I have found that many individuals are unsure of how to cook a steak to perfection on either a gas or charcoal grill. As expensive as steaks have become in recent years, it only seems natural that we should learn how to prepare them so they will taste as good as possible.
There are several different cuts of beef that provide your best known steaks. You will need to become familiar with the different cuts of beef before making your purchase. Your main choices are T-Bones, Porterhouse, New York Strips, Ribeyes, Sirloins and Filet Mignons. The quality of a steak is of utmost importance. Beef is graded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) after being inspected. The higher the ratio of fat content (marbling) and the younger the beef, the higher the grade. The marbling determines the tenderness, juiciness and flavor of a steak. The age of the beef determines the texture and the flavor. Always remember that grain-fed beef will have the most marbling and the best flavor.
The best grade of beef is USDA Prime. For the most part, only your better restaurants and meat markets will carry USDA Prime. The majority of supermarkets carry USDA Choice and USDA Select. The least amount of flavor and the lowest texture quality can be found in USDA Select beef which is usually somewhat dry and tough.
You should also consider how long the beef has been aged. To properly age beef, the butcher hangs the meat in a meat locker for a specified period of time. It has been said that twenty-eight days is an ideal period of time to age beef. You will find that aged beef is more tender and provides a superior flavor.
There are actually four steps to cooking a steak to perfection.
• Make sure that the steak is at room temperature before grilling.
• Sear the steak so it will hold its juices while being grilled.
• Turn the steak over only one time during the cooking process.
• Let the steak rest for 5-8 minutes before serving.
Everyone likes their steaks cooked a little differently. The following information will provide you with an exact description of the various levels of doneness.
• Rare: The steak is red in the middle and red at the edges. Meat is slightly warm.
• Medium Rare: The steak is red in the middle and pink at the edges. Meat is warm.
• Medium: The steak is pink in the middle and pink at the edges. Meat is warm to hot.
• Medium Well: The steak is pink in the middle and gray at the edges. Meat is hot.
• Well Done: The steak is gray in the middle and gray at the edges. Meat is very hot.
If using a gas grill, the grill needs to be extremely hot before you begin to cook your steak. If using a charcoal grill, the charcoal needs to be red-hot before placing your steak on the grill. Always remember to sear your steaks to improve the quality of the meat being served.
The chart below shows how long that you should cook a steak on the first side (Side 1) and how long that you should continue to cook a steak after turning the steak over (Side 2) which is based on the thickness of the steak and the amount of doneness preferred. The current weather conditions can have a direct effect on the times specified in this chart. You will have to add a few minutes to these cooking times if it happens to be cold, raining or windy outside.
THICKNESS OF STEAK: 3/4"
Rare
• Side 1: 4 minutes
• Side 2: 2 minutes
Medium
• Side 1: 5 minutes
• Side 2: 3 minutes
Well Done
• Side 1: 7 minutes
• Side 2: 5 minutes
THICKNESS OF STEAK: 1"
Rare
• Side 1: 5 minutes
• Side 2: 3 minutes
Medium
• Side 1: 6 minutes
• Side 2: 4 minutes
Well Done
• Side 1: 8 minutes
• Side 2: 6 minutes
THICKNESS OF STEAK: 1 1/4"
Rare
• Side 1: 5 minutes
• Side 2: 4 minutes
Medium
• Side 1: 7 minutes
• Side 2: 5 minutes
Well Done
• Side 1: 9 minutes
• Side 2: 7 minutes
THICKNESS OF STEAK: 1 1/2"
Rare
• Side 1: 6 minutes
• Side 2: 4 minutes
Medium
• Side 1: 7 minutes
• Side 2: 6 minutes
Well Done
• Side 1: 10 minutes
• Side 2: 8 minutes
THICKNESS OF STEAK: 1 3/4"
Rare
• Side 1: 7 minutes
• Side 2: 5 minutes
Medium
• Side 1: 8 minutes
• Side 2: 7 minutes
Well Done
• Side 1: 11 minutes
• Side 2: 9 minutes
When ordering a steak in a restaurant, you are usually served a steak that has square grill marks on the top. To achieve those square grill marks, simply rotate the steak ninety degrees when the steak is cooked for half of the time on the first side. Enjoy!
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Contributor's Note
Please stop by my website if you would like to print a cooking chart for smoking meats, roasting meats or poultry, grilling steaks or cooking fish. There's also a chart for brining meats, poultry, wild game and seafood.
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