Top 5 Tips for Grilling Beef
If you have some grass-fed beef steaks in your fridge, you are probably fixing to grill them and share with friends. Here are some tips to help you nail them on your first try.
First, Salt
If you only put one ingredient on your beef, it should be salt. We recommend using kosher salt since its larger, flaky crystals make it easy to pinch and control how much you use. For the most flavorful and tender results, salt your steaks at least 40 minutes before or even the night before you plan to cook them. This takes a little planning, but “dry brining” your steaks, will not only season the beef, but help them to retain moisture for a juicy, tender bite.
Use a Thermometer
If you want to consistently grill your steaks to perfection, invest in an instant-read thermometer. When using the two-zone grilling method, cook steaks for a couple minutes per side on the cool zone of the grill or until they reach an internal temperature of 110℉. Sear on the hot side of the grill or until the steaks read at 130℉ and let them rest for 10 minutes. Using a thermometer takes any guesswork out of timing your steaks and ensures perfect results every time.
Note on Cuts
Steaks are pretty much meant for grilling, in order to get the tastiest steaks, start with quality beef. Grass-fed beef will be leaner and ‘beefier’ while grain-fed beef will be milder and fattier. Naturally, our favorite steaks are grass-fed from New Zealand because even though they are bit leaner, their natural diet gives them more flavor. Next, decide how to cook your steaks! Tender steak cuts like top sirloin and filet mignon can be cooked hot and fast, especially if they are less than 1 ¼ inches thick. Flank, skirt or bavette steaks are also best grilled hot since they are so thin. Steaks that are thicker than 1 ¼ inches, like ribeye, New York strip or tri-tip are best done over a two-zone fire.
Two-Zone Grilling Method
The key to grilling thick-cut steaks is a two-zone fire. Set up your grill to have one hot zone and one cool zone. This can be done by turning on half of your burners or putting the coals just on one side of your grill. The side without burners or coals underneath it is where the steaks will begin. This lower, indirect heat will help raise the internal temperature so when you transfer it to the hot side of the grill you can sear it quickly and not end up with charred meat that is still raw inside.
Gas vs. Charcoal
It’s hard to beat the deep, smoky flavor of any meat cooked over charcoal. However, charcoal grills are messy, harder to start and require adjustments to maintain heat during cooking. Gas grills on the other hand are quick to start and adjusting heat is as simple as turning a knob. However, what they gain in convenience, they lose in smoky flavor. The good news is that both types of grills can produce amazing results: if flavor is your priority, go with charcoal, if convenience and faster dinners are the most important factors, go with gas. Don’t worry, if you end up choosing gas, you can still get that smoky flavor especially with long cooks, such as smoked brisket, just use wood chips on the hot zone of your grill.