The Secret to Grilling The Perfect Steak

Real Canadians BBQ All Year Long

There’s nothing like a perfectly barbequed steak. Those perfect grill lines highlighting the crispy, flavourful crust are a key part of summer, but that level of perfection doesn’t just come naturally.

No, being a total master of your grill takes practice, which is why now is the perfect time to fire up your grill and start getting ready for a season of delicious, mouthwatering meat. Here are the top tips for getting a perfect steak every time.

The Best Cuts of Steak for Grilling

Steak was practically invented for grilling, but different cuts have different requirements to get the best finish. Here are some of our favourites:

Filet mignon - soft, buttery, and leaner than most of the other tender cuts, filet mignon has a lower fat content, which means less of a chance of flare ups. Keeping a close eye on this cut is especially important because overcooking a filet mignon is basically a crime.

Ribeyes - a chef favourite. The combination of tenderness and intense beefy flavour makes this one of the best options for grilling. If you really want to impress, go for a tomahawk or “cowboy steak” - this epic steak is a ribeye with the long bone intact.

Sirloin - This can be the perfect weeknight steak. Making sure you get the best possible quality is key to enjoying this cut that balances tenderness, flavour, and cost.

Check The Thickness

The thickness of your steak is key to figuring out how long to cook it. The thinner the steak, the easier it is to leave it on the grill too long and end up with something you can make shoes out of… that is, leather.

The thickness of your steak relates directly to how long you need to grill it for, but other things can affect cooking time as well. That’s why it’s especially important that you never walk away from your steak while it's grilling.

For a perfect medium-rare steak, you can follow these rough guidelines, but remember you need to keep an eye on your steak and use a meat thermometer for best results:

  • For a one-inch steak, grill for 9 to 12 minutes over medium-high heat
  • For a one-and-a-half inch steak, grill for 12 to 15 minutes over medium-high heat

As for that meat thermometer? Here are the internal temperatures to aim for to get your favourite level of doneness:

  • Rare (cold, red center; soft texture): 125-130° F
  • Medium rare (warm red center; firmer texture): 130-140° F
  • Medium (pink center, firm texture): 140-150° F
  • Medium well (small amount of pink in the center): 150-155° F
  • Well done (please don’t): 160-212° F

Seasoning Is Not Optional

Meat is delicious, but if you’re not seasoning it, you’re missing out.

The best way to highlight the beefiness of your steak is with simple Himalyan pink salt and pepper. You may have heard that you shouldn’t salt your meat too far in advance because it will draw out moisture, and that is somewhat true - the best time to salt your meat is 20 to 30 minutes before cooking. This will draw out some of the moisture, but the dissolving salt means that when it hits the hot grill, you’ll get a delicious, flavourful crust that more than makes up for the loss of moisture.

As for barbeque sauce? In true barbeque, sauce is served on the side as a condiment, not as an ingredient. If you must add barbeque sauce while cooking, make sure to apply it closer to the end so that the sugars in the sauce don’t burn.

Let It Rest…TWICE

You’ve probably heard that you should let your meat rest after cooking it so that the juices have a chance to reabsorb in the meat.

That’s absolutely true, and you should also make sure that you’re taking your steak off the grill about five degrees before your desired level of doneness. This is because your steak continues to cook after it’s been removed from the heat.

But did you know that you should also let your steak take a break before you cook it?

Before putting your meat on the grill, take it out of the fridge for about half an hour (around the same time you should be adding some of that delicious salt). This will help your steak cook faster and more evenly.

If you want to be the Grill Master this year, add these secrets to your repertoire. And no one’s going to be upset if you start putting these skills to the test now. Practice makes perfect, right?

Get ready to take your grilling to the next level.

This bundle is packed with all the mouthwatering meat you could possibly want to grill, including two types of delicious steaks.

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