Allen Brother's Grilling Guide - How Long to Grill a Steak (2024)

FAQs

Allen Brother's Grilling Guide - How Long to Grill a Steak? ›

For a rare steak (120°F to 130°F): 8 minutes on the grill, flipping halfway. For a medium-rare steak (130°F to 135°F): 9 to 10 minutes on the grill, flipping halfway. For a medium steak (135°F to 140°F): 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway. For a medium-well steak (140°F to 150°F): 11 to 12, flipping halfway.

For a rare steak (120°F to 130°F): 8 minutes on the grill, flipping halfway. For a medium-rare steak (130°F to 135°F): 9 to 10 minutes on the grill, flipping halfway. For a medium steak (135°F to 140°F): 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway. For a medium-well steak (140°F to 150°F): 11 to 12, flipping halfway.

A little something extra to up your game, is using a classic, flavorful steak marinade. This Easy Steak Marinade happens to be one of our favorites! For a 1 inch steak you will be grilling it approximately 3-4 minutes per side over direct, high heat - or until it reaches your desired internal temperate.

Remember that! I brought the steaks out and laid them on the grill over high heat. When cooking steaks on the grill I follow the Rule of 3's: 3 minutes each side over high heat then 3 minutes each side over indirect heat. For a 1" steak this results in a perfectly medium rare temperature.

Heat a grill to high heat, between 400-450 degrees Fahrenheit. For a perfect medium rare steak, grill a 1 inch thick steak for 4-5 minutes per side. For a steak that is 1 1/2 inches thick, add 1-2 minutes to the cooking time per side. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak.

Sear the steaks.

Place the steaks directly over the hottest area of the grill. If your grill has a hot spot (where everything seems to burn) that's where you should sear them. Place them on the grill for at least 3 minutes before flipping. Sear for another 3 minutes.

In general, we grill steaks over direct medium-high to high heat. A 1 1/2-inch steak will likely take 4 to 5 minutes on one side and then another 3 to 5 minutes once flipped (or longer for medium-well to well-done). We highly recommend using an internal thermometer to determine doneness (see below).

For thicker cuts, you want to close the lid to keep the temperature high and even. Large steaks, chicken, and roasts have much more depth for the heat to penetrate, and closing the lid will give the heat time to sink in and cook the meat through in much the same way an oven does.

Do you grill a steak on high or low? ›

Steaks should always be cooked on high temperatures to sear the outside and trap the juices and flavor inside. Steaks should almost always be cooked on a grill or in a pan on high heat: all cooking guidelines below are for one-inch thick steaks. Rest your steak for five minutes under aluminum foil before eating.

Before it hits the Grill

Lightly oil the steak on both sides to prevent it from sticking to the grill. It's best to add oil directly to the steak and not to the grill as oil will burn quickly on the grill causing excess smoke and flare-ups.

For best results, mix direct and indirect heat!

Before starting your cook, use a charcoal chimney to heat up your charcoal, then pour the charcoal into one side of your grill. This way, one side of your grill offers direct heat, whereas the other side will provide indirect heat.

But grilling a perfect steak isn't about high heat alone. After searing, you'll need to move the steak to a lower heat area of your grill to finish cooking. This method prevents the steak from burning on the outside before it's cooked to medium rare or medium well on the inside.

Preheat one side of the grill to about 250 degrees F (121 degrees C). Season steak generously with sea salt and black pepper on both sides. Place steak on the cool side of the preheated grill. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads about 100 degrees F (37 degrees C), 25 to 30 minutes.

A useful guideline for resting a steak is to let it rest for approximately as long as you cooked it. Another guideline is to let it rest for 5 minutes for every inch of thickness. (The perfect steak is 1 1/2 inches thick.) Some cooks talk about resting meats 10 minutes for each pound of meat.

The best grill temperature to grill a steak is high heat (450-550 degrees F.).