Grill the Perfect Steak

Steaks are great for any season but you don’t have to go out to a restaurant to enjoy a mouth-watering cut. Weber has tips for grilling the perfect steak no matter how you like it cooked and for any kind of cut.

To start, there are certain things you should look for when buying your steak. Weber recommends buying meat with thin but coarse marbling of white fat throughout (no chunks of fat) as the thin pieces will melt and make the meat extra juicy. The meat should be “rich pink or light cherry” in colour as dark red meat tends to be tougher and finally, it should be moist but not wet and if it’s packaged, there should not be much liquid in surrounding it as that could suggest it isn’t fresh but instead has been frozen and thawed.

When it comes to actually grilling your steak, different cuts have different rules. The following are to cook your steak medium-rare. For New York strip, porterhouse, rib eye, T-bone and filet mignon cook over direct high heat. Depending on thickness grill time can be anywhere from 6-15 minutes. For ¾ inch thickness grill for 4-6 minutes, 1 inch thickness is 6-8 minutes, 1 ¼ inch should be grilled for 8-10 minutes and anything thicker than that should be seared for 6-8 minutes over direct high heat and then grilled over indirect high heat for 4-6 minutes.

Flank steak, flat iron steak and hanger steak should all be grilled for about 8-10 minutes over direct medium heat. Skirt steak that is ¼- ½ inch in thickness should be grilled 4-6 minutes over direct high. Top sirloins should be seared 6-8 minutes over direct high heat and then be grilled 4-6 minutes over indirect high heat much like the steak cuts that are thicker than 1 ¼ inches. And finally a tri-tip steak that is 2-2 ½ pounds should be seared for 10 minutes over direct medium heat and grilled 20-30 minutes over indirect medium heat.

A rule of thumb Weber offers is to check the colour of the meat inside. Simply cut a small slit down the centre of the steak and take a peek. When it has reached your desired colour for doneness- you’re done! For more seasoned steak-grillers Weber suggests testing the firmness of the steak by gently squeezing the sides with tongs. As a steak cooks it obviously gets more firm so learning how firm the steak should be for how you like it is a good trick for later judging when your steak is ready to eat.

Test out these tips with this delicious recipe!

Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Seared Mushrooms and Red Wine Vinaigrette

Serves: 4
Prep-Time: 15 minutes
Grilling Time: 14–18 minutes

Ingredients:

4 beef tenderloin steaks, each about 6 ounces and 1¼ inches thick
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 thick slices bacon, cut into ¼-inch dice (2 ounces)
? cup finely diced red onion
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced or pushed through a press
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, stems removed, each cut into quarters
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Directions:

1. Brush the steaks on both sides with oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Allow the steaks to stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before grilling.

2. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat (450° to 550°F) and medium heat (350° to 450°F) and preheat a perforated grill pan over medium heat.

3. In a skillet over medium-low heat, cook the bacon and onion until the bacon is crisp, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.

4. Combine the vinaigrette ingredients, including ¼ cup oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; whisk until smooth. Put the mushrooms in a medium bowl and add ¼ cup of the vinaigrette. Mix well. Reserve the remaining vinaigrette.

5. Grill the steaks over direct high heat, with the lid closed, until cooked to your desired doneness, 8 to 10 minutes for medium rare, turning once or twice. Remove from the grill and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes.

6. Spread the mushrooms in a single layer on the grill pan and grill over direct medium heat, with the lid closed, until golden brown and tender, 6 to 8 minutes, turning once or twice. Don’t move the mushrooms until the bottom sides are nicely browned. Transfer the mushrooms to the skillet with the bacon and onions and warm over medium heat for about 1 minute, stirring often. Add the chives and mix well. Serve the steaks warm with the mushroom mixture spooned on top. If desired, whisk the reserved vinaigrette and drizzle some over each steak.

For more information, visit www.weber.com.