How to Grill Steak
On August 16, 2023 (Updated October 24, 2023)
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Oh hey there, BBQ fan. I’m guessing you’re at Hey Grill Hey because you LOVE grilled and smoked meat. Am I right? If so, I think you’ll find this post on How to Grill Steak an excellent guide on how to perfectly cook your favorite steak on the grill.
Best Steak for Grilling
To begin, let’s chat about the best steaks for grilling. Obviously, you should cook what you like best, but if we’re talking about steaks that taste amazing and cook well on the grill, you can’t go wrong with the following. These steaks are best cooked nice and slow on the grill, and they’ll come off nice and juicy:
- Strip Steak
- Ribeye Steak
- Tenderloin
These are the steaks we’ll be covering in this recipe today, but you can scroll below to see more awesome steak recipes on the site, or head to the Hey Grill Hey homepage to browse all our recipes.
Steak thickness is essential when selecting a steak to grill. Most steaks will be around 1 1/2 inches thick, such as a strip steak and a rib eye. Tenderloins will be closer to 2 inches thick. Aim for this thickness when purchasing your steak.
Also, if you’re spending money on a steak, make sure you purchase a good quality cut. Prime and Choice are going to be your best options. It’s not worth it to go through all the work of making a steak if it’s not a high grade. Spend the extra cash for a better steak, and your taste buds will thank you.
How to Season Steak for Grilling
Before you season your steaks, pull them out of the fridge and set them on the counter while your grill preheats.
Seasoning steak for grilling is extremely easy. If you’re a steak purist, all you need is some kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Prepare equal parts of both and sprinkle evenly over the entire steak prior to grilling.
If you want something with some added flavor and oomph, I highly recommend seasoning steak with my Hey Grill Hey Beef Rub. This seasoning is available for purchase from my store, and it’s delivered straight to your front porch.
Beef Rub has a salt and pepper base with additional seasonings to really enhance the flavor of the steak without overpowering the beefy flavor. I created this seasoning to perfectly complement beef, so it’s usually what I reach for when grilling a steak. Whether you go with simple salt and pepper of my Beef Rub, you’re setting yourself up for one tasty steak.
How to Grill Steak
Today we’re grilling nice and slow using the reverse sear method. Simply follow these steps, and your steaks will turn out flavorful and extremely juicy.
- Preheat the grill. Turn on your gas grill (or get the charcoal going) for two-zone cooking aiming for an overall temperature near 350 degrees F.
- Season. See the previous section on seasoning your steak. Salt and pepper or my Beef Seasoning are all you need for this step.
- Grill the steaks. Place your steaks directly on the grill grates over the indirect heat. Close the lid, and cook until your steaks are within 10 degrees from your target final temperature. Flip them once halfway through the cook. This will take anywhere from 30-45 minutes if cooking your steaks to Medium Rare (and longer if you want them more well done).
- Sear. Move the steaks over to the direct heat side of the grill and sear them for 2-3 minutes per side. Keep an eye on the temperature and remove the steaks when they reach your final target temperature.
- Rest with butter and serve. Remove the steaks to a serving platter and top each steak with salted butter. Allow the steaks to rest for 10 minutes. The butter will melt during this time and add more flavor to your steaks. Now you’re set to serve, slice, and enjoy!
How to Grill Steak on Gas Grill
When cooking on a gas grill, follow the steps outlined in the previous section while keeping these things in mind. For a more in-depth tutorial on grilling steak on gas, check out my post on How to Grill Steak on a Gas Grill.
- Gas can be notorious for hot spots and flare-ups. It’s good to have 2 different heat zones when cooking steaks to help manage these issues. Simply turn half the burners off on one side and set the other side to medium-high heat.
- Don’t rely on the overhead dome thermometer. The dome thermometer is not accurate for what’s on the grates themselves. The indirect heat side will be a couple of hundred degrees lower than what is registering on the thermometer, so keep that in mind when cooking your steaks on a gas grill.
How to Grill Steak on Charcoal Grill
If you choose to grill your steak on a charcoal grill, prep your grill by putting the hot coals on one side for the direct heat, leaving the other side as the indirect heat side. Here are a couple of thoughts before you begin to cook your steak on a charcoal grill. For a more in-depth tutorial on grilling steak over charcoal, check out my post on How to Grill Steak on a Charcoal Grill.
- The type of charcoal you buy can have an impact on the final product. Decide what type of charcoal you want to use prior to heading to the store. Lump charcoal burns quicker, but it can get hotter than briquettes. Briquettes will give you a more even temperature, but they don’t burn as hot as lump charcoal. You are welcome to use either once, but my personal preference is briquettes for grilling steak.
- Charcoal will give you a different flavor to your steak vs. cooking on a gas grill. The charcoal adds a different flavor than propane because the fat dripping down on the coals releases bursts of steam and smoke. I often prefer the flavor of charcoal-grilled meat, but this will definitely be a personal preference.
How Long to Grill Steak
The amount of time it takes to grill a steak is very dependent on what type of steak you are cooking, how thick it is, and how consistent the temperature in your grill remains. It will take approximately 30-45 minutes to cook a steak to Medium Rare. To ensure your particular steak is cooked to your preferences, I highly recommend investing in a good meat thermometer and keeping track of your steak while it is on the grill.
For the first portion of the grill, you want to aim for your steak to be 10 degrees away from your target temperature. Here are the initial target temps for grilling steak over indirect heat:
- Rare – 115 degrees F
- Medium Rare – 125 degrees F
- *Medium – 135 degrees F
- Medium Well – 145 degrees F
- Well Done – 150 degrees F
Next, you’ll transfer your steaks to direct heat and sear until they reach the final temperature. Here’s what you’re aiming for with this final cook:
- Rare – 125 degrees F
- Medium Rare – 135 degrees F
- *Medium – 145 degrees F
- Medium Well – 155 degrees F
- Well Done – 160 degrees F
* I do not recommend cooking most steaks above Medium. They’ll begin to get tougher past medium and they lose major juiciness.
More Grilled Steak Recipes
Grilling steak is the best way to cook steak when you want it full of flavor and nice and tender. Check out more grilled steak recipes from Hey Grill Hey below:
- Marinated and Grilled Flank Steak
- Grilled Flap Steak with Cilantro Chimichurri
- Reverse Seared Tomahawk Steak
How to Grill Steak Recipe
Let’s make something delicious! I’m all about helping you make better BBQ, feed the people you love, and become a backyard BBQ hero. If you want to see more of my recipes, tips, and behind-the-scenes action, follow along on my social channels. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube!
This post was originally published in January 2020. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.
How to Grill Steak
Ingredients
- 4 1½ inch thick steaks filet, rib eyes, and strip steaks are all good options
- 4 teaspoons Hey Grill Hey Beef Rub or equal parts kosher salt and black pepper
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter divided into 1-Tablespoon cubes
Instructions
- Prep the steaks. Take the steaks out of the refrigerator and set them on the counter while you preheat your grill for two-zone cooking. That means half of your grill is running on high heat and the other half has no heat (either gas or charcoal). If using a dome thermometer on your grill, your overall temperature will be near 350 degrees F. If you have a laser thermometer, your direct heat side will be 450-500 degrees and the indirect side will be around 225 degrees F.
- Season. Season the steaks on both sides with the Beef seasoning or equal parts salt and pepper.
- Grill the steaks. Place the steaks on the grill grates over indirect heat, close the lid, and cook until the steaks are 10 degrees away from your target temperature, flipping once halfway through. If you want to end with a rare steak, look for an internal temperature of 115 degrees F at this point. (Medium Rare = 125, Medium = 135, Medium Well = 145, Well = 150 degrees F). This will take approximately 30-45 minutes if cooking your meat to medium rare depending on how thick your steaks are.
- Sear. Transfer steaks to the direct heat to sear. Sear for 2-3 minutes per side until the steaks reach your preferred target internal temperature. (Rare = 125 degrees F, Medium Rare = 135, Medium = 145, Medium Well = 155, Well = 160 degrees F).
- Rest and serve. Remove the steaks to the serving platter and top each steak immediately with the salted butter. Rest for 10 minutes while the butter melts. Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Simple and can’t wait to try it Thanks Susie