can get so you know when it hits this temperature. You want to put the steaks on as soon as your grill reaches this point.

If you want your steak cooked past medium (medium well or well) let the grill heat up to its highest temperature, then turn the heat down a little. If you don't the surface of the steak can burn and dry out before the center hits these higher temperatures.

Finally we are ready to put steak to grill. Make sure that you don't have anything else to do because it is important that you stay by the grill. This is going to go quickly so have everything you need on hand.

We are going to keep the grill closed as much as possible to hold in the heat. Before you you put the steaks on the grill take a look at them. Find a "top". When we turn the steaks in a minute you are going to want to know where that top is so you can get the perfect grill marks.

Before we put that steak on, lets talk about time. If you are looking for a medium rare 1-inch thick steak our cooking times are going to be one minute (four units of one minute). If you want your steak medium well or well done, you are going to turn down the heat now to a medium high heat (but leave it hot for the start). Your cooking times are going to be two minutes. If you are using a thicker steak (but under 2-inches) then the cooking times are going to be 1 1/2 minutes or 3 minutes for medium well or well. If your steak is less than 3/4-inch thick (but more than 1/2-inch) the cooking times are going to be 45 seconds or 1 minute for medium well to well.

Now, open the grill, put the steak on with the top as far from you as you can. Meaning that the top of the steak is to the back of the grill or at the 12 o'clock position.

With the steaks on the grill, close the lid and and start counting the time. I'm going to stick with the 1 minute cooking time for this demonstration, but you adjust based on your steak thickness and desired doneness.

After the first minute its time to turn the steak. We are not turning the steak over. We are going to rotate the steak 45 degrees, or from the 12 o'clock position to the 1:30 position. This will give us the diamond pattern on the steaks that looks so professional.

Turn the steaks quickly and close the lid again and start watching the time again.

We're half way through the cooking time and ready to flip the steak over. You are going to grab the steak and flip it over returning the top to the 12 o'clock position. When you lift the lid to flip the grill the steak should appear gray on the top (uncooked side). The heat of the grill is cooking the steak around the surface. If the steak appears raw on the top, put the lid down without flipping it and let it go for another minute.

Otherwise close the lid and start timing the next minute.

As we go to turn the steak for the last time, you want to start checking for doneness. The steak should so no red around the side by this point and the top side should have a rich brown color. As you pick the steak up to turn (not flip) 45 degrees as we did in step 6 feel the density of the steak. A medium rare steak should be firm but still have a good amount of give.

This should give you a good idea of how much time you still need. Close the lid and allow to continue grilling. After this last minute, turn down the heat on your grill and test the temperature of the steak. The steak temperatures are:

Rare - 120 to 130 degrees F. (50 to 55 degrees C.)
Medium Rare - 130 to 135 degrees F. (55 to 57 degrees C.)
Medium - 140 to 150 degrees F. (60 to 65 degrees C.)
Medium Well - 155 to 165 degrees F. (68 to 74 degrees C.)
Well - 170 or higher degrees F. (77 or higher degrees C.)

If your steak needs more cooking time, leave it where it is and continue grilling on a medium heat until done.

With your steak grilled it is time to get it off the grill and onto a plate (not a cold plate). Resting meat is one of the most important steps when grilling. Let your steak rest for 5 minutes before serving. This will allow the meat to relax, the heat and juices to spread out, and the meat to become more tender. This is a vital step to the perfect steak so don't forget it.

Once you've eaten your steak it is time to record your findings. Keep track of the thickness and cut of the steak, the grilling temperature on your grill, and the time you cooked it. Then consider how it was done. If your steak was undercooked by the end and needed more time, then next time you will want to increase the four cooking times. If it was overdone then you will want to decrease the four cooking times. Practice and observation is the key to becoming a great steak griller.

Grilling the perfect steak is an art form. It takes practice and patience to master it. If you follow these simple steps you will have no trouble grilling a great steak. I am assuming that you already have the right cut of steak and know how to seasoning it(or not) to your liking.

Let your steak reach room temperature before grilling. Some people might tell you that this isn't necessary, however I feel that this helps grill your steak more evenly and faster.
Trim the steak of excess fat. Any strips of fat should be about 1/4" thick. Also cut through the fat strip about every 1 1/2". When grilling fat shrinks fast than the meat and it can cause your steaks to curl.
Season. I light brushing of olive oil, maybe some fresh cracked pepper is all you want. Seasoning is entirely up to you. Preheat the grill. Hot as it will go for a gas grill or a single layer of ashy white coals for a charcoal grill.
Oil the grate. An easy way to do this is to take a piece of trimmed fat, hold in tightly in a pair of tongs and rub it on the hot grate.
Grill. Place each steak on the grill for one minute. Turn and grill on the second side for an additional minute. Turn and rotate 45 degrees and grill for half the remaining cooking time. Turn again. If you do this right you will get a nice diamond pattern of grill marks.
Remove when done. I use the pressure test to check my steaks. When you are getting close to having a done steak press it with your index finger or the flat side of a grilling fork to get a feel for it. A rare steak will be soft. A medium steak will be firm but yielding. A well steak will be firm. Once you get the hang of this trick you will be able to remove steaks from the grill at just the right second.
Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before serving. This will let the juices flow out from the center so the whole steak is nice and juicy.

Grilling Times by Thickness

These times are total cooking times. Divide in half for each side. Times are approximate and will vary depending on the type of grill, fuel, weather conditions, etc..

Thickness / Rare / Medium / Well / Heat
1" / 8-10 / 12-14 / 16-20 / High
1 1/2" / 10-14 / 16-20 / 22-26 / High
2 / 12-16 / 18-22 / 24-28 / Medium