Mistakes Everyone Makes When Grilling Steak

While this may not be immediately apparent when enjoying a steak at a restaurant, there is a lot that goes into grilling the perfect cut of beef. There is definitely much more to a ribeye or filet mignon with a juicy interior and a beautifully seared crust than just throwing some meat on the grill. Often, this is precisely why restaurant steaks taste so much better than homemade cuts of beef.

Enjoying a perfectly grilled steak shouldn't require a trip to a restaurant — after all, preparing steak isn't rocket science. All you need is the right cut of beef, a few tips on the right grilling technique, and a little attention to detail. To help you prepare your next culinary masterpiece, we have asked four chefs to share their professional insights about the mistakes most commonly made when grilling steak — and how to avoid them. From using the right ingredients and seasoning techniques to letting your steak rest, these chef-approved tips are bound to take your grilling game to the next level.

Some cuts of steak are easier to grill than others. Nevertheless, with the exception of brisket, which is usually better smoked, pretty much all cuts of beef are fair game for the grill. The trick is knowing how to prepare them to make the most out of their flavor and texture. For instance, some cuts have more marbling while others are leaner, necessitating different preparation methods.

For the Co-Executive Chef at Vinyl Steakhouse in New York, Nickenford Joseph, the key to a perfectly grilled steak lies in understanding what each cut brings to the table. "Some steaks, like ribeye or New York strip, have more fat and marbling, which makes them naturally flavorful and juicy when grilled. Leaner cuts, like filet mignon or top round, can dry out quickly, so they may need extra care, like marinating or grilling at a lower temperature," he explains. "A well-marbled steak can handle high heat and a quick sear, while a tougher cut might benefit from a marinade or slower cooking. As long as you match the cooking method to the steak, you can make almost any cut work on the grill."

The Executive Chef at Omaha Steaks, David Rose, explains that the difficulty of grilling a steak can depend on its size. "When grilling larger cuts of meat, it's common for people to struggle a bit to make sure the meat [is] evenly cooked." On the other end of the spectrum are thinner cuts like skirt steak. "Since it's such a thin cut of meat, it will cook quickly, but it's easy to burn if you don't keep an eye on it. I recommend cooking this steak over high heat for 2 – 3 minutes. Typically, once both sides appear browned, the interior is likely cooked to medium-rare," Rose says.

There is a reason why the steaks you purchase at high-end restaurants taste so good, and it's not just the preparation method. These establishments prioritize beef quality, only selecting premium cuts for the grill. For instance, the U.S. has a voluntary beef grading system that distinguishes the quality of beef on factors such as texture and marbling. The top grade is USDA Prime, which features plenty of marbling and is exceptionally juicy. Next comes USDA Choice, which features less marbling than USDA Prime. Finally, USDA Select is the leanest and toughest of the three.

The diet of cattle also plays a role in determining the final flavor profile of beef. Recipe developer and the Chef-In-Residence at the ButcherBox, Ashley Lonsdale, recommends sourcing your steak intentionally. "Quality is a huge factor when grilling — if you don't start with high quality, you won't end with it," she says. Chef Lonsdale adds that she encourages home chefs to opt for grass-fed beef. "Grass-fed steaks have an intense, deeply beefy flavor, which I prefer. I choose steaks from grass-fed and -finished cows for undeniably great quality and flavor."

While steak usually comes with some fat that turns into grease during grilling, it can be insufficient to achieve the perfect sear or prevent the meat from sticking to the grates or pan. Chef David Rose from Omaha Steaks recommends using cooking oil both as a binder when seasoning the steak and to coat the grates of the grill, especially when preparing more tender cuts that are prone to sticking, such as filet mignon.

While they may look similar, cooking oils are not created equal. Sure, they vary in flavor, but that's not all — they also have different smoke points. While extra virgin olive oil may be great on your salad, it's not suitable for grilling steak due to its low smoke point of 320 degrees Fahrenheit. Since steaks are best grilled on high heat, an oil with a low smoke point may start to break down, resulting in smoke and unpleasant bitterness in your steak. Burnt oil also releases harmful compounds that have been connected to a range of health problems.

So what are some of the best oils to use for grilling steak? Basically, you need to select an oil with a high smoke point that will help your steak cook evenly without burning it. One of the best high-smoke-point oils is avocado oil, since it doesn't burn until 520 degrees Fahrenheit and has a mild flavor. Other oils with a high smoke point include refined canola oil, which can withstand temperatures up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and sunflower oil, which has a smoke point of around 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grilling beef straight out of the refrigerator can lead to uneven cooking, resulting in a steak that's either overcooked on the outside or undercooked on the inside. This is because the cold temperature of the beef slows down the rate at which the meat cooks in the center. Dennis Turcinovic, the owner and managing partner of Delmonico's Hospitality Group, the culinary enterprise behind the restaurant that created the iconic Delmonico steak in 1850, says that bringing the steak to room temperature before grilling is crucial. "It helps achieve even cooking throughout and creates a sear," he adds.

While it's important to warm the steak up a little before popping it on the grill, leaving it on the kitchen counter for extended periods of time can increase the risk of food poisoning. According to the USDA, meat shouldn't be left at temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit for longer than two hours. However, if the temperature is above 90 degrees, this time frame should be reduced to one hour.

Once the steak has been brought to room temperature, it's important to pat it dry with a paper towel before placing it on the grill. "The drier the steak, the better the crispy sear you'll get when it hits the grill," says Chef Nickenford Joseph from Vinyl Steakhouse. This is because any excess moisture on the cut is likely to create steam as the liquid evaporates during cooking, preventing browning.

Most professional chefs agree that seasoning steak before grilling is essential, even if it's only applied very sparingly. According to Chef Ashley Lonsdale from the ButcherBox, if you have the time, season your steaks ahead of time. "Allowing them time to sit before grilling will produce a juicier, more flavorful result. You need at least one hour for this," she says. Chef David Rose from Omaha Steaks also recommends seasoning steak at least 30 minutes before grilling to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat.

While some home chefs like to marinate or brine their beef, professionals lean towards simplicity, only using very few ingredients to bring out the beef's flavor. Dennis Turcinovic from Delmonico's Hospitality Group is a purist when it comes to enhancing the natural flavor of beef, saying, "Many people tend to over-season steaks; simplicity is best! I only season my steaks with Maldon sea salt and finish them with beef tallow. That's it. Sea salt's flaky texture allows it to easily adhere to the steak's surface and helps create a crust. Adding beef tallow at the end enhances the flavor and adds moisture."

Steak contains three different types of fat, which include intramuscular fat or the marbling that makes steak tender and juicy. The other two types are intermuscular and subcutaneous fat, which are the layers of fat on the edges of the cut. While you definitely don't want to be eating this excess fat, the question remains: Should you trim it before or after grilling? The answer lies somewhere in between.

Perhaps Chef Nickenford Joseph sums up this dilemma best, saying, "Trimming some fat off a steak is important because nobody wants a steak that's too fatty — especially me. But leaving some fat on is crucial since it renders down during cooking, adding extra flavor and keeping the steak juicy."

While the amount of fat trimmed is a matter of personal preference, it's best to cut away at least some of the excess fat that surrounds the meat. This is because too much fat and grease can lead to flare-ups on the grill that might burn your meat. In addition, since fat contracts faster than the steak cooks, it's helpful to make small incisions in the remaining fat strip so it doesn't curl and squeeze out the juices from the meat during the grilling process.

Preheating the grill is essential when grilling steak, as it ensures even cooking, stops the meat from sticking to the grill, and helps create a well-seared crust. The ideal temperature for grilling beef falls between 450 and 550 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the cooking surface is sufficiently hot, Chef Nickenford Joseph recommends flipping the steak every 30 seconds to ensure that both sides of the meat are seared evenly. He also warns against cutting into the steak while it's on the grill to check for doneness. "This causes it to lose its juices, making it dry," he says.

While grill marks on a steak don't necessarily indicate its quality, the classic crosshatch can be a visual sign of a well-grilled steak. It signifies that the beef has undergone the Maillard reaction, which is responsible for creating a flavorful, caramelized crust that enhances both the texture and taste of the final dish. Achieving these grill marks requires both an ultra-hot grill and the right cooking technique. Chef Dennis Turcinovic understands this, noting, "When [the steak] hits the grill, I focus on achieving those perfect grill marks by searing it at one angle, then rotating it to create a crosshatch pattern. Once that's done on one side, I repeat the process on the other."

Every home cook has their own method of checking the doneness of steak. Aside from cutting into it while it grills — which we don't recommend — the next most popular method might be the "finger test." According to this technique, a rare steak should feel as soft as the flesh of the palm, while a well-done cut is firm and should feel a little like pressing your pinky and thumb together.

While the "finger test" has its proponents, professionals agree that it's not the ideal way of guaranteeing a perfectly done steak, particularly for novices. Instead, most chefs recommend using a meat thermometer to remove any guesswork from grilling steak. One such chef is Ashley Lonsdale. In fact, Chef Lonsdale likes to combine the accuracy of a meat thermometer with the touch method of testing steak.

"There is nothing more disappointing than overcooking a steak. It's an investment to begin with, so use a thermometer to ensure you are cooking it to your desired temperature. An instant-read thermometer can make life so much easier," Lonsdale says. "When you reach the right temperature, use a clean finger to press into the steak and feel the consistency and springiness, which indicates how much the steak has contracted to reach that temperature. The more firm it feels, the more well done."

Even among chefs, there is little agreement about how often we should be flipping steak on the grill. It seems that everybody has their own opinion on the matter. According to the traditional method, a steak should only be turned once so that the meat can develop a golden-brown crust. However, more recent methods challenge this idea, stating that turning the steak more frequently during grilling yields better and more uniform results in less time. To cut a long story short, provided that your steak is at least an inch thick, has been dried, and is cooked on high heat, frequent flipping shouldn't be an issue.

Chef Nickenford Joseph is a fan of turning steak during grilling. However, he doesn't recommend sticking to any strict flipping timeframes. "Ideally, flipping the steak every 30 seconds to a minute helps ensure both sides are evenly seared," he says. On the other end of the spectrum, Chef David Rose says that the trick to grilling heftier steaks like porterhouse or T-bone lies in not flipping them too frequently. "Keep the grill lid closed and allow 60 percent of the cooking time on the first side before flipping the steak. This will help you reach the desired doneness of your steak and get a nice char," he advises.

While it may seem convenient to prepare your entire dinner in one batch, cramming too many foods on the grill can backfire. To begin with, beef, chicken, and veggies cook at different rates, which means that unless you keep a close eye on the grill, some items may end up overdone or underdone.

Even if you are only preparing steak, grilling too many cuts of beef at once can lead to a subpar meal. Chef Nickenford Joseph says that proper spacing on the grill is the key to the perfect sear. "If too many steaks are on [the grill] at once, the grill temperature drops dramatically, preventing proper searing and leading to uneven cooking. Some steaks might end up overcooked while others don't develop the right crust," he emphasizes. At a lower grill temperature, moisture from the meat won't evaporate as rapidly, resulting in soggy steaks instead of a caramelized crust. Lastly, some chefs recommend leaving 30 percent of the grill clear to allow space in case there are flare-ups and you need to reposition food.

While it may be tempting to dig into your steak immediately after grilling, when it comes to maximizing flavor, a little patience can go a long way. For starters, when grilling meat, it's important to take into account carryover cooking time. Even when you take the meat off the heat source, it's going to continue cooking for a short period of time. This is why it's important to remove steak from the grill just before it reaches your preferred level of doneness.

Dennis Turcinovic from the Delmonico's Hospitality Group is meticulous about taking steaks off the grill early and letting the carryover heat bring them to the ideal level of doneness. "If I'm aiming for a medium steak, I'll actually cook it just slightly above medium-rare before resting it," he says. While this isn't a practice followed by all chefs, Turcinovic returns his steaks to the grill for a quick reheat just before serving. "[This is when] the magic happens. That final step is where you achieve the perfect temperature and enhance both texture and flavor," he notes.

Carryover cooking time isn't the only reason you should let your meat rest after cooking; this resting time can also affect the final flavor and juiciness of the steak. Letting the meat sit at room temperature right after cooking gives it time to reabsorb the juices that have been pushed towards its surface during the grilling process. On the other hand, cutting into the steak too early releases these juices onto the plate or cutting board, leaving the meat less tender and flavorful. While resting time isn't an exact science, Dennis Turcinovic recommends letting the steak sit for around 10 minutes prior to serving.

Once the beef has had time to settle, it's time to slice it. While this may come as a surprise, slicing steak incorrectly can mean the difference between a tender bite and a relatively tough cut of beef. Slicing with the grain — or the muscle fibers that run in strands through the beef — makes the steak more difficult to chew. This is why you should always slice steak against the grain to shorten the fibers and create a softer bite.