There are few things more satisfying than a tasty beef ribeye steak off the grill, but there are few things more frustrating than not getting your desired outcome. Cooking a thick, meaty steak on a grill is a fantastic way to get something truly remarkable, but to get restaurant-quality steak, you must follow a few tips.
In order to ensure that you get the most out of your grill, this post will address both the grill and the meat.
Grilling Tips
Before you can even consider grilling the perfect steak, you need to ensure you have a decently sized BBQ and that it is clean and ready for cooking.
Keep The Flames Down
A small amount of flame grilling can add smoky flavor to the meat, but you risk ruining the flavor profile if you overdo it. If you see in many restaurants that grill their beef, they will often reduce the temperature when they see flames beginning to pick up. These grill flare-ups typically occur when grease or oils start to drip onto the hot coals below. As long as you maintain a clean grill and grill away from windy areas, you should be able to keep flare-ups to a minimum.
Keep Your Grill Clean
Cleaning your grill is not just a routine chore but also an essential part of preparing food. It is a crucial process to maintain a smoky flavor. The best way to clean your grill is by using a wire brush and placing it on its side. Quickly scrub the grill grate with the wire brush while also using the tongs to loosen any food residue stuck on the grate.
Make Sure The Coals Are Red HotÂ
This step only applies to those using charcoal as fuel. Essentially, before placing any meat on the grill, your coals must be red or white-hot. This is the stage when they are putting out enough heat to sear the outside nicely and penetrate the meat and cook the inside. Your coals should be hot enough regardless of how you like your meat cooked, as it is the timing that is the factor in producing rare or medium steaks, not the heat.
Meat Tips
The meat is just as crucial as the grill, and there are a few tips that you should follow when choosing and cooking to get restaurant-quality steaks every time.
Use The Right Cut Of Meat
The meat is a critical aspect of the grilling process. The type, quality, and cut of beef will determine the quality of the final product. If possible, you should visit your local butcher. They are the pros, and you will often find better quality cuts than at a supermarket. Nevertheless, if you don’t have a butcher nearby, you can still get decent meat, but you should keep in mind a few things:
- Thickness: Try to choose steaks that are at least an inch and a half or two inches thick. This will enable you to get the perfect amount of rarity in the middle while creating a nice crust on the outside.
- Center cut: This cut is always the juiciest and retains the most flavor. It is also quite pricey. However, if you are looking for the perfect part, head directly to the center.
- Only trim the fat if it’s excessive: Fat is where the flavor lives. Therefore, you should only trim away fat if your cut is excessively fatty.
Cook The Steaks At Room Temperature
One of the biggest sins that home cooks commit is to cook their steaks directly from the refrigerator. This is a cardinal sin, and you are doing your meat a disservice if this is how you traditionally cook. Instead, you should season your meat, then place it in the fridge until ready to cook. Bring your meat out and allow it to get to room temperature before placing it on the grill.
Coat The Steak In Oil Before Grilling
While it might seem obvious, you should nicely oil your steak before you begin cooking it. This is also true for the seasonings. In addition, you should not go overboard with the seasonings. Sometimes salt and pepper are enough, and if you have a decent cut of meat, you want the steak to do the talking and not the extras.
Rest The Steak After It Has Been CookedÂ
Another terrible thing that many people do is start eating the steak immediately after it has come off the grill. All you are achieving from your impatience is a tough steak that hasn’t had enough time to become buttery soft. If you allow it to rest for at least 10-15 minutes, you will be rewarded with something magnificent.
Cooking meat on the grill is one of the best ways to prepare great meals, but it can also be tricky to do at home. By following some of the tips in this post, you should achieve that perfect steak every time.
