Fire Up the Grill! These top steak cuts are calling your name. We have rounded up some of the Best Steak to Grill all year long. From affordable to luxury, this guide will inspire you to head out to your local butcher and get grilling.
Whether you have a gas grill or you are a live fire expert using charcoal, there are so many beef steaks to choose from when it comes to firing up the grill. Not all steaks are created equally in terms of flavor and price. The best steak to grill always comes down to how much your budget is and how much time you have to cook it.
And read on for some of the best tools and tips for cooking the perfect steak.
Grilling Technique – Two Zone Grilling
If you are looking to master the best steak to grill you need to consider the following options for grilling.
You can opt for direct grilling which is all the same heat source under the meat. We typically use this method for seafood recipes because you can’t control how much heat the steak gets.
Or use our most popular method, two-zone grilling. This method leaves one side of your grill as the heat source and the other as a cool zone to control cooking. Have a flare up? Move the steak to the indirect side until it subsides. Like the crust on your steak? then finish it on the indirect side so it doesn’t burn.
90% of the time we opt for two-zone grilling so we can control the direct heat and sear for steaks.
For some of the best flavor consider reverse searing your meat. Start by smoking it at a low heat and then when it is close to your desired internal temperature you finish over a high heat source.
Chef Tip
To evenly cook both sides of a steak perfectly be sure to flip your steaks often. This minimizes flare ups and allows both sides of the steak to cook evenly with that perfect pink middle.
Carry Over Cooking: Don’t Overcook Your Steak
Be sure you are using your digital meat thermometer to determine your perfect steak temperature. You also need to account for carry over cooking. This is the process where the steak continues to cook up to 5 or 6 degrees Fahrenheit while it is resting off the heat source.
Steaks On A Budget
These steaks are on the more affordable side of beef steaks. But they don’t lack in flavor.
Grilled Sirloin Steak Recipe with Herb Compound Butter
A foolproof way to achieve perfectly grilled sirloin steaks every time using a two-zone grilling method and simple seasoning.
Grilled Flank Steak with Red Wine Marinade
Recipe for Grilled Flank Steak with a Red Wine Marinade. This is a tender, lean, and delicious cut of steak that is perfect for a marinade. Grill over direct heat for the perfect grilled steak.
Grilled Steak Bites Recipe with Red Wine Pan Sauce
Savory seasoned sirloin bites grilled in a cast iron pan and then finished with a quick red wine pan sauce.
Grilled Flank Steak Salad Recipe with Chimichurri
Grilled Flank Steak marinated in a savory soy and rosemary mix. Perfect for a hearty salad topped with a decadent chimichurri sauce.
Flavor First – The Classics
The saying fat is flavor has some truth to it. Many of the following grilled steak recipes have great marbling which adds more flavor to the steaks as they cook.
Cowboy Ribeye Steak Recipe
This recipe for Cowboy Steaks with a Coffee Ancho Chili Dry Rub will wow your guests! Using the reverse sear method for the perfect thick cut ribeye steaks!
Grilled NY Strip Steak Recipe
Grilled New York Strip Steak marinated in a rich coffee and wine base, seasoned with a coffee rub, then grilled.
Reverse Sear Ribeye Steak
The reverse sear is an incredible way to cook a steak. For this we are explaining the smoked reverse sear, by slow smoking a ribeye steak, then finishing it on a hot grill for char and flavor.
Easy Grilled T-Bone Steak Recipe
A simple way to cook a T-Bone or Porterhouse steak on the grill using two-zone grilling. Let rest for a perfectly cook steak.
Reverse Seared Porterhouse Steak Recipe
The most flavorful way to cook Porterhouse steak is to slowly smoke it and then finish it over a high heat. This reverse sear method makes for the best tasting steaks.
Quick and Easy
Sometimes you want to get the steaks on the grill and done. If that’s the case consider the following. The thinner the steaks, the faster they tend to grill.
How To Gril Thin Steaks In Less Than 10 Minutes
Learn How To Grill Thin Steaks in just a few using our preferred method. This tutorial walks you through how to grill thin steaks perfectly every time to your favorite steak temperature.
Grilled Skirt Steak Recipe with Red Wine Marinade
Grilled Skirt Steak is a delicious cut of beef that cooks up quickly and marinates perfectly in a savory wine sauce. It is great for weeknight meals, or your next Taco Night.
Grilled Hanger Steak with Red Wine Reduction Sauce
How to grill a hanger steak and finish it with a decadent red wine reduction sauce. Hanger steaks are affordable alternative to more expensive cuts of meat, but are full of incredible flavor.
Grilled Bavette Steak with Whiskey Peppercorn Sauce
Splurge Worthy Steaks
If it’s a special occasion and you want to go big with the budget consider the following grilled steak ideas.
Grilled Filet Mignon Recipe with Blue Cheese and Bacon
Grilled Filet Mignon topped with blue cheese crumbles, caramelized onions, and bacon topped with a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar.
Grilled Filet Mignon with Mushroom Brown Butter Sauce Recipe
Filet Mignon with Mushroom Brown Butter Sauce is a fantastic steak recipe for a special occasion or holiday meal. Filet Mignon is incredibly tender with a buttery flavor and topped with a decadent brown butter mushroom sauce, your mouth will water for days.
Perfect Grilled Tomahawk Steak Recipe
A grilled tomahawk steak cooked using the two-zone method of grilling. A perfectly grilled steak that is tender and full of rich flavor.
Grilled Surf and Turf Recipe
Grilled Filet Mignon and Grilled Lobster Tails for the perfect special occasion surf and turf finished with an herb compound butter.
Beyond The Basics
You may hear the term butcher cuts which are lesser known steaks or steak cuts that were historically reserved for the butchers. Today – there is more popularity and demand for these.
Grilled Flat Iron Steak Recipe
Grilled Flat Iron Steak recipe with a salt, pepper, and garlic beef rub. Tender and packed with flavor.
Grilled Bavette Steak with Whiskey Peppercorn Sauce
Grilled Picanha Steaks with Mushroom Cream Sauce
Grilled Picanha steaks (also known as Coulotte or Sirloin Cap) topped with a mushroom cream sauce.
Beef Marinade with Grilled Bavette Steak
This beef marinade is packed with flavor starting with good beer, Worcestershire, and then herbs and garlic. Great for thinner beef steaks like bavette, flank, or hanger.
Grilled Picanha Steak with Chimichurri Recipe
Brazilian influenced grilled picanha steak skewers served with chimichurri. Grilled hot and fast and finished over indirect heat for the perfect bite.
Before you grab any of these steak cuts be sure you have the right tools to grill the perfect steak.
- A good set of long tongs to be able to move the steak around the fire
- A good instant read meat thermometer. We use the Thermoworks Thermapen One.
For fuel we prefer lump charcoal over briquettes for the added flavor. But you can still achieve grilled steak perfection with briquettes, gas, or even some pellet grill models. Our favorite two brands are Jealous Devil and Fogo.
Grilled Steak Seasoning + Finishing Ideas
You can customize your flavor profiles with seasonings, marinades, and finishing sauces. It’s easy to mix and match based on the flavors you like.
Seasonings
For grilles steaks we recommend a rub that does not have sugar.
- SPG – An easy beef rub that is equal parts kosher salt, coarse black pepper, and granulated garlic (versus garlic powder).
- Beef Seasoning – This combination of herbal seasonings and salt create a nice harmony when grilling steak.
- Steak Seasoning – This savory dry rub uses unique ingredients like anchovy powder to really make the flavor shine.
Finishing Sauces and Butters
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Fire + Wine Cookbook
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About Vindulge
Mary (a certified sommelier and recipe developer) and Sean (backyard pitmaster) are co-authors of the critically acclaimed cookbook, Fire + Wine, and have been creating content for the IACP nominated website Vindulge since 2009. They live in Oregon on a farm just outside Portland.