How to Grill a Perfect Steak

Alright, anyone familiar with grilling knows that perhaps the most satisfying experience in one's life is grilling an excellent steak, whether sirloin, tenderloin or what have you. I know full well that there are many women who enjoy grilling and can do it well, but frankly, there is some primal link between metal, meat, fire and testosterone that sends my head spinning every time I light up my cow-cooker.

Seriously, think of the classic American family sitting around the table enjoying a generous cut of steak and a baked potato. Few things warm my heart as much as this. Father comes home after a long day of work but gets a relative second-wind for the day when asked to fire up the grill. Sparkles come to his eyes as he lays the lovely steaks onto the grilling surface as children look on in wonder and mother smiles inwardly.

Yet I have been to many of my friends' and other family members' homes in which no one knows how to prepare a classic, delicious and juicy steak. This, folks, is a downright tragedy...almost un-American! I take it as my solemn duty as a corn-fed American male to instruct anyone who reads this on how to, in fact, grill a little cut of heaven on your patio.

What kind of steak should you prepare?

There are few parts of a cow that the Good Lord has not deemed as delicious, but for excellence in grilling the best choices are rib-eyes (also known as Delmonicos), tenderloins (commonly known as Filet Mignon), boneless top loin (the New York Strip Steak), T-bones and my favorite, the Porterhouse. The Porterhouse is a glorified T-bone, with succulent sirloin on one side and tenderloin on the other - making for a meal of both substance and unquestionable quality.

Flank steaks and Swiss steaks could be grilled, but are usually used in other recipes as an addition to, and not focal point of, a meal. Example: flank steak is great marinated and used in steak fajitas. The former cuts are simply of better quality and stand firm as a central piece of meat for a steak dinner.

How should you prep your steak for grilling?

First off (and this is the GOLDEN RULE of grilling steak), if you choose to grill any of the "best choice" grilling cuts, DO NOT marinate them with anything! Think of it like painting flames and racing stripes on a Rolls-Royce...it is taking something of a high-quality level and treating it like a common every-day object. Like I said, if you want to marinate flank steak and cut it up afterwards, be my guest - I do it too! But I warn you now that if you choose to make a "teriyaki filet mignon" (just think about it...sends shivers down my back) then you will incur the wrath of the Grilling Gods and may be smitten for your patio atrocity.

The best preparation for a good cut steak (let's use a rib-eye as our running example) is to grind some kosher salt and pepper onto the steak on both sides, lightly rubbing it in. Quite frankly, you need nothing more. The salt and pepper amplifies the natural ecstasy of steak-flavor, it does not cover it as a marinade would. Other than that, preheat your grill on high heat for about ten minutes and then slap your rib-eye onto the surface of the metal and flames.

The steak is on the grill...now what!?

First, take a few deep breaths. I don't want you to pass out in front of your steak...it's embarrassing for everyone involved. The general concept behind grilling a great steak is that you want to sear the outside, leaving a decent amount of char (but never too much!) and sealing in all of the goodness while also cooking the steak enough on the inside so that it is edible.

This is where dinner prep becomes an art form.

Take our rib-eye for example. It is a normally pretty thick steak so while it is always easy to sear it is harder to cook it through without burning it or charring it beyond recognition. So here is the trick! Sear your steak over high heat until it is sufficiently grayed/browned on the outside, with a little coating of juice. As an aside...if you want your professional-looking cross-hatched grill lines, turn the steak at a 45 degree angle about half-way through searing the same side.

Ok, so you have seared one side of your steak and the grill is sizzling wildly...use your TONGS (never poke your steak to turn it or move it - we do not hurt those we love!) to flip the steak over and repeat the same process. When you can see the outside is sufficiently seared (again, look for color and juice) reduce heat to medium so as to cook the inside of the steak without burning the exterior. Some people cut open their steaks to view the internal color...this, too, can summon the firey hatred of the Grilling Gods - remember, we do not maim our steaks, we love our steaks. So how can you tell when your steak is done (which is almost strictly medium-rare, the flavor standard)?

I was shown a nifty trick that takes some practice, but pays off beautifully in the end. Hold your hand limp and hanging...poke the part of connecting skin between the index finger and thumb - this is what raw steak feels like when poked. Now curl your fingers in a semi-fist, not closing but still applying some tension. Now poke the same part of your hand...this is medium-rare. Just as an example, make a full, hard fist and poke it again, that's what well-done feels like. Likewise, that is also what steak-grilling failure feels like (a well-done steak is like saying, "Well, I like what you are supposed to be, but I would rather burn all of the juice and flavor out of you...so thanks anyway.").

So poke your steaks from time to time and do it in a few places...some parts of the steak can be slightly thinner or thicker than others, so take an average every so often. Again, this takes practice, but practice does make perfect.

There are countless ways to compliment your steak, whether with side dishes, vegetables, wines etc...but the core beauty of a perfectly-grilled steak is like taking a glimpse into heaven, just with your mouth. Grill on, and may the Grilling Gods look upon you with great favor and bounty.