Cooking the Perfect Steak

Summer is synonymous with barbecue and there’s nothing that celebrates the season quite like a great steak. Head to the butcher’s counter and get that beautiful cut of meat ready for the grill. And what about those persistent myths about cooking steak that just don’t want to go away? Here are some basic cooking principles to ensure that your meat is cooked just right.

1. Preheat the Grill to Maximum

It’s essential for the fire to be very hot before you start cooking, whether you’re using charcoal, briquettes or gas. The temperature on a gas grill should reach 600°F (300°C). If the grill is not equipped with a thermometer, put your hand about 3 in (7.5 cm) above the cooking surface: you shouldn’t be able to keep it there for more than 2 to 3 seconds.

Ideally, prepare two cooking zones: one very hot (for direct cooking) and the other with low intensity. The low intensity zone will be used to finish cooking very thick steaks or to serve as a refuge in case the flames get too intense.

2. Clean the Grill Thoroughly

Steaks will have a tendency to stick to a dirty grill, as well as take on a burnt taste. Using a brush, clean the grill, ideally twice: just before turning the heat on and again after preheating. Oil the grill with a paper towel soaked in oil just before putting the steaks on the surface. Or, if you prefer, you can oil the steaks themselves.

3. Turn the Steak Often, or Not?

Another myth debunked! Popular belief tells us that meat should be turned only once. However, tests have shown that turning the meat as often as every 30 seconds results in much more even cooking. It’s logical: coals or burners emit radiant heat, which heats up the surface of the meat quickly but doesn’t reach deeper.

The only catch? The meat won’t have those perfect diamond grill marks, but it’ll still have a gorgeous brown crust! Learn more about it in our article “Two Cooking Techniques for Steak, One Flawless Result”

4. Check for Doneness

Tables of cooking times are only guidelines. The power of your grill, thickness of your steaks and their temperature are all factors that will influence the necessary cooking time. To check for doneness, a thermometer is the best method. Ideally, use an instant-read thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part, horizontally. Don’t forget that the temperature will go up by 2°C to 3°C while the steak rests.

Otherwise, touch is also a good method: As meat firms up as it cooks, you can judge the doneness by pressing its surface with the back of your tongs. The firmer it is, the more done it is. Doneness may also be checked by cutting your steak in the middle with the point of a knife. This technique is useful to judge the doneness of thinner steaks, which are harder to check with a thermometer or through touch.

5. Let the Meat Rest

Five to 10 minutes of resting time is essential after cooking. This short pause off the flame allows the meat juices to be reabsorbed by the drier areas, reinvigorate the muscle fibres and thicken. Result? You’ll find a lot less of these juices running at the bottom of your plate when you cut into your steak.

The resting period will also allow the heat at the surface of the meat to be redirected to the centre and complete the cooking process. The temperature in the middle of a 1-in (2.5 cm) steak will go up by 1°C to 3°C, and even more for thicker steaks.

Let the steak rest, ideally on a rack (above a plate or cutting board), loosely covered with aluminum foil. The rack and the opening around the foil will allow steam to escape and prevent the surface of the meat from getting soggy.

You love sauce with your steak? Then these recipes will perfectly complement your perfectly grilled steaks: