Grilling Tips - Perfect Steaks

 Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start to summer and summer means one important thing to me - grilling! By this time of year I'm so eager to fire up my grill and cook just about anything I can think of on there. From breakfast, lunch, dinner, to desert - the grill is my main source of cooking in the summer months.

For the perfect steak, the seasoning is going to be key. Now every spice company under the sun seems to sell there own "grill mix" to sprinkle on steaks but you won't find any of that in my kitchen. For me a good steak only needs a generous season of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Salt and pepper will really bring out the delicious flavor of the beef. These New York strips we grilled for dinner a few nights ago were gorgeous so why cover up the natural flavor of them?

Once you season the steaks, let them sit out at room temperature for about 10 minutes or so. Another good tip is right before you place the steaks on the grill is to pat them dry a bit with a paper towel. Removing any excess moisture on the outside of the steak will help us get a better crust. Once the steaks hit the grill grates, leave them be. Don't go flipping them around ever 2 minutes and sliding them from one spot to another. If you leave the steaks motionless over the grill as the cook, you'll get gorgeous grill marks on your steaks like you'd see at a restaurant. I like my steaks still nice and pink in the center for I cook mine for about 8 to 10 minutes on each side (depending on thickness of the steak) when I grill them over medium high heat.

Once the steak has been grilled, remove from the heat and be sure to let the steak rest for a good 10 minutes before you cut into the meat. If you slice the steak as soon as it comes off the grill, you'll loose all the juices inside the steak and that is a cardinal sin of grilling. Follow these simple rules and you're on you way to being a grill master!