How to grill a steak with precision.

I've run over 100 steak experiments. This is exactly how I grill a steak now, and I'm really happy with it.

It's all about three things: the heat, the timing, and a thermometer.

This guide is for a gas grill. I use a Weber.

Where I learned it

A family friend of ours, who's Brazilian, taught us this method. He said it's how they do it back in Brazil. I've been tweaking it ever since.

What you need

• A gas grill
• A thermometer. I have two: a leave-in meat thermometer, and an instant-read one. The instant-read is just a no-name one from Amazon.
• A cutting board that can catch juices

I use the instant-read for everyday cooking. I use the leave-in probe when I'm cooking for a bunch of people.

Before the grill

If the steak came with a string tied around it, leave it on. It helps the steak keep its shape, and that really helps with thicker cuts.

Turn on only the back burners. Get the grill to 450 to 500°F, and give it enough time to actually get there.

Don't salt the steak yet. That's the Brazilian way. The idea is that salt pulls moisture to the surface and gets in the way of the crust. The salt comes later.

The sear

This works best with a steak that's at least 1.5 inches thick. A thin steak cooks too fast to get a proper crust.

Put the steak right over the back heat. Sear it for four minutes a side. For diamond grill marks, turn it a quarter turn at the two-minute mark. Then flip it and do the same on the other side.

Don't put the thermometer in yet.

Take the steak off and let it rest for five minutes. If it's cold outside, bring it indoors for this part.

Finishing it

Now put the probe in the middle of the steak, up to the marked line.

Move the steak to indirect heat. Cook it for about five minutes a side, lined up with the sear marks from before. Salt it heavily after the final flip.

I pull the steak off the grill at 115 to 120°F. That's where I like it. It keeps cooking while it rests, so it climbs a little bit after.

If you skipped the sear, cook it over direct heat for about three and a half minutes a side. Salt it generously after the last flip.

Rest it

Let the steak rest for 5 to 10 minutes before you cut it. I don't skip this one. The juices need time to settle, or they end up all over the board.

Slice it thin, against the grain.

What I got wrong for a long time

I overcooked my steaks a lot. And I always had big gray bands around the outside.

Over time, I figured out the exact timing for the temperature I like. And I learned that a little bit higher heat gets rid of a thick gray band.

Most people make the same few mistakes. They don't preheat properly, they don't use a thermometer, or they cut into the steak too soon. All of those are easy to fix.

Thick steaks and thin ones

This works with every cut. But thick and thin steaks aren't the same. A thick one gets the full sear and then the indirect heat. A thin one skips the sear and goes straight over direct heat.

What's next

I'm still learning charcoal. I got a new charcoal grill, and I'm still practicing. I haven't mastered it, so that guide will come later.

A note on safety: 115 to 120°F is how I like my steak, not a food-safety recommendation. Health Canada recommends cooking whole cuts of beef to 63°C (145°F). Cook to the temperature that is right for you and the people you're feeding.

Drafted and created with the help of AI.