How Long Do You Grill Steaks for?

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spoons

Assistant Cook
Joined
May 20, 2006
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2
It may seem a daft question but I have grilled steaks in the past but never really been sure if they were properly cooked.

How do you get them soft and tender?

Why does steak need less cooking than other meat like lamb for instance?
 
not daft at all spoons. cooking steaks all depends on how thick they are and hot the grill is, so times are different.

the best way i've found to know how long to grill or broil a steak is to get used to poking it with your finger to see if it is still squishy, or is firming up. that is when it is going from rare, to medium rare, and don't blink because it'll soon be well done.
it'll take a few trials and errors, but you'll get a feel after a while. also, since you're not piercing or slicing the steak to see if it's done, no juices are running out on you.

put the steak on the grill for just a coupla minutes, flip it over and grill just a minute more. start poking. you'll feel how it will firm up. as soon as you notice a change, it has gone from raw, to rare, and is on it's way to medium rare already.
flip it again (i know, i know, you're only supposed to flip once, but this is for learning purposes), and keep poking every minute or so.

you'll eventually learn how firm medium rare feels, how medium-well feels, and so on when you slice into it.
 
Thanks Tom

The steaks that I am going to grill this evening are 2 cm thick. I tend to cook them for about 15 mins altogether its post luck sometimes they are nice and tender but other times mostly dry, they seem to cook so quickly I worry if they really are cooked.
 
Spoons, many years ago, a friend of mine, from Belgium, gave me this recipe for a perfect grill of a steak: it's just a bit complexe, but it works....
1°) You must consider how thick is the meat. higher the meat, sweeter the grill (with discrection, of course).
2°) You must cook a steak for so many minutes by every side as much is the thickness in cm, One time to have it bloody, two times to have it normal, three times to have it well cooked.

Example: I have a steak 3 cm high, and I want it "normal". I grill in a medium-high heat for 3 minutes in a side, three minutes in the opposite side, and then three minutes again for each side.
This works well till....6 cm thickness? perhaps 7....
Of course, you have to regulate this "recipe" to your taste or to your grill, or how much wind you have, or something so, but it is a good start....
 
RDG said:
Spoons, many years ago, a friend of mine, from Belgium, gave me this recipe for a perfect grill of a steak: it's just a bit complexe, but it works....
1°) You must consider how thick is the meat. higher the meat, sweeter the grill (with discrection, of course).
2°) You must cook a steak for so many minutes by every side as much is the thickness in cm, One time to have it bloody, two times to have it normal, three times to have it well cooked.

Example: I have a steak 3 cm high, and I want it "normal". I grill in a medium-high heat for 3 minutes in a side, three minutes in the opposite side, and then three minutes again for each side.
This works well till....6 cm thickness? perhaps 7....
Of course, you have to regulate this "recipe" to your taste or to your grill, or how much wind you have, or something so, but it is a good start....


My method is close to this too. For a 3cm (or about 1.5") Ribeye steak on my Weber gas grill I cook 4 minutes on each side on high direct, then 4 more on high indirect (with the top closed for all 3 segments)... Perfect medium rare every time... :)
 
I go by the 2x2x2x2 method and it hasn't missed yet. Do the first side for 2 minutes, flip for 2, flip again (and do the crosshatch thing with the grill marks), and then for the last 2 minutes. Do this on high heat.
 
Get yourself an instant read thermometer. Insert it into the exact center of the steak at a 45 degree angle.

Rare = 120F (49C)
medium rare = 126F (52C)
medium = 135F (57C)
medium well = 145F (63C)
well done = 160F (71C)
 
Caine said:
Get yourself an instant read thermometer. Insert it into the exact center of the steak at a 45 degree angle.

Rare = 120F (49C)
medium rare = 126F (52C)
medium = 135F (57C)
medium well = 145F (63C)
well done = 160F (71C)

While this is the most boring, it's obviously the most accurate . . . . . :cool:
 
BigDog said:
While this is the most boring, it's obviously the most accurate . . . . . :cool:

Yes, it is accurate, but I don't do it that way myself. I just throw it in the grill, and when it stops squirming, it's done! :chef:
 
Caine said:
Get yourself an instant read thermometer. Insert it into the exact center of the steak at a 45 degree angle.

Rare = 120F (49C)
medium rare = 126F (52C)
medium = 135F (57C)
medium well = 145F (63C)
well done = 160F (71C)

It might be the most boring, but it helps me get my meat cooked to a consistent doneness. Before I started using a thermometer I had a hard time judging when steak or any other meat was done to my liking.
 
Sierra, try with the fork, or the knife, from the part of handle. Hit the steak: if it rebounds, the steak is rare. If it's soft, is medium. Otherwise, it is......too late!!:LOL:
 
spoons said:
It may seem a daft question but I have grilled steaks in the past but never really been sure if they were properly cooked.

How do you get them soft and tender?

Why does steak need less cooking than other meat like lamb for instance?
:chef: Bobby Fay on the food network said that you only turn a steak over once.
 
I personally sear mine for about 3 min per side...nice and rare, then cover them and let them rest for 5-10 min. or so.

Another good rule of thumb, look for the juices to start coming to the suface, then flip, cook for three min. and you are done.
 
There's no single answer to your first question -- how long does it take to grill a steak? It depends on several factors:
  1. The thickness of the meat.
  2. The temperature of the meat.
  3. How hot your fire is.
  4. How far the meat is from the coals.
  5. How you like it done.
I'm preparing to grill a porterhouse for dinner. It's about an inch thick, which is less than ideal, but it was only $4.97 a pound at Von's this afternoon. I like my beef steaks at least 1.5 inches thick, but this will do.

I know my grill -- it's a gas grill from Ducane, which I've had for a few years. I'll preheat the grill for about 15 minutes on high, to get it good and hot and to burn off old grease and drippings, which could flavor my meat. I also like my steaks charred on the outside, nearly (but not quite) bloody in the middle. That means about 3 minutes per side with this steak, maybe 4, on high heat. I test by feel with my cooking fork -- as soon as the meat loses it's mushy texture, it's done. Cutting the meat can be deceptive because it will look rarer that it is; remember that the meat will continue to cook for about 5 minutes after you take it off the fire, and you should leave it covered with foil or an inverted plate for that time to let it reabsorb the juices.

But as I said, I know my grill -- I've cooked a lot of meat, chicken, fish, and veggies on it, and I can predict how long it will take. Anyone needs to practice with a new grill, and always err on the side of under cooked -- it's easier to put the meat back on the grill than it is to uncook it. A BBQ thermometer may help, but you need experience with such a gadget, too.

Meat becomes tough and dry when it's overcooked. Go for a little underdone, and let it sit for a few minutes before cutting it.

As for different meats, I don't find all that much difference between beef and lamb. Bones make a huge difference, and you need to allow a bit more time for meat with bones, say a porterhouse or chops as compared to a top sirloin.

HTH
 
For those of you who like to use a temp. probe, I have a suggestion for you. Each time your steak reaches the temp you want to take it off the heat, gently poke it with your finger and get the feel of doneness. After you do this a while, you'll be able to get your steak perfectly cooked each time by feel!!
 
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