How To: Grill a Steak

There are several tricks to ensuring a perfectly grilled steak.  First, for me at least, is to have a instant read thermometer to take out the guess work.  Second, is to have a quality cut of beef.  Fat is an essential aspect of a delicious steak, and of all grilled food, really.  When cooking at a very high temperature, you don't want the meat to be too lean or it seizes up and becomes tough.  Lean meats are better for slow, slow cooking -- braising specifically.

I grew up tasting Top Sirloin as that was my dad's preferred cut.  But I find it to be boring as an adult.  It has fat, but not marbled.  Nowadays, I think the best option is a Ribeye.  I buy boneless cuts for home cooking, but if given the chance at your favorite steakhouse, I recommend a bone-in ribeye.

I use a gas grill, because it's fast to heat.  A charcoal grill, if you have one, adds a deliciousness to food that you can't simulate anywhere else, though.

Some people will use dry seasonings, others wet.  I've tried pre-made rubs, homemade rubs, but I have a fallback recipe that has never let me down.  Some purists will use just salt and pepper.  This can be good, too, but you'd better have excellent quality meat if you want to cook so simply.

The grill should be VERY hot.  This ensures a good sear and that makes your steak look delicious.  It also helps keep some juices in the meat.  If you're not using oil in your wet seasoning, rub the grill with vegetable oil just before adding the meat.  Use the grill's lid to get the temperature back up.

You shouldn't keep moving the steak.  As you get more familiar with how much time your desired doneness takes, you'll move it less.  But generally, don't touch the steak for at least 4 minutes after you've  put it on the grill.

Never press any meat on the grill down onto the grates.

Always rest a steak before cutting into it.  You can cover it with aluminum foil to help keep it hot, but cutting too soon will send your side dishes into a pool and your meat will be drier than if you had waited.

When you find something you like -- write down the cut, thickness and how long you grilled it.  This way you can replicate it again next time.