Grilled NY Steak

This weekend we had perfect weather so we decided to fire up the grill and eat outdoors. I got some steaks at the market on ‘super’ sale yesterday. Here’s the proof:

We decided to simply season them with salt and pepper instead of marinating them. The decision paid off. Our steaks were juicy, tender and loaded with flavor. Here is how we cooked them:

Heat half of your grill on high and the other on medium. Clean the grids well and oil with a wad of paper towel drenched in olive oil. Place them directly on the fire. Sear the steaks until you have grill marks on them and flip.

Move the steaks to the medium side and cook until desired doneness. Personally, I like mine to cook for a maximum of 6 to 7 minutes. I like to get it cooked as fast as I can so it will not dry up. So as soon as the bottom side has grill marks on it I eat it! However, I do like my steak on the medium rare side.

Because we all have different kinds of grills and steaks are different thickness, here’s a little guide for you to cook your steaks:

For a rare done steak the meat should be charred on the outside and bright red in the middle. However, the meat should be warm through the center. Rare steak will feel like raw meat – soft to the touch – with a brown surface. I cook mine directly in the flames, 2 minutes, flip, 2 minutes. Done. My husband likes his steak this way. Internal temperature should register 120 to 130 degrees F.

For a medium rare steak the meat should be evenly browned to a dark brown color and the middle should be warm and pink. When you touch a medium rare steak it will be firm at the surface but soft in the middle. My grill cooks medium rare steaks in about 3 minutes per side. This is my favorite! Internal temperature should register 130 to 135 degrees F.

For a medium steak the meat should have more dark browned area than pink. However, it should retain a thick, light pink band through the center. A medium steak will feel firm when you touch it but it should have some softness through the middle. My grill cooks these in about 5 minutes per side. Internal temperature should register 140 to 150 degrees F.

For a medium well steak the meat should have a charred, dark brown surface and a hint of pink in the inside. When touched this steak is stiff but you can still feel a little tenderness in the middle. We cook medium well steaks on our grill by putting them directly on the fire for 1 to 2 minutes per side and then moving them to medium heat. We let them cook for an additional 5 to 6 minutes per side. Internal temperature should register 155 to 165 degrees F.

A well done steak, in my opinion, is the hardest to make because it is so easy to burn it! My oldest daughter eats her steak like this so we always start hers first so she doesn’t have to wait while we are eating! Personally, I do not understand how she can eat such dry meat but I know she can not understand how I can place a reddish pink piece of meat into my mouth either! To each his own! Anyway, in order to achieve a well done steak that is not burned you must cook it low and slow. You want to brown it through without burning it. A well done steak eater will balk at the slightest hint of pink in their steak so be careful to be patient. Our grill cooks these in 10 to 12 minutes per side on medium heat. When you touch a well done steak the meat should feel solid all the way through. No gives with a well done piece of meat! Internal temperature should register 170+ degrees F.

Here’s to your perfectly grilled steak! Enjoy!