Best way to cook medium rare steak on grill

If you’re cooking to impress and only a tender, juicy steak will cut it, don’t be fooled into spending a fortune.

Table of Contents Show

Video: How to Grill the Best Steak
How to Grill the Best Steak
Grilling the Best Steak
Which Cut of Steak Is Best for Grilling?
Amp Up the Flavor With Butter Sauce
Advice From Grilling Expert Steven Raichlen
Charcoal or Gas Grill for Steak?
How Hot Should the Grill Be for Steak?
How Long to Grill Steak
Tips for Grilling the Perfect Steak
More Grilled Steak Recipes to Try
What is the best way to cook a steak medium
What temperature do you cook steak on a gas grill?
How do you cook a steak medium
How do you grill a rare steak on a gas grill?

Beyond the much-loved fillet, sirloin, rib-eye and rump, there’s a world of underrated, good-value steaks that will seriously deliver on the flavour front.

Flank skirt, thick skirt and thin skirt are all delicious and definitely worth a try, but here we’re focussing on Jamie’s favourite – feather steak (also known as flat iron steak). Full of beautiful flavour, texture and fat marbling, feather steak is a good size to leave you satisfied. Ask your butcher to remove the tough sinew right in the middle of it, and you’ll be ready to go.

But first, there are a few guidelines to bear in mind if you want to cook the perfect steak, whichever cut you choose.

Before you start, get the steak out of the fridge and allow it to come up to room temperature about one hour before cooking – frying or grilling it from cold will stop the heat from penetrating to the middle as efficiently. You also need to make sure your pan, griddle or barbecue is super hot before you begin – this will help to caramelise the meat, essential for a delicious crust.

During cooking, aim to cook your steak medium-rare to medium – any more and you’ll be left with a tough piece of meat. Turning it every minute or so will make sure you get a really even cook.

After cooking, leave it to rest and rub with a little extra virgin olive oil or butter for an incredible, juicy steak.

Remember these tips, and you’ll get great results every time. To make it even easier, follow these simple steps below.

Looking for the tastiest way to serve your steak? Check out our round-up of Jamie’s best steak recipes that you’re going to love.

Rub the steak all over with a good lug of olive oil and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper
Add the steak to a hot pan, then cook for 6 minutes for medium-rare, or to your liking, turning every minute
For more flavour, try one or a combination of the following…
Halve a garlic clove and rub it over the steak every time you turn it
Rub the steak with a knob of butter – the sweetness from the butter will make it taste divine!
Or create a herb brush by tying woody herbs like thyme or rosemary to the handle of a wooden spoon and brush it over the steak every minute or so
Once cooked to your liking, rest the steak on a plate that can collect all the lovely juices for 2 minutes
Carve with a nice sharp carving knife, then serve with the resting juices drizzled on top

Everyone has their favourite ways to eat steak – with good old chips and a crisp, green salad, with pepper or horseradish sauces, or even a simple fresh salsa verde to cut right through it. Whatever you choose, we’re sure your lucky guest will love you for it.

If our step-by-step guide isn’t enough, let Jamie show you how it’s done:

Dairy cows and beef cows are farmed differently. Usually, beef cows are raised for meat until they’re one or two years old. Meanwhile, dairy cows will be farmed for much longer while they continue to provide enough milk. However, once a dairy cow stops milking the meat is rarely eaten.

My goal with this recipe was to create a grilled steak that would make a novice look like a master, and a master look like her backyard flame-created opus was mere child’s play.

Video: How to Grill the Best Steak

How to Grill the Best Steak

Grilling the Best Steak

I wanted a juicy steak with a nice crust that was big enough to slice and serve family style, and that had a little finesse.

While cooking, I basted the steak in an herbed butter sauce. The sauce added a fresh, light flavor that balanced the richness of the meat. In the end, I had a steak everyone raved about, and that felt special but not overly fussy. It was the perfect main course for my Fourth of July party plans.

Nick Evans

Which Cut of Steak Is Best for Grilling?

When I first started working on this recipe, my top contenders for the steak were the ribeye (no bone), the rib steak (same cut as the ribeye but with the bone), the porterhouse, and the T-bone.

Any of those cuts will taste great grilled due to the significant marbling of fat, which leaves the meat tender, and flavorful. Let's take a closer look at each:

Ribeyes vs. Rib steaks: A ribeye has the bone taken out; a rib steak, also known as a bone-in ribeye, is a ribeye with the bone in. Due to its extensive marbling, this cut cooks beautifully on the grill, bone in or out. Trim the thick fat from the outside edge—leaving it on will cause flame flare-ups that can give your steak an unpleasant burnt flavor. Don't worry, trimming it off won't result in lost flavor!
T-Bones vs. Porterhouses: People often confuse these two cuts, which is understandable because both cuts come from the loin (behind the ribs of the cow) and both have a T-shaped bone with meat on both sides. But porterhouses are larger and actually have more of the tenderloin than the T-bone. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications say the tenderloin of a porterhouse must be at least 1 1/4 inches thick at its widest, while that of a T-bone must be at least 1/2-inch.

Ultimately, I chose to use ribeye steak for its flavor, size, and the lack of bone -- I wanted to slice and serve this steak family-style, and the fact that it doesn't have a bone makes that easier.

The ribeyes I used to test this recipe were 1 1/2 inches thick and weighed in at a whopping 1 1/4 pounds each. Because this cut has extensive fat marbling, it stays tender and tastes great after grilling. A steak this size is also ideal for serving two people, which means less meat to manage on the grill at one time.

I chose to use a thick cut because of its forgiving nature for a newbie at the grill—it’s pretty easy to overcook a 1-inch steak, but adding just a half inch can give you some extra leeway when you're first mastering the technique.

This being said, a big bone-in steak is an impressive sight and beautiful on a plate. Bone in or bone removed, it's up to you!

Nick Evans

Amp Up the Flavor With Butter Sauce

When I first began work on this recipe, I tried dry rubs, oil, and simple salt and pepper. All of these are wonderful things to put on steaks, but I felt like it needed more. (I had Fourth of July in mind, and I wanted to make it special but not complicated.)

I settled on basting the steak with an herbed butter sauce. First, because butter. Second, because I have an extensive herb garden and it didn’t require a trip to the store. I was worried that the butter might burn on the grill, and leave an acrid flavor, but it didn’t.

It was pure deliciousness. The herbs added complexity without masking the meatiness of the steak.

Advice From Grilling Expert Steven Raichlen

Deciding the flavor and the cut I wanted was the easy part. I turned to grilling expert Steven Raichlen, founder of BBQ University, television host, and the author of more than 30 books on the topic of grilling, on how best to set up my grill.

He generously took my phone call while on tour promoting his most recent book release, Project Fire.

Nick Evans

Charcoal or Gas Grill for Steak?

Charcoal or wood-fired grills are always the best choice for grilling steaks because of the additional flavor and charring they provide. If you have a charcoal grill, you also can add different kinds of wood to the fire to contribute smokiness and enhance the overall flavor of the meat.

Don’t worry—you can still cook a great steak on a gas grill. If using gas, open the lid, turn on the gas, and light the grill. Don’t light the grill with the lid closed; gas can build up inside the grill and create an explosion.

How Hot Should the Grill Be for Steak?

Raichlen recommends establishing two cooking zones in your charcoal grill: one that’s very hot for searing the steak, and one that’s medium for finishing the steak and cooking it through.

On a gas grill, heat the grill to 450°F with two burners going, which should only take about 10 minutes, then turn one of the burners down to medium to create two cooking zones.

Not sure if the grill is hot enough? Raichlen's tip is to hold your hand 3 inches above the grill grate and count "1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi..." If you can only hold it there for a second or two, the grill is hot and you're ready to cook.

I followed Raichlen’s advice, and started my steak in the hot zone, then moved it to the medium zone to finish cooking. It worked like a charm.

Nick Evans

How Long to Grill Steak

For a 1 1/2-inch thick steak, here are the general cooking times:

6 to 8 minutes for rare (125°)
7 to 10 minutes for medium-rare (135°)
10 to 12 minutes for medium (145°)
12 to 15 minutes for well done

Note that the USDA recommends cooking whole cuts of beef to an internal temperature of 145°F.

Keep in mind that the thickness of your steak, the heat of your grill, and your desired level of doneness will all impact the time it takes your steak to grill. Raichlen suggests checking the temperature of the steak by inserting a digital meat thermometer through the side, not top down. You can also use Elise’s handy dandy guide.

Tips for Grilling the Perfect Steak

Season, then chill: I apply the same technique I use for getting crispy chicken and turkey skin to grilling this steak: season, then let it chill in the fridge uncovered for up to 48 hours. This essentially dry brines the steak while also letting it air-dry. This approach allows the surface moisture to evaporate while the seasoning has time to penetrate the meat resulting in deeply flavored steak that sears beautifully and develops a nice crust on the grill.
Start with clean grates: Just like you use a clean skillet with a little oil to cook dinner on the stovetop, you want to start with clean and oiled grill grates.
To flip or not to flip? Flip your steak to your heart’s content. Harold McGee, food science writer and author of On Food and Cooking, discovered that frequent flipping creates a steak that cooks more evenly and quickly than those flipped only once.
Grilling directly on coals: Raichlen seemingly knows an infinite number of ways to grill meat, and there’s one in his new book, Project Fire , that I particularly like: he cooks steak directly on hot coals—no grill grates necessary. I love the idea, and it’s on my list of things to try in the near future.

Nick Evans

More Grilled Steak Recipes to Try

Cowboy Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Grilled Marinated Flank Steak
Grilled Tri-Tip Steak with Bell Pepper Salsa
Flank Steak with Orange Avocado Salsa
Grilled Skirt Steak Skewers

This sauce goes well with any steak; you can also skip it or use a different sauce.

I prefer to cook thicker steaks and share them rather than smaller, thinner individual steaks. If you are a grilling novice, thicker steaks are also a little more forgiving.

In this recipe, I’m aiming for medium to medium rare. Ribeyes have lots of marbling, and I want that to break down; cooking it to rare wouldn’t accomplish that goal on a grill.

For the steak:

1 1/2-inch thick ribeye, bone in or out (about 1 1/2 pounds without the bone)
3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

For the herb butter sauce:

4 tablespoons butter
Leaves from 4 sprigs of thyme
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, about half the size of a golf ball, minced

Trim the fat:
Remove the outer layer of fat from the ribeye. The interior marbling will flavor the meat, whereas the outer fat layer will produce flare ups on the grill, which can add a burnt (not charred) flavor to the steak.
Nick Evans
Season the steak and refrigerate:
Pat the steak dry with a paper towel. This removes surface moisture and will help you achieve a good sear.
Season each side with salt and pepper and rub them in a bit. Put the steak in the fridge, uncovered, for at least an hour and up to 48 hours.
Make the herbed butter:
In a small saucepan, add butter, herbs, garlic, and shallots. Melt over low heat. Do this at least 10 minutes before you are ready to put the steak on the grill. The longer the herbs sit in the butter, the longer the flavors will infuse.
You can also make this butter up to 2 hours beforehand; if so, cover and refrigerate. Gently reheat the butter to melt it again before you put the steaks on the grill.
Nick Evans
Preheat the grill:
Prepare a charcoal grill for two-zone grilling, so half is hot and one half is warm. The grill is hot when you can only hold your hand over the hot zone for a second or two.

On a gas grill, heat the grill to 450°F with two burners going, which should only take about 10 minutes, then turn one of the burners down to medium to create two cooking zones.
Nick Evans
Cook and baste the steak:
Add the steak to the hottest side of the grill. Close the lid and sear for 2 minutes. Open the lid, flip the steak, and baste it with the melted herb butter and herbs. Close the lid. Cook for 2 additional minutes.
Flip the steak again and move it to a lower heat side. Baste it again with butter. Continue flipping and basting every two minutes for the next 6 minutes, closing the lid between each flip.
After the steak has been on the grill for a total of 10 minutes (for medium-rare steak), transfer it to a clean platter; it should read 137°F to 140°F internally. Baste it again with butter. (Continue cooking for longer if you prefer your steak more well-done.)
Nick Evans Nick Evans Nick Evans
Let the steak rest:
Let it rest for 5 minutes; it will climb another few degrees as it sits and the juices will redistribute.
Slice and serve the steak:
Slice the steak against the grain. Pour any remaining herb butter sauce over top and serve.
Nick Evans

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1163	Calories
88g	Fat
9g	Carbs
86g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories	1163
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 88g	113%
Saturated Fat 43g	217%
Cholesterol 326mg	109%
Sodium 858mg	37%
Total Carbohydrate 9g	3%
Dietary Fiber 2g	7%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 86g
Vitamin C 5mg	27%
Calcium 77mg	6%
Iron 9mg	50%
Potassium 1129mg	24%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

What is the best way to cook a steak medium

How Long to Cook Steak for Medium Rare? In the skillet, it will be about 3 to 4 minutes on each side to get it to medium rare temperature. Use a meat thermometer to reach the perfect medium rare steak temperature of 135°F / 57.2°C.

What temperature do you cook steak on a gas grill?

Brush your cooking grates clean and adjust your grill for direct, high heat. The best temperature for steaks is 450°F to 500°F. 4. Put your steaks on the grill, close the lid, and set your timer for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the thickness of your steak.

How do you cook a steak medium

As a rough guide, cook a 1.5cm thick steak for 1.5-2 minutes each side for rare, 2-3 minutes each side for medium rare, and 4 minutes each side for well done.