Allison Turner
When grilling, a good piece of meat should not be missing. Grilling a steak is not that difficult – if you follow a few tricks, the cooking point will also be perfect on the grill!
Grilled meat always tastes different. This is due to the great heat, the atmosphere, but also the special smoke aroma. For many meat lovers, a perfect grilled steak is a true taste experience.
Grilling is always a challenge. The temperature cannot be monitored as precisely as in the oven and pan, the heat varies, the cooking times change. How do you manage to keep the steak crispy on the outside and tender on the inside? A few tips and tricks will help!
Grilling a steak – that’s how it’s perfect
Preparation is everything
Steak works best if you prepare two grill zones. The charcoal is stacked higher on one side than on the other. You can sear the meat on the hotter side and then continue cooking on the other side.
The steak also requires – albeit little – preparation. It should end up on the grill at room temperature, i.e. take it out of the fridge beforehand. The optimal thickness is two to three centimeters. A good piece of beef doesn’t even need a marinade.
Don’t be impatient
The meat should not end up on the grill until it is really hot. Temperature fluctuations make it difficult to estimate the cooking point. Always preheat the grill until the embers are evenly white. The grill should be around 250 degrees hot. Only then does the meat belong on the grill. To prevent it from sticking, you can coat the grate with rapeseed oil beforehand.
BBQ time
Once the grill is hot, the steak should be grilled for about two to four minutes on each side. The meat should be turned as little as possible.
Use a thermometer
If you want your steak to be perfect, you should use a meat thermometer. This is particularly useful if the guests have different wishes for the doneness of the steak. You can tell what the inside of the meat looks like by looking at the following temperatures:
48 – 52 degrees – rare
56 – 60 degrees – medium
65 – 70 degrees – well done
Use tongs instead of a fork
Don’t poke the steak to turn it! Juices escape and the meat becomes less juicy. Nobody likes to bite around on a dry steak – so it’s better to grab the grill tongs.
Do the palm test
There is a little trick that tells you whether the desired cooking point has already been reached – even if you don’t have a thermometer at hand.
Rare:
Hold your thumb and forefinger together. Squeeze the thumb muscle in the palm of your hand. This is how even the thickest stele on the steak should feel if you like it bloody.
Medium:
Hold your thumb and middle finger together and do the palm test. Press the meat at its thickest point – if it reaches the same feeling as your hand, it’s done!
Well done:
The little finger and the thumb meet. The thumb muscle is now tense and harder – this is how the steak should feel if you like it well done.
Stay calm
Even if the meat looks so delicious fresh off the grill that you want to bite into it, give the steak another two to three minutes to recover from the hot temperatures. Then season it with salt and pepper – a good piece of meat often doesn’t need more.
