Want to make a perfect grilled steak every single time? The key to perfect, crusty on the outside, juicy on the inside grilled steak is right in your pantry…and your freezer!
Once upon a time, the Southern husband and I thought we knew how to grill a nice plain steak. How hard could it be, really? We would pick up a good looking rib-eye or sirloin at the meat counter, crank up the grill and toss it on there. And it tasted fine.
At least, it tasted fine until we added a couple of steps that seemed very simple…but that transported our steak supper from fine to just plain mouthwateringly, crusty on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, perfect. And ever since that fatefully delicious date we have never looked back, steak-wise.
There are two steps to steak perfection before you get to the actual grilling part, and here they are:
1. You want a perfectly dry surface on your steak. That dry surface is going to give you a gorgeous crusty exterior and that tender juicy pink interior. But just patting your steak dry isn’t going to get you there – you need to mix together a combo of cornstarch and salt and rub your steak all over with it. The cornstarch-salt mixture is going to absorb every last bit of moisture and give you the nice searable surface you are looking for. And in case you are worried, I promise you won’t taste one single bit of cornstarch – it’s all going to cook off when the time comes.
2. You want to chill your steak down before it hits the nice hot grill, and for that you need your freezer. The cold air of the freezer is also dry air that will further help the surface of your steak to be nice and dry (aren’t you glad to be learning all this scientific stuff?), and spending a half hour or so in the freezer will ensure that the inside of your steak stays as juicy as possible while the outside of your steak is getting that nice crunchy char.
Want to make a perfect grilled steak every time? The key to perfect, crusty on the outside, juicy on the inside grilled steak is right in your pantry...and your freezer! Once you have your steak all good and prepped, you are going to want to cook it on a grill that is cranked up as high has you can get it. Cook it for 4-5 minutes per side if you like it pretty rare like we do, or up to 8 minutes if you are a more well-done person. Once it’s done, cover it with foil and let it rest for a few minutes before you cut it.
I know, the wait is agonizing, but if you cut into it right away the delectable steak juices will all run out of the steak and on to your cutting board. Letting it rest allows the juices to settle a little, and you’ll keep more of them inside the steak where they rightfully belong.
Now slice it up across the grain, and sneak the first bite for yourself while you are doing the slicing….ahhhhhhhhh! And with that, this concludes our scientific on How To Cook The Perfect Grilled Steak.
Now go grill some steak!
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How To Cook A Perfect Grilled Steak
Prep Time: 5 minutes- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Total Time: 21 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings, depending on the size of your steak 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Grill
Cuisine: American
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Want to make a perfect grilled steak every time? The key to perfect, crusty on the outside, juicy on the inside grilled steak is right in your pantry…and your freezer!
Ingredients
- 1 steak, 1-2 inches thick (boneless rib-eye or strip steak work the best)
- 1–2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1–2 tablespoons coarse salt
Instructions
- Mix together the cornstarch and salt.
- Pat your steak as dry as you can with paper towels, then pat it all over with the cornstarch mixture.
- Place the steak on a plate in your freezer for 30 minutes.
- Heat the grill to its highest temperature. After the steak has been in the freezer for 30 minutes, take it out and grill it for 4-8 minutes per side, depending on how rare or well-done you like it. Don’t move the steak while you are grilling it except to flip it over halfway through.
- After the steak is grilled, let it rest on the cutting board covered with foil for 5-7 minutes, then slice it against the grain and serve!
Hi there! I’m Kate, and I’m a recipe writer, food photographer and devoted bacon lover. I started Framed Cooks in 2009, and my mission is to create and share family-friendly recipes that make cooking both easy and fun…yes, I said FUN! My kitchen is my happy place, and I want yours to be that place too. And if you make this recipe, I would love you to tag @FramedCooks on Instagram so I can see the deliciousness!
I love a perfectly prepared grilled steak – there is nothing better! Making my mouth water!!!
I so agree!! Perfect summer eats.
Looks so delicious. I dry my steaks off after I marinade them but have been taking them out of the fridge to get to room temp before bbq. I will give this a try.
I used to do that too (the room temp part) but now I am TOTAL convert to the freezer!
That all makes perfect sense, especially the chill down — rare steak fan here. ;) Thanks for the tips. Hope the remodel is on schedule for you.
So far so good on the remodel…stay tuned to this channel!
It’s official, Kate. Renee and I want you on our podcast, Talking With My Mouth Full, to go head to head with E, Renee’s husband, who has the absolute opposite method of cooking steak. Up for it? Southern Husband can join us, too.
Ha – a grilled steak smack-down! Sure!
Good to know! Seems like my parents were doing it totally wrong all those years. :)
Hey, mine too! :)
Oooh….that does look perfect!
There’s nothing like grilled steak, right?
Yes, this looks so perfect, I love grilled steak! Thanks for the tips :)
My pleasure! :)
Excellent tips!! I will have to grill steaks this week. Do you leave the gas grill open or closed once you have turned the heat down. My friend and I’ve discussions about this regularly. Thanks for all of your great recipes.
Ha! I know the grill open/grill closes issue is a big one. I am a grilled closed girl – I love the extra smoky flavor you get. It does make the cooking time go faster, so that’s the only thing you have to keep in mind, especially if you like things medium rare the way I do. Happy grilling, Charlotte!
Holy shit, thanks for the advice!
Best steak I believe I’ve ever grilled, (pretty sure)
I marinated it first, but I think I’ll try it without next time.
Isn’t it the BEST? So glad you tried it! :)
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Thank you very much for those tips. I never make a perfect steak. With these tips I hope to achieve it!
★★★★★
My pleasure!
So delectable ❣️❣️❣️
Thank you! There’s nothing like a perfect piece of grilled steak, right? xoxo!
We thought the outside was nice and crisp. However it is way too salty for us. You can’t taste the meat.
★★
Hi Ella, and thanks for letting me know how it came out for you. The cornstarch is key to making this work, so if you try it again maybe cut the salt in half? Salt is definitely a personal preference – one way or the other I appreciate the feedback!