The tastiest and most tender steaks are the premium quality prime cuts, but you won’t see them often at the supermarket. The next best quality grade includes cuts like fillet, ribeye and sirloin steaks. If you have access to a butcher, take advantage of their expertise. The quality range of beef is huge and a butcher will know if your steak is closer to a filet mignon or a chuck. The top of the shop-sold range will give you beef that’s very close to restaurant quality.
Warm it up
Make sure the steak is at indoor room temperature. If you put a cold steak on the grill, the exterior will burn before the interior cooks to the desired temperature. Do not let the steak sit at indoor room temperature for more than an hour before cooking.
Oil the meat, not the barbecue
Oil spray is a barbecuer’s best friend when it comes to cooking steak or any kind of skinless protein. An evenly applied coating of neutral oil such as vegetable or rapeseed on both sides of the steak will ensure the steak doesn’t stick to the grill.
Get it hot
Preheat your grill to high. And then do the hand test. Hold your hand over the grate. You shouldn’t be able to leave it there for more than two seconds. You want to hear that sizzle when the steak hits the grill. That high heat will give your steak a perfect crust.
Know when it’s done
This is the most nerve-wracking aspect of learning to barbecue the perfect steak. Invest in a digital meat thermometer. It will take all the guesswork out of knowing when your steak is done. For rare steak, the internal temperature as measured in the middle of the steak is 50 degrees. For medium rare, it’s 55-60 degrees and well done is 70 degrees.
Let it rest
Never cut into a steak that’s hot off the barbecue. Pull it off the heat, tent it with foil and let it rest for about 8 minutes. While it is resting, the steak’s fibres will relax, the juices will redistribute back to the centre and the temperature will come up. Tip: if your steak is around 4 cm thick, it will continue to rise in temperature even when it’s off the barbecue. A good rule of thumb is to pull it off a couple of degrees before target.
