How to Sear Steaks on the Grill
Place your steaks on a countertop or on a cool stovetop to allow them to come to room temperature., Coat both sides of the steak with with a liberal amount of salt and pepper., Know that the type of grill you have will slightly change the flavor of...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Place your steaks on a countertop or on a cool stovetop to allow them to come to room temperature.
Keep them covered or inside their packaging until you are ready to cook them.
When the steak is at room temperature, it can quickly get to high-heat on the grill.
Leave it cold and the centers will take too long to cook. -
Step 2: Coat both sides of the steak with with a liberal amount of salt and pepper.
This will help you to create a crisper crust on the outside of your steak.
Think of the salt as a light snow on a dark road
-- you can still see the steak, but there is a light dusting on the entire piece of meat.
Use the biggest grains of salt you can, such as course or kosher salt.
Bigger grains dissolve slower, leading to a better crust on your steak., Depending on your grill, you can get very different flavors from your steak:
Propane (Sear Burner):
Gas grills don't give much flavor to the meat, but they are easy to adjust and toy with to get the perfect heat.
They also get hot much, much faster than other grills.
Charcoal:
The classic choice, charcoal briquettes light up and get hot faster than woodchips.
They give the classic rich, smoky flavor to the steaks.
Wood-fire:
Hickory or oak chips often give the best flavor to the meat.
The trade-off? They are harder to light and keep ablaze.
You can also use a mixture of charcoal and wood instead of just wood-chips. -
Step 3: Know that the type of grill you have will slightly change the flavor of your steaks.
Detailed Guide
Keep them covered or inside their packaging until you are ready to cook them.
When the steak is at room temperature, it can quickly get to high-heat on the grill.
Leave it cold and the centers will take too long to cook.
This will help you to create a crisper crust on the outside of your steak.
Think of the salt as a light snow on a dark road
-- you can still see the steak, but there is a light dusting on the entire piece of meat.
Use the biggest grains of salt you can, such as course or kosher salt.
Bigger grains dissolve slower, leading to a better crust on your steak., Depending on your grill, you can get very different flavors from your steak:
Propane (Sear Burner):
Gas grills don't give much flavor to the meat, but they are easy to adjust and toy with to get the perfect heat.
They also get hot much, much faster than other grills.
Charcoal:
The classic choice, charcoal briquettes light up and get hot faster than woodchips.
They give the classic rich, smoky flavor to the steaks.
Wood-fire:
Hickory or oak chips often give the best flavor to the meat.
The trade-off? They are harder to light and keep ablaze.
You can also use a mixture of charcoal and wood instead of just wood-chips.
About the Author
Natalie Mendoza
Enthusiastic about teaching home improvement techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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