How hot do you grill your steaks?

T

TheFied

2,500+ Posts
I grill my burgers and fajitas with charcoal and some mesquite using the 3 second rule -> holding my hand above the grill, 3 seconds is the magic number before I have to yank my hand away. Not shorter, not longer.

I don't normally grill steaks but I was looking to do a ribeye or t-bone this weekend. I prefer mine medium rare.

So.... how hot should I grill my steak? 3 second rule or is that too hot or not too hot? What temp is the equivalent of 3 seconds? How long if I do that should I do each side? I will flip just once.........

Thanks!
 
You want to grill steak at a pretty high temp -- 500 degrees or so -- to get a good sear. Anywhere from four to six minutes per side (depending on thickness) will get you to medium rare (internal temp of 145 degrees). I guess the question is what temp are you getting to for your 3-second test ...
 
I do mine over lump charcoal at ~ 550 degrees. 2 min on one side, 2 min on the other, flip one more time and snuff the fire out... ~3 min later I take them off heat and let them cool/self-cook for ~ 5 min. Comes out medium - medium rare.
 
TheU, are you saying the 3 second rule is 600F? Or you are saying you grill your steaks at 600F? Thanks!
 
Do you guys leave your grill open (ie, not close it) when grilling steaks and burgers? I generally do. I have heard that the fumes can impact the flavor of the food and when grilling that fire is hotter than say smoking when you lose a lot more heat every time you open it up.
 
crank it up and leave it open. the 3 second rule is good, maybe even hotter would be okay.

the time will depend on thickness and if bone or not.
 
Sorry, TheField 600 degrees is what I cook mine on. My suggestion if you use charcoal is to get an oven thermometer and attach inside your grill some how. They have them at HEB for sure and they shouldn't be more than $10. This way you can have an accurate measure of the temp. I have a gas grill with a built in thermometer. You can also use a meat thermometer to help determine if your steaks are the proper doneness for your tastes. These two items aren't expensive, but do a world of good when cooking.
 
I use a Weber gas grill, and have always kept it closed. Tonight we grilled some hamburgers, and I pre-heated the grill to ~ 575 F but left it open while the 'burgers cooked. It took longer -- about 17 minutes total, but they were fantastic. I don't know if the lower average temperature made a difference or if I just got lucky.
 
La Sur La Table makes some good thermometers. I got a multi-mount oven thermometer this Christmas but I can't find it on their site now. But get you something like this...

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The hotter the better. Time will depend on how thick your steak is. Without knowing your grill there is no definitive answer to your question. As posted a meat thermometer is your friend.
 
I have a meat thermometer but don't really want to poke the steak before I cut it on my plate. :)

Internal temp of med. rare is 140-145?
 
My propane grill's IR burner can get to 800 degrees Fahrenheit if I turn on all of the burners full blast for 10 - 15 minutes with the lid down. I sear the steak for 60 - 75 seconds each side that way, and then turn the burners down and finish with indirect heat of around 350 degrees.
 
I'm not too far off from the last poster. I get the grill in the 800-900 range, cook each side for 90 seconds, and then shut down the air flow (this knocks the temp down to 350-45 or so) and cook for 3-5 more minutes depending on how well you want it done and thickness of steak. If it's a huge 2 1/2 - 3"" steak, I'll pull it off after the sear, let it rest 10 or so minutes and then put it back on at the 350-450 range.
 
Fied,

you want to pull the steaks off when they hit about 135 or just a tad higher, to let it rest up to temp.

i pull my pork loin at 135, and it gets close to medium when resting.
 
I think that is a subjective question. Grills are different, some people can take more heat/pain than others.

In any case if you can't get your grill over 500 degrees you might as just cook them in the broiler. Steaks are without a doubt one of the easiest things to cook. There are tons of ways to do it but they all have one common element. Heat and lots of it. If your steaks disintegrate when they hit the grill back it down a notch.
 
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