A beginner’s guide for choosing, preparing and grilling a perfect steak: tender & juicy meat with a nice charred crust and evenly cooked from crust to crust.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe:
So, if you agree on those descriptions of a perfect steak, then keep on reading.
Best cuts for grilling:
Before we dive into the recipe, let’s talk about choosing the right steak.
Any of the following cuts of steak is great for grilling:
- Ribeye – the best cut and worth every penny!
- NY strip – super popular option thanks to its beefy flavor. Since this cuts isn’t the most tender cut, I highly recommend cooking it to medium rare for the maximum tenderness.
- Porterhouse/T-bone steaks – meat-lover’s favorite, these two cuts actually have 2 cuts in one: NY strip on one side and filet mignon on another!
- Top sirloin – lean yet, tender this cut is affordable, yet flavorful!
What’s the difference between porterhouse and t-bone?
Porterhouse and t-bone steaks are pretty much the same, but the main difference is that:
- porterhouse is generally bigger cut and has bigger filet mignon side
- t-bone is smaller than porterhouse and has smaller filet mignon, but bigger NY strip steak.
How to Choose a Steak:
2 most important things to consider when buying a steak:
Now that being said, I also would like to mention American Wagyu beef, which is super marbled, luxury beef. My husband raises a few Wagyu cattle and I can testify how flavorful Wagyu beef is! So if you ever get a chance to try it, do it!
2. Steak Thickness
Ok, next pay attention to the thickness of the steaks. It’s best to go with thicker cuts, like at least 1.5-inch thick steak, and preferably 2-inch thick. You’ll less likely to overcook a thick steak.
How to Prepare a Steak for Grilling:
Now that you’ve bought a nice steak, here’s how to prepare them before cooking.
- The night before, remove the packaging and season the steaks with salt. That way, the steaks will get seasoned all the way in and will have a nice dry crust on the outside, which helps to get that beautiful charred crust. If you didn’t get a chance to do this step, it’s totally ok. Simply follow the below steps.
- About an hour prior to cooking, bring out the fully thawed steaks on the counter. Room temperature steaks cook evenly. If you haven’t salted the steaks the night before, now is a perfect time to do that. Make sure to dry the steaks well with paper towel before salting.
How to grill a steak:
Ok, you bought a great steak and you prepared it well! Now, let’s cook it!
- Preheat a gas grill well, at least 15 minutes.
- Clean the grates and lightly oil the grates. Here’s how I do it: I pour a little vegetable oil on a piece of paper towel. And rub the oiled paper towel on grates, using a pair of kitchen tongs. (You can watch it in action in the video below.)
- Place the prepared steak on the grill. Cook it for about a minute, then turn it quarter turn for a nice diamond grill marks, if desired. Flip and cook for another minute. Then continue to grill the steak until desired doneness, flipping every minute or two. I like my steaks medium rare, which means I cook mine till 130°F.
- Transfer onto a clean plate, cover and rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving. If desired, place a slice of butter on top of the steak before covering.
What to serve with grilled steak:
- Baked Steak Fries – a great choice for a delicious restaurant-quality meal at home.
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes – a classic side dish for any meat.
- Asian-Style Noodle Salad – a perfect choice for hot summer days.
Through this article, we hope to help you understand Best cuts of meat to grill
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