The wait is over...summer's finally here which means it's time to break out the grill, invite some friends over, and cook up some delicious steaks.
But cooking a perfect steak on the grill can be intimidating. "What if I overcook it?" What if it dries out?" "How do I know when it's done?" We want you to succeed in cooking the best steak you've ever tasted so we're giving you 6 easy tips for grilling steaks.
Grass-fed Beef Cooks Faster
First off, grass-fed beef is naturally leaner than grain fed beef and because the meat doesn't have as much fat to moderate the temperature while cooking, it not only cooks faster but can dry out quicker. Keep a close eye on your steak while grilling and when in doubt, take it off the grill if you're not sure it's done. You can always throw it back on for another minute or two, but you can't "uncook" an overdone steak! Tip #1 Start with a Clean Grill Turn your grill on medium heat (350 degrees) and allow the flames to heat up the grates to make cleaning easier. Use a grill brush, a ball of tightly wrapped aluminum foil, or half an onion to remove leftover food and grease build-up to prevent your steak from sticking. Tip #2 Thaw and Season We don't recommend cooking a steak that's still frozen because of inconsistencies in cooking (think frozen center and overcooked on the outside). It's best to thaw your steak in the refrigerator the night before you plan on cooking it. You can also thaw under cold, running water while still in the package. Once thawed, add a light coating of steak seasoning or salt and pepper before grilling. Tip #3 Use Tongs, not a Fork to Turn Using a fork will pierce the steak, allowing flavorful juices to escape. Instead, use tongs and avoid "over-flipping". You should only need to flip your steak once. Depending on your desired doneness, each side should cook for about 3-5 minutes.
Tip #4 Remove Before Fully Done
Since grass fed beef cooks about 30% faster than grain fed beef, take your steak off the grill when it's 10 degrees below your desired cooking temperature. Since it will continue to cook for several minutes after being removed from the heat, this will prevent overcooking and drying.
Tip #5 Let is Rest Allow your steak to rest for at least 5 minutes after removing it from the grill. This allows the juices to redistribute and the internal temperature to rise to your desired "doneness". Tip #6 Cut Across the Grain The "grain" refers to the direction of the muscle fibers in the meat. Cutting "across the grain" means cutting perpendicular to the direction of the fibers, which prevents tearing and also makes it easier to chew. It's also important to use a sharp steak knife to cut your steak to prevent tearing and the loss of juices from pressing with a dull knife.
Cooking Temperatures
Use a thin probe food thermometer to check the internal temperature of your steak by inserting it through the side of the thickest part of the steak. Aim for the center and avoid touching bone.
RARE (125) Cool to warm red center, soft and tender texture
MEDIUM-RARE (135) Warm red center, ideal steak texture
MEDIUM (145) Hot pink center, slightly firmer texture
MEDIUM-WELL (150) Mostly brown center, firm texture
WELL-DONE (160) No pink color, very firm texture, and much drier
Know that grilling a perfect steak takes practice and patience. When done correctly, it will enhance the natural flavors and bring out the subtle, meaty profiles of our pure, 100% grassfed beef.
Keep in mind these cooking tips are guidelines and will vary based on the size of your steak, your grill, and even the animal itself due to variation in muscle density and fat marbling.
Happy grilling, Hans & Brittney Baltzly
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