Taking Off The Chill Speeds Up Cooking
The goal of grilling a steak is to brown and lightly char the surface while also cooking the interior to a perfectly juicy doneness, right? If the steak is too cold, the interior might require so much cooking time to reach that perfect doneness that the steak overcooks deep below the surface, turning gray and dry.
Let your steaks stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. They will cook faster all the way to the center and stay juicer.
How To Cook Ribeye Steak In The Oven
- Be sure your steak is completely thawed.
- Bring the meat to room temperature. Remove your steak from the refrigerator 30-40 minutes before cooking.
- Set oven for broil and preheat 10 minutes.
- Season steaks as desired we recommend Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning.
- Place steaks on the rack of a broiler pan. Position broiler pan in oven so that the surface of the beef is 3 to 4 inches from the heat. Broil to desired doneness, according to the times listed below.
- For the perfect medium-rare steak, broil in the oven for 10-12 minutes for a 1-inch steak, and 12-15 minutes for a 1½ inch steak, turning about 1 minute before the halfway point. A meat thermometer should read 130°F.
- Rest your steaks for 5 minutes before serving, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise for as much as 5°F during this time . The final temperature will read 135°F.
- Resting steak is also important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
Grilling The Best Steak
I wanted a juicy steak with a nice crust that was big enough to slice and serve family style, and that had a little finesse.
While cooking, I basted the steak in an herbed butter sauce. The sauce added a fresh, light flavor that balanced the richness of the meat. In the end, I had a steak everyone raved about, and that felt special but not overly fussy. It was the perfect main course for my Fourth of July party plans.
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We Present To You Traeger’s Tips For The Perfect Steak
A steak off of your Traeger, when well executed, will flavor the socks off of any other steak out there. Follow the tips below for the most delicious steaks of your life.
Tip 1: Meat Freshness. When cooking a steak, freshness is top priority. Buy your steaks early on the same day you plan to cook them.
Tip 2: Marbling. Look for steaks that are well marbled with fat. Those thin streams of fat will dissolve in the heat of your grill and moisten the meat from the inside while cooking.
Tip 3: Preparation. Before grilling, allow your steaks 4-6 hours to come to room temperature. Having your steaks start out at a slightly warmer temperature means more even cooking.
Tip 4: Season. How you season your meat matters. Whether you use a rub, like Traeger’s Beef Shake, or simple salt and pepper, the key is in the application. Apply liberally, and always just a little more than you think you will need. Instead of just shaking the seasoning on and then slapping your steaks on the grill, pour your rub directly into the palm of your hand and massage it into the meat.
Tip 5: Smoke. After your fire up your grill, leave it on smoke and give your steaks 25-30 minutes to really take on some delicious flavor. This is what makes a Traeger steak incomparable to any other steak out there.
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Place The Steak In The Hot Skillet

The Spruce / Leah Maroney
Place the steak in the center of the hot skillet. It is important that most of the steak is in contact with the metal as possible, so never use a steak bigger than your pan.
This will generate a good deal of smoke, popping and sizzling, but you must wait exactly 2 minutes before moving the steak. You might think it is burning, but rest easy that everything is fine. Be patient and watch the clock closely.
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How To Grill Steak Perfectly:
First you are going to want to pick your cut of meat. Now, everyone loves a good filet mignon, I am not exception. The other go-to is a New York Strip classic. But, my absolute favorite is a ribeye. There is just enough fat marbled through it that it marinates itself as it cooks and stays incredibly moist and tender. The flavor is amazing. It is my go-to. Go grab a 1 inch ribeye for you and whoever else you are having over..
But Filet Mignon is hard to beat!
Next, after you go out and grab your cut of meat, you are going to want to let it come to room temp before you season your meat. Just salt and pepper people. You dont need to reinvent the wheel. But first, take a fork and pierce the meat all over fat and everything. Then sprinkle with salt and ground black pepper on both sides enough that it will be nicely seasoned, but not over-powered with either.
You can also if you want always fun to mix things up!
After you have cleaned your grill thoroughly with your brush, spray it with a grill-worthy non-stick spray and then turn it up to 450-500.
Place steak over direct heat to sear let it stay over direct heat for 3-4 minutes. Flip and sear an additional 3-4 minutes on the other side. If you are cooking a fattier meat, like a ribeye, you will probably want to move the steak over to indirect heat at this time. Leaner meats, like a New York Strip or Filet should be left over direct heat the entire time.
How To Store Grilled Steak
If you happen to find yourself with leftovers, store them in an airtight container or wrap the steak tightly with plastic wrap. It should be good for two to three days in the fridge. There are several ways to reheat leftover steak so it turns out juicy and tender: the microwave, the oven or in a skillet with a little beef broth.
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Ingredients For The Perfect Steak
Salt and cracked black pepper are your best bets when it comes to seasoning your steak. For beginners, getting to know what levels of these seasonings to apply will make you a wiser chef. They let the flavor of the meat really come through before you add any extra.
Always remember: the meat is your main ingredient. You should never overpower the flavor of the meat by overseasoning.
Once you’re comfortable with the basics, the world is your oyster. Marinades and dry rubs come in an endless variety. From punchy Cajun spicing to Korean flavor-bomb marinades, there’s so much to discover.
Most of all, buy a good quality steak.
Look for good marbling as this will add flavor and juiciness. It melts as you grill, keeping the meat tender and delicious.
Don’t sweat the small stuff. Many of the best steaks in the world don’t use anything more than the basics as seasoning. But if you want to get creative, there’s a whole world to choose from.
Additional Ways To Cook The Perfect Porterhouse Steak
Besides the grill, you can use other cooking methods with porterhouse steak that turn out just as delicious, whether you like a medium rare steak or well-done steak. Here are a few of the most popular cooking methods to consider:
- Oven-Baked Porterhouse: Baking works well with porterhouse because its a thick steak that doesnt dry out easily. To bake porterhouse steak, you should sear it first in a cast iron skillet with 1 tbsp olive oil for 2-3 minutes on each side. Then, transfer it to a 425°F oven and finish cooking for 2-5 minutes, depending on your desired doneness level. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature before serving.
- Pan-Seared Porterhouse: For a pan-seared steak, youll use a cast iron skillet with a small amount of olive oil to get a nice, golden-brown sear on all sides over medium-high heat. Then, turn the heat to low and cover, cooking for another 4-6 minutes until youve reached your desired doneness.
- Reverse-Seared Porterhouse: A reverse-seared porterhouse steak gets cooked in the oven first before searing. Preheat the oven to 250°F and cook until a meat thermometer reaches 125°F for medium-rare . Meanwhile, preheat your skillet over medium-high heat with one tbsp of olive oil. Add the steaks, and sear on both sides, about 2-3 minutes each.
After using any of these methods, allow the steaks to rest for 5-10 minutes before enjoying.
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How To Grill Steak With A Cast Iron Skillet
A cast iron skillet gets scorching hot and stays that way, hitting steak with the same sort of powerful heat that a grill does.
How To Cook Medium Well Steak
This level of doneness is for those who don’t want a lot of pink in their meat. A medium well steak should have just a hint of pink in the very middle of the steak with a dark brown surface and good charring on the top and bottom. The steak will be very stiff but still have a little squish in the center.
For a 1-inch steak, place steak on a hot grill for 7 minutes. Turn and continue grilling for another 5 minutes. Cook to an internal temperature of 155 to 165 F .
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Instructions For The Perfect Steak On The Grill
How To Cook Steak On The Grill With Foil

DELICIOUS steak and potatoes seasoned with garlic and herbs, then cooked inside foil packets. This easy foil packet recipe can be cooked on the grill OR in the oven. Perfect for a family dinner or a backyard get-together.
Perfectly tender, garlicky and juicy steak bites and potatoes prepared in foil packets. 30-minute meat-and-potatoes dinner can’t get easier than this!
Remember that recipe for Garlic Herb Grilled Potatoes in Foil? THAT is what drove me to THIS! To this melt-in-your-mouth, flavorful, hearty meal.
It’s also great with chicken, but we’ll discuss that in another recipe post, m’kay?
Moving right along
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Thicker Steaks Should Slide Over
Most steaks grill beautifully over direct high heat alone. The only time you might need to move them is if/when they cause flare-ups. However, some steaks are so thick that if you left them over direct heat alone, they would burn on the outside before they reached the internal doneness you like.
If your steaks are much thicker than an inch, consider the sear and slide approach. After you have seared both sides nicely over direct high heat, slide the steaks to a part of the grill that is not so hot, perhaps over indirect heat, and finish cooking them safely there.
Is It Important To Let The Steaks Rest
Yes. The steak actually continues to cook during those few minutes. This continuation of cooking is great because it doesnt dry out the steak, as it would by simply leaving it on the grill longer. Cutting into the steak interrupts that last little period of cooking by releasing the heat inside the steak. Trust me, let it rest a few minutes and your steak will turn out perfect.
If you like this recipe, you may also be interested in these other delicious grilling recipes:
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How To Grill Steak Perfectly Every Time
Learn how to grill steak perfectly every single time with this easy to follow recipe where steak is seared on a hot grill and cooked to perfection. Grilling steak doesn’t have to be complicated! Grades of Steak There are three…
Learn how to grill steak perfectly every single time with this easy to follow recipe where steak is seared on a hot grill and cooked to perfection. Grilling steak doesnt have to be complicated!
Tips For Purchasing Steak
There are a ton of options when it comes to selecting the best steak to grill, but dont be overwhelmed. Its easy to find a steak that fits your budget when you know what to look for.
Bone-in or Boneless Steaks?
Both taste great, but they cook slightly differently. Boneless meat cooks more quickly, and its easier to check the level of doneness using the poke test. Bone-in steaks turn out slightly juicier because the bone insulates the meat, helping the steak retain moisture. The meat next to the bone is slower to cook, though, so youll really want to use a thermometer for these steaks.
The Best Steaks for Grilling
Beef tenderloin, ribeye, New York strip, porterhouse or T-bone steaks will all taste great on the grill. Beef tenderloin is naturally tender, but usually the most expensive. This cut is great for kabobs, but we dont love it for steak dinner. The filets lack of fat causes it to dry out more quickly on the grill than more forgiving, marbled cuts like ribeye, New York strip, porterhouse or T-bone.
If youre looking for inexpensive steaks, look to cuts from the short loin like top sirloin or tri-tip. They have less marbling but more beefy flavor. Cuts from the plate are also great for the grill. Keep in mind these steaks have more muscle fibers, so its best to put them on a for 8 to 24 hours before hitting the grill.
The Worst Steaks for Grilling
Beef Quality Grades
In addition to the steaks name, youll also find a USDA grading on beef.
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Grill Times And Temperature For Steak
Rare: 120 to 130 F 5 then 3 minutes per side pull off grill at max 125 F
Medium-Rare: 130 to 135 F 5 then 4 minutes per side pull off grill at max 130 F
Medium 140 to 150 F 6 then 4 minutes per side pull off grill at max 145 F
Medium-Well 155 to 165 F 7 then 5 minutes per side pull off grill at max 160 F
Well-Done 170 F or more 12 then 10 minutes per side pull off grill at max 165 F
How Hot Should The Grill Be For Steak
Raichlen recommends establishing two cooking zones in your charcoal grill: one thats very hot for searing the steak, and one thats medium for finishing the steak and cooking it through.
On a gas grill, heat the grill to 450°F with two burners going, which should only take about 10 minutes, then turn one of the burners down to medium to create two cooking zones.
Not sure if the grill is hot enough? Raichlen’s tip is to hold your hand 3 inches above the grill grate and count “1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi…” If you can only hold it there for a second or two, the grill is hot and you’re ready to cook.
I followed Raichlens advice, and started my steak in the hot zone, then moved it to the medium zone to finish cooking. It worked like a charm.
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