Grilled Steak

Perfectly Grilled Steak – it’s the ultimate meat to serve at a backyard cookout and there’s hardly anything to it. With this easy method you’ll end with beautifully sear marked steak, a juicy and tender interior and a glossy buttery finish.

Easy Grilled Steak

Grilled steak is an essential summer food, truly a highlight to the best backyard dinners.

Cooking steak on the grill keeps the heat out of the house and the smokiness outside so it’s nice when you’ve got company to feed.

It’s also a great option when you’ve got a handful of people to serve because of the obvious fact that on a grill there’s a lot more space to work with, while indoor pan searing only allows space for cooking 1 to 2 steaks at time.

Just plan a a little bit of extra time to let the steaks rest before you grill them.

Then to complete the steaks you can finish with a classic potatoes side of some sort (these are my personal favorite) and other fresh vegetables to bring some nutrition to the meal (and you might as well grill those veggies while you’ve got it going). And if you want to go all out serve them with warm dinner rolls and fresh jam like they do at the homestyle steakhouses.

Ingredients for Grilled Steak

• 2 (1 lb each) steaks (1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inches thick) – good cuts of steak for grilling include ribeye, New York strip, filet mignon (tenderloin), or T-bone
• Kosher salt – 1 1/2 to 2 tsp is recommended to build up plenty of well seasoned flavor. Remember kosher salt is made up of larger granules so if you are using regular table salt use a little less.
• Black pepper – 1  – 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper is recommended, depending on how peppery you like it.
• Butter – You’ll need 4 Tbsp here which is just enough to cover both large steaks. Salted or unsalted butter works fine.
• Fresh rosemary – 2 tsp minced is needed. Other good options include 1 1/2 tsp thyme leaves or 1 Tbsp minced parsley.
• Garlic – I don’t use a lot here. 3/4 tsp minced fresh is plenty since it’s raw.

How to Grill Steak

1. Place steaks on a plate. Sprinkle each side of steak evenly with a fair amount of kosher salt.
2. Let steak rest at room temperature 45 minutes to 60 minutes.
3. Meanwhile in a small mixing bowl stir together butter, rosemary and garlic. Set aside.
4. Heat a grill over moderately high heat, to about 450 to 500 degrees.
5. Sprinkle each side of both steaks with pepper.
6. Grill steaks about 3 1/2 to 7 minutes per side per side to desired doneness. Use an instant read food thermometer to test for doneness in center of thickest portion of steak.
7. Let steaks rest off heat 5 minutes. Brushed with the garlic herb butter, slice and serve.

Grilled Steak Doneness Internal Target Temperatures

• Rare: 115 – 120 degrees, serve steak at 125 degrees
• Medium rare: 120 – 125 degrees, serve at 130 degrees
• Medium: 130 – 135 degrees, serve at 140 degrees
• Medium well: 140 – 145 degrees, serve at 150 degrees
• Well: 150 – 155 degrees, serve at 160 degrees

Notes Regarding Temperature

• Temperature should be taken in the center of the thickest portion of the steak using an instant read food thermometer.
• To take the temperature of steak insert the thermometer through side of steak, tip in the center, and ensure that it’s not touching bone or fat.
• I love the Thermapen food thermometer which can be purchased online.
• Steak should rest 5 to 10 minutes, not only for juices to redistribute, but also so it rises to final target serving temperature.
• Note that the FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145 degrees with a 3 minute resting period for food safety.

Helpful Tips for the Best Way to Grill Steak

• Shop for steak with a fair amount of fat marbling throughout. More thin swirls of fat throughout means you’ll get a more tender steak (big chunks of fat won’t really melt and tenderize).
• Using bone-in steak isn’t necessary. The bone will hardly season the steak in the amount of time it cooks, and it would only season the area touching the bone anyway. It does help retain a little moisture in that area though if that makes a difference to you.
• Don’t skip salting and resting for a slightly juicier steak that is has better seasoned taste internally (salting can be done 45 minutes before, or up to 2 days in the fridge if steak isn’t about to spoil).
• Season with a fair amount of salt. Generally you want about 3/4 to 1 tsp kosher salt per pound of steak.
• Preheat the grill and monitor it’s temperature throughout entire grilling process. You don’t want temperature to rise or drop too much.
• An instant read thermometer is key to grilling the perfect steak. It takes out the guess work and is just what you need to just reach your desired doneness (the prime target temperature). Plus the slice and peek method will result in lost steak juices to the grill.
• Let steaks rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving so that the juices of the steak can redistribute throughout and so much of it doesn’t end up on your cutting board or plate.
• For a deliciously rich steak don’t skip the garlic herb butter. It is the crowning finishing touch.

More Delicious Steak Recipes to Try

• Easy Steak Tacos
• Honey Garlic Steak Bites
• Pan Seared Steak with Garlic Butter
• Pepper Steak
• Steak Kebabs
• Steak Marinade

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe

Grilled Steak

This is the ultimate meat to serve at a backyard cookout and there's hardly anything to it. With this easy method you'll end with beautifully sear marked steak, a juicy and tender interior and a glossy buttery finish.

Servings: 4 (1/2 steak per person)

Ingredients

• 2 (1 lb. each) ribeye steaks,* 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inches thick (I use boneless)
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or as desired
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 2 tsp minced fresh rosemary**
• 3/4 tsp minced fresh garlic

Instructions

• Place steaks on a plate. Sprinkle each side evenly with a fair amount of kosher salt.
• Let steak rest at room temperature 45 minutes to 60 minutes.***
• Meanwhile in a small mixing bowl stir together butter, rosemary and garlic. Set aside.
• Heat a grill over moderately high heat, to about 450 to 500 degrees.
• Sprinkle each side of both steaks with pepper.
• Grill steaks about 3 1/2 to 7 minutes per side to desired doneness.**** Rare steaks will be near lesser time while more well done will be near greater time. Use an instant read food thermometer to test for doneness in center of thickest portion of steak.
• Let steaks rest off heat 5 minutes. Brushed with the garlic herb butter, slice and serve.

Notes

• *Ribeye, New York strip steak, filet mignon (tenderloin), or T-bone work well here.
• **1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley will work in place or rosemary.
• ***Steak can be salted up to 48 hours in advance (if it's not about to spoil). If doing so just salt each steak and keep on a wire rack in the fridge uncovered.

****STEAK DONENESS TARGET TEMPERATURES

Note that the FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145 degrees with a 3 minute resting period for food safety. 

• Rare: 115 - 120 degrees, serve steak at 125 degrees
• Medium rare: 120 - 125 degrees, serve at 130 degrees
• Medium: 130 - 135 degrees, serve at 140 degrees
• Medium well: 140 - 145 degrees, serve at 150 degrees
• Well: 150 - 155 degrees, serve at 160 degrees 

Nutrition Facts

Grilled Steak

Amount Per Serving

Calories 579 Calories from Fat 396

% Daily Value*

Fat 44g68%

Saturated Fat 22g138%

Trans Fat 0.5g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 18g

Cholesterol 168mg56%

Sodium 1081mg47%

Potassium 641mg18%

Carbohydrates 1g0%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 0.02g0%

Protein 46g92%

Vitamin A 460IU9%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 33mg3%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: grilled steak, grilling steak, how long to grill steak, how to grill steak

Author: Jaclyn