I seriously cannot grill a steak without destroying it!

[west coast smoker]

Wow cooking a good steak past medium is going to make it tougher. The longer you cook it the tighter the steak fibers get. Also a 1" thick steak should not take to long to cook. The biggest problem is gas burners are not all the same and some cook hotter than others.

Some one mentioned the time to cook to medium I think it was 3-4 minutes per side. I would agree with them, also leave the grill on high for both sides, for that charcoal edge you like. I found the more steaks I have cooked the better I have gotten at it, so experience counts.

My one rule is I would rather put an undercooked steak back on the grill rather than eat an overcooked steak.

[gingerlaurie]

You all are making me feel like I should attempt a "medium rare" steak!

I have a serious aversion to "bloody" meat...it has taken many years to even get me to medium well. LOL.

Maybe....maybe I'm searching for the impossible? A lovely, tender, almost-cooked steak! LOL.

I'll stick to chicken.

[love2"Q"]

med rare is not bloody ..
try marinating a london broil ..
cook to medium or a little more if you
must .. then slice really thin against the grain ..
you will have a nice tender steak ..

[GotGarlic]

Originally Posted by gingerlaurie

You all are making me feel like I should attempt a "medium rare" steak!

I have a serious aversion to "bloody" meat...it has taken many years to even get me to medium well. LOL.

Maybe....maybe I'm searching for the impossible? A lovely, tender, almost-cooked steak! LOL.

I'll stick to chicken.

Think of it as rosy, not bloody It's the tenderness you're after ...

[Fisher's Mom]

Originally Posted by gingerlaurie

You all are making me feel like I should attempt a "medium rare" steak!

I have a serious aversion to "bloody" meat...it has taken many years to even get me to medium well. LOL.

Maybe....maybe I'm searching for the impossible? A lovely, tender, almost-cooked steak! LOL.

I'll stick to chicken.

I wouldn't hold out too much hope for getting over your aversion. I have the same one. It's taken me forever to get to where I can eat a steak with any "rosiness". And to even eat that, I have to make a red wine sauce to pour over it.

[Goodweed of the North]

I found two of the most gorgeous bone-in rib-steaks at a local meat shop yesterday. They are perfectly marbles and dry aged to perfection. Those babies are in the freezer, double wrapped in freezer paper, and then inside vacuum-sealed plastic bag. They're waiting for that just right day of summer. Hate to do this to all of you, but I'm not sharing these ones. Just once in a while you gotta keep the best for yourself. I've given great steaks to so many of my family at this cookout, or that get-together. It's my turn, one for me, and one for my wife. Everybody else gets what they get.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

[Wart]

Originally Posted by gingerlaurie

Medium well is where I'm at now...leaning towards medium.

We call this Twice Killed Meat.

Killed the first time by the 'butcher'.

Killed the second time by the 'cook' when taken to medium +.

A well done steak is called Thrice Killed.

[ErikC]

The temperature at which you cook will be important too, especially when you take different thicknesses into account, and the intended doneness.

Thicker steaks require a lower heat, otherwise the outside is overcooked before you get any significant heat to the center. But even thinner steaks (half inch and less) still need to be cooked at a lower temperature than you might think.

The general rule of thumb to follow is to be able to hold your hand just above the grill for 3 seconds for thin steaks (half inch), 4 seconds for 3/4 to 1 inch, and 5 seconds for thicker steaks before you have to pull your hand away due to the heat. If you cannot hold your hand there that long, then the grill is too hot.

Also, if you prefer your meat more toward the well-done end of the spectrum, then you need to add a second to each of those counts.

[BBQ Mikey]

The best steak you can make is pan seared, 3-5 minutes per side. On the grill is still classic as well, normally cooking 5 minutes on each side for a medium well on high heat. This is what I would do with a normal 1.5" steak. I also do not believe in marinading a steak unless its for fajitas or something of that nature.

[Jeekinz]

Originally Posted by love2"Q"

med rare is not bloody

I disagree with that. Anything medium and on tends to not be bloody.