How to Grill the best steak EVER
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This is the ultimate, easy steak guide. This statement is based on the assumption that you are not privy to a professional kitchen with the broiler that goes above 1100 degrees! These few steps will ensure an amazing steak on an outdoor grill, indoor grill, and even a frying pan!
1. More fat equals more flavour. In steaks this is referred to as marbling.
2. Sirloin has the least amount of fat. When I eat steak I usually stick to sirloin because although there are more tender cuts of beef, I like my steak between rare and medium rare so the tenderness isn’t such as issue. My mother for example likes her steak cooked medium well so the filet mignon is perfect for her because more fat in the meat keeps it juicy.
3. Everything in moderation… yeah, yeah, yeah, get to the good stuff.
4. Regardless of the cut, size or how you like your steak cooked, make sure you take the meat out of the fridge to allow it to come up to room temperature before you start to cook it; usually an hour is ideal.
5. Now there is some differing opinions regarding whether a steak should be seasoned with salt prior to cooking. The argument against it is based on the theory that salt will draw the natural juices out and make the meat tough. I do not agree with this. I learned a cool trick in a restaurant I used to work in; I coat the steak with oil and then I season it well with salt and pepper.
6. Like I mentioned above; professional kitchens have specialized equipment that I do not and as such when I grill meat I use extra virgin olive oil to coat it (surprise, surprise). I am mentioning this because extra virgin olive oil has a lower smoking temperature than other oils such as vegetable or peanut, which is why deep fried food is never done in olive oil. But I digress!
7. So after I have let the meat come up to room temperature I brush or coat the steak with extra virgin olive oil. Then I season it liberally with salt and pepper. As an alternative to simple salt and pepper I love to use a Montreal Steak season blend that I buy at the regular grocery store.
8. Whether I am using a BBQ, indoor grill or frying pan, I like to have the heat on the appliance on medium high.
9. The most important part of grilling the perfect steak is that once you put the meat on the heat do not touch it.
10. A good habit to get into is to time how long you cook the steak on each side. I would love to give you times here but there are many variables to consider how long a steak should be on the grill; thickness and cut are two examples. Here is a quick example:
I grilled 3 steaks on the weekend and here is the breakdown:
1 inch thick; New York or striploin; medium well; first side was 6 minutes second side was 5 minutes
1 inch thick; New York or striploin; medium rare; first side was 3 minutes second side was 2 minutes
1.5 inch thick; New York or striploin; medium rare; first side was 4 minutes second side was 3 minutes
11. The second side, ie, after the meat has been flipped always cooks quicker so knock a minute off the cooking time.
12. To get the awesome grill marks rotate the meat 45 degrees half way through the cooking time on each side. Based on the example above for the medium well steak I put the steak on the grill at 6:00 and then at 6:03 I rotated the steak 45 degrees and then at 6:06 I flipped the steak. At 6:09 I again rotated the steak 45 degrees and then took it off the heat at 6:11.
13. Let the meat rest at least 5 minutes before cutting it.
14. Enjoy the perfectly cooked steak.