When I was a line cook, I spent the majority of my time working the grill. On a nightly basis, I was responsible for not just a grill full of various types and cuts of meat\u2014I also had to ensure that when they reached the dining room, they were cooked to each customer\u2019s preferred internal temperature. It\u2019s a lot to deal with, and when an expensive steak is involved, things become even more stressful. While grilling at that scale and level of precision never becomes truly easy<\/em>, if you set up your steak and grill correctly, successful outcomes are much more feasible. With that in mind, here is everything you need to know in order to grill the perfect steak for you.<\/p>\n Roughly twenty minutes before grilling a steak, you should remove the meat from the fridge and allow it to reach room temperature. This ensures that your steak will cook evenly, preventing the dreaded combination of an overcooked exterior and cold, raw center. According to J. Fox\u2014owner of Manhattan butcher shop Hudson & Charles<\/a>\u2014it\u2019s important to be mindful of food safety precautions while doing this. \u201cYou want to make sure the protein isn\u2019t in the 40\u00b0F to 140\u00b0F range for more than two hours,\u201d he says. \u201cIf the temperature outside is 90 degrees, that means no more than one hour sitting out of refrigeration.\u201d<\/p>\n While your steak reaches room temperature\u2014or immediately after\u2014you need to season it. As always, seasoning is a matter of personal preference. However, whenever I grill a steak, I season it the same way that I did in every restaurant I worked at: generously covered with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.<\/p>\n The first step to successfully cooking a steak is to make sure your grill is clean and hot. To clean your grill, start by scraping its grates with an abrasive brush (like this one from OXO<\/a>) or steel wool. This should knock out enough gunk to prevent the grill from imparting any burnt, unpleasant residue onto your steak. If you’re working with a grill that has been neglected for an extended period of time (read: very, very dirty), it\u2019s best to deep-clean the entire device<\/a>.<\/p>\n Next, your grill needs to be lit. For gas grills, simply release the propane, ignite your grill, and cover it. When using propane, it\u2019s best to keep an extra, full tank on hand\u2014that way you\u2019re guaranteed to have enough gas to make it through even the most lengthy barbecues. However, if you\u2019re in a pinch, you should be able to grill a few steaks with a tank that\u2019s only a third full. If you\u2019re working with charcoal, refer to our in-depth guides on charcoal types<\/a> and ignition<\/a> for best results.<\/p>\nHow To Prepare Steak For The Grill<\/h3>\n
How To Prepare The Grill For Steak<\/h3>\n