Secrets to Grilling the Perfect Steak

Summer. It conjures up images of picnics and barbeques, of cool potato salads and the sizzle of steak grilling over hot coals. Unfortunately for many a cook, those luscious steaks just don't turn out the way they should, perfect and moist, with criss-crossed grill marks and that juicy, tenderness that we all yearn for. Nope. Most home-grilled steaks are either too juicy (bloody) or they are tough and chewy all the way through. So, how does one go about getting that perfect steak?

It all begins with the meat you select at the butcher's. You want the meat to have a rich marbling of fat throughout, this is what keeps it tender. If you are worried about fat, you probably shouldn't be grilling a steak anyway! Look for steaks that are about ¾ to 1 inch thick for best results. They should be labeled either "prime" or "choice". This means the meat might be a bit more expensive, but the end result is worth it.

Once you get your meat home, you will want to trim any excess fat from the outside edges down to ¼" to prevent it from crisping up too much. Your aim is to get a tender, juicy steak, not a crunchy one! At this point, if you plan to marinade, you can start now. Most steaks do just fine without marinating. If you have gone for a decent grade and a good cut such as a rib-eye steak or porterhouse, you probably don't need to marinate except for a bit of flavor.

The grill should be set on high to begin with. You want to seal the outer layer of the steak and trap all those delicious juices inside and the way to do this is through high heat. You can test by holding your hand over the grill. It should be impossible to hold it there for more than one or two seconds. Lay the steak down with the bars of the grill running horizontally and let sear for about 2 minutes. Flip gently using tongs (anything pointed could puncture the steak and allow the juices to escape) and cook for 2 minutes on the other side.

It's usually best not to move the steak around too much, but if you are dead set on getting those fancy grill marks, you can turn it a couple more times, carefully, making sure that the bars now go vertically on an angle to get that perfect scorch. Make sure you use tongs or another method of flipping that won't cause the juice to run out.

Practice makes perfect when it comes to knowing when the steak is done. The press test is the best way to check. Well done meat will resist your finger when you press on the middle, and be firm. Medium will resist a bit, but you should be able to press into the meat. Rare will allow you to mush right on in there!

Now that you have the information you need to cook up a great steak, why not get out there and try it? Have some friends over, buy some great cuts of meat and start grilling. You have all summer to get it just right.