The Beauty Of Compound Butter
Compound butter sounds fussy, but its really just seasoned butter. You can make it in advance, and its a great way to season the steaks after theyve been sliced. Use the recipe below as a framework you should really use your favorite herbs and spices. If youre in a pinch for time, grab some cultured butter and use that instead.
Preparing The Sirloin Steak: To Marinate Or Not To Marinate
I like to keep it simple when it comes to top sirloin. Since its not a tough cut of meat, it doesnt need to marinate for a long time in an acidic solution. Because it is low in fat, you wont have to trim back much fat to prevent grill flare-ups. The prep time is minimal.
Since the steak already has a robust character and the grill will add some smoke flavor, I only use salt or kosher salt and ground black pepper for seasoning. Just before grilling, rub a small amount of olive oil on each side and hit the steak with coarsely ground pepper. Maybe use some minced garlic or garlic powder to taste.
If you have the time, salt the steak 40 minutes to 8 hours before cooking it. You wont need to use as much salt when you salt in advance and it will enhance the beefy flavor of the steak. Let it rest on a baking rack, uncovered, in the refrigerator if youre salting it overnight.
How To Cook Steak On The Grill
We won’t get into the fiery debate between charcoal versus gas grills here we’ve covered that in depth. But for certain, great grilling can be had with either charcoal or gas.
We’ve also covered how to pick the best steak for grilling. The good news is, the perfect steak doesn’t need to be the most expensive. If breaking the bank isn’t part of your barbeque plan, consider less spendy sirloin, hanger, flank steak, and skirt steaks.
Choose cuts that are at least 1-inch thick. If the steak is too thin, the interior gets cooked well-done before the exterior can develop the crave-worthy crust. If you can, choose steaks of even thickness so they’ll be done at the same time. Also, meat near the bone will take a little longer to cook.
The ideal steak marinade combines acid, fat, and seasonings. The acid creates a tangy flavor foundation and tenderizes the meat the fat adds flavor, seals in juices, helps keep the meat from sticking to the grill, and promotes caramelization and the seasonings complete the flavor profile. Here’s a breakdown of The Best Steak Marinade in Existence.
Some Favorite Grilled Steak Recipes:
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The Best Cuts For Grilling
First, let’s talk beef: rib-eye, strip and tenderloin are all great cuts for the grill. If you choose bone-in steaks, keep in mind that they take longer to cook. Look for good marbling to guarantee a juicy and tender cut. And ideally, steaks should be at 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick to form a nice charred crust without overcooking.
Flank, skirt and hanger steaks are also great on the grill. These thinner cuts are best marinated, grilled quickly over high heat and sliced against the grain to serve.
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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Preparing The Steak For Grilling
After you have collected all the ingredients, you should prepare your porterhouse steak for grilling.
You don’t have to do much. Just remove the steak from the freezer and leave it to get to the room temperature.
I know that you can cook a frozen steak to taste as good as a thawed one, but leaving it to reach the room temperature is the recommended option for this type.
Image Credits: BestandWorstEver Blog
After the meat has reached the room temperature, you can continue with the seasoning and the grilling process.
Note: Since porterhouse steak is so large , the time it will take for your grill to heat and get to cooking temperature is about the same time it will take your steak to get up to room temperature, which makes grilling conditions perfect.
Are Sear Marks Just For Looks
No, they aren’t. Will a steak be delicious if you don’t get sear marks. Certainly. Do sear marks increase the flavor of a steak. Yes, they do.
Sear marks are gorgeous on a steak. Especially when you get them perfect. Something I am not very good at, but managed to pull off on this steak.
More important than looks, is the science behind the grill marks. Where you see those dark lines, the maillard reaction has occurred.
The maillard reaction is a series of chemical reactions that occurs in cooking when the proteins and sugars on and in food begin to change as a result of heat being applied.
The maillard reaction is responsible for flavor in so many foods, not just the sear on a steak. It’s the maillard reaction happening in browning onions that impart that flavor we all know and love in a really good French Onion Soup.
It’s the maillard reaction that happens as sweetened condensed milk is cooked and turns brown and we call it Dulce de leche.
It’s the maillard reaction that happens on top of a golden brown biscuit or a muffin top that is the best part of either one.
This is why many chefs do a full sear on their steaks instead of using a grill. They increase the surface area that benefits from the maillard reaction.
The look doesn’t matter as far as flavor goes, but I have found that the Sear ‘N Sizzle grill grate does produce a juicier and more flavorful steak. Why?
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Are A Porterhouse And T
Although porterhouses and T-bones come from the same part of the cattle, the short loin , the USDA has a specific definition for a porterhouse.
Both cuts actually consist of two steaks, one side being a New York strip and the other a tenderloin, but a porterhouse’s portion must be at least one and a quarter inches wide in order to be classified as such while the tenderloin must be at least one and a half inch wide.
So, in a few words, t-bone and porterhouse are somehow the same cut of meat except the porterhouse has more filet/meat.
Charcoal Or Gas Grill For Steak
Charcoal or wood-fired grills are always the best choice for grilling steaks because of the additional flavor and charring they provide. If you have a charcoal grill, you also can add different kinds of wood to the fire to contribute smokiness and enhance the overall flavor of the meat.
Dont worryyou can still cook a great steak on a gas grill. If using gas, open the lid, turn on the gas, and light the grill. Dont light the grill with the lid closed gas can build up inside the grill and create an explosion.
- Looking to upgrade? Check out our list of The Best Grills.
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Do You Flip Steaks On A Pellet Grill
Theres a huge debate online as to whether you should flip your steaks or not.
Personally, I flip my steaks after about 6-8 minutes on each side. This allows the steak to get those sear marks everyone loves.
Of course, grill marks arent as important as ensuring your steak has good crusting going on. The nice brown caramelized protein crust is what Im always looking for whenever I grill my steaks.
Its taken me a while to learn how to get that caramelized protein crust.
I recommend flipping the steaks once. Unlike when grilling chicken, I dont think it matters how many times you flip a steak.
How To Grill The Perfect Ny Strip Steak
Serves: 2 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 5 Minutes
Ingredients2 tbsp compound butter
Step 1: Place the steaks and compound butter on the counter and allow them to come up to room temperature for about an hour.
Step 2: Light grill and set up for high direct heat. Youll want to get the coals as hot and as close to the cooking grate as possible. If using a gas grill, allow the grill to preheat with the lid closed for at least 15 minutes.
Step 3: Evenly coat strip steaks with olive oil and season them liberally with coarse sea salt. Put two pats of compound butter on each plate and set aside.
*Tip I dont recommend putting pepper on at this point as the extreme heat will burn it, producing a bitter flavor. I also dont recommend using a premixed rub as many of them contain sugar which will also burn. Trust me on this one, just use the salt and let the meat shine through.
Step 4: Place steaks directly over hot coals and flip every 20 seconds. With each flip, place the steaks in a different spot on the grill grate. This allows the best searing to take place through conductive heat. The steaks below have been on the grill for about 2.5 minutes total, and you can already see that nice crust forming.
Step 5: After about five minutes of total cook time, use a reliable quick read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak. Remove steaks from the grill when the internal temperature reaches 115° F for a medium rare steak.
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How Should The Sirloin Steak Be Served
Now that you have a perfectly grilled top sirloin, top it with an herbed compound butter or my personal favorite, another good pair – chimichurri. Served with a side of beautifully grilled fingerling potatoes and charred carrots, this is one cookout that everyone is going to be talking about for a while! If you want something more fancy – add a glass of red wine.
Here Is A Great Fan Favorite Recipe For You To Try Out
New York Strip Steaks with Red-Eye Barbecue Sauce
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallot and cook until it begins to brown, about 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients, bring to a simmer, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes, stirring often. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
2. Brush the steaks on both sides with the oil and then season on both sides with the salt and pepper. Let the steaks stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before grilling.
3. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat .
4. Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the steaks over direct high heat, with the lid closed, until cooked to your desired doneness, 6 to 8 minutes for medium rare, turning once. Remove the steaks from the grill and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Serve the steaks warm with the sauce on the side
Check out this article for more tips of grilling the perfect steak on your charcoal grill.
©2018 Weber-Stephen Products LLC. Tips from Way to Grill by by Jamie Purviance. Recipe from Webers Greatest Hits by Jamie Purviance. Used with permission
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How To Grill A Porterhouse Steak
Though these can be cooked in a cast-iron skillet we think this is a the perfect porterhouse steak recipe for the grill!
STEP 1. Preparation
The steaks should be brought to room temperature before grilling. Set them out 1-2 hours before grilling.
Start with a hot, clean, oiled grill over high heat. They can be cooked on a gas grill or charcoal grill over open flame.
Lightly brush the steaks with olive oil and season steaks with salt and pepper.
STEP 2. Give it a good sear!
Transfer steak onto the prepared grill. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes turn 45 degrees and cook 2-3 minutes more .
Repeat on the opposite side. Take the internal temperature to determine doneness.
STEP 3. Rest the steak
Transfer steak onto a cutting board to let the steak rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
What Factors Affect How Steak Cooks
All cuts of beef will cook about the same, so the cut of steak doesn’t matter as much as the thickness of it. There are some things to note when cooking leaner steak versus a fattier cut and I will go over some of those here as well.
When using the Ninja Foodi Indoor Grill to cook various cuts of steak, you will want to adjust your Grill setting based on the amount of fat in the cut you are using.
Leaner steaks will do fine cooked on Max Grill, the hottest setting on the Ninja Foodi Indoor Grill. They can also be cooked on lower settings, but keep in mind you want the hottest surface possible for a great sear. I recommend preheating on Max grill when grilling steaks EVEN if you are going to cook them at a lower temperature.
Fattier cuts, like Ribeye, do better on lower settings. This is mainly to avoid the smoking that comes from the fat being cooked on high settings. I still suggest preheating on Max Grill and then lowering the temperature to High grill to grill the ribeye. I’ve grilled ribeyes on Max grill and they cook fine, but I did have a lot of smoking.
The biggest factor that determines your cooking time of steaks is thickness. All grilled steaks cook from the outside in, so the thicker the steak, the longer it’s going to take to cook.
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Why You Should Let Your Steaks Rest Before Cutting
Have you ever taken your steak off the grill and immediately cut it open and see the juices pour out? That’s why we should always let our steak rest before cutting.
The juices in the steak will reabsorb as it rests and keeps the meat juicy and moist. Cutting immediately will allow the juices to run out and can leave your steak on the dry side.
However, we also have to keep in mind that the steak continues to cook as it rests, so it’s super important to remove the steak from the grill 5-10° BEFORE it hits your target temperature.
How To Grill Top Sirloin The Right Way
If youre looking to fire up the grill this weekend but tired of chicken recipes and dont want to spend a fortune on steak even on special offers, look no further than the top sirloin steak. Its not as tender as a filet mignon and not as robust as a ribeye, but its my favorite cut of steak for two simple reasons: its affordable, and it has a fuller, beefier flavor than those other cuts. In two words: perfect steak. This American grilled steak will change your entire world.
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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.
Can I Cook Steaks From Frozen
You can, but I really don’t recommend it. I know we are busy and I’m always forgetting to take out something for dinner, BUT cooking steaks from frozen will never deliver the flavor and texture of cooking a thawed steak.
There are a few reasons for this. The biggest reason is, once again, heat transfer. A frozen steak is going to cool down the grilling surface so fast that it isn’t going transfer the heat needed for a good sear.
Instead, it’s going to produce steam. Steam is wonderful for cooking many things, but steak isn’t one of them, in my opinion. The meat turns a dull grey color and just doesn’t develop the flavor that is expect from a grilled steak.
The other disadvantage is seasoning. Seasoning helps create a nice crust on the steak, but is almost impossible to do when frozen. The moisture in the surface of the frozen meat prevents the seasonings from adhering.
The good news is, steaks thaw pretty quickly. If you find yourself ready to make dinner and you forgot to get the steaks out, simply thaw them in cold water.
Make sure they are sealed in a bag so that no water can get to the steaks, and submerge them for 30-40 minutes in cold water. The amount of time they need to thaw will depend on thickness and you can cook partially frozen steaks.
I really hope this helps you grill the PERFECT steak in the Ninja Foodi Indoor Grill EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Feel free to join our if you have questions or just want to see what everyone is grilling up!
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