Tips on How to Cook Steak on a Gas Grill

Tips on How to Cook Steak on a Gas Grill
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Prepare the Steak

Grilling is a healthy way to cook steak, as the grates allow the excess fat to drain off and away from the steak. Ways to extend the health benefits of beef include:

  • Limit the serving size to three to four ounces.
  • Make a salad by adding vegetables, low-fat cheese, nuts pieces of fruit, lettuce and leafy greens, together with healthy oils such as olive oil or canola oil. Slice the steak into thin pieces, cutting against the grain, and place the steak atop the salad. The fresh vegetables add volume, and the oil adds healthy fats to the salad.
  • Use low-fat meats such as bison or game meat, or grass fed beef

Some of the best cuts of steak for grilling include Porterhouse, T-bone, rib-eye, rib steaks, New York strip and tenderloin. These types of steaks have a higher fat content than other cuts that lend flavor and keep them from getting too tough or dry during the cooking process.

Once the steak is ready for the grill, lightly oil the steak or add a little salt or pepper for seasoning. The truly health conscious can substitute sesame for salt. Sesame tastes similar to salt and brings out the flavor of food just as salt does, and is dense in vital nutrients such as zinc, iron, copper, and magnesium.Marinating steaks helps to tenderize them and lend flavor, especially if the marinade contains oil and acidic ingredients, like vinegar or citrus.

Some cuts of steak are ringed by fat. Since fat shrinks during the cooking process, the meat can curl when grilled. A good way to prevent this and keep the meat flat when on the grill is to slice a line into the fat every inch or so.

If using frozen steaks, brings to room temperature before placing on the grill.

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Prepare the Grill

The first steps on how to cook a steak on a gas grill is by preparing the grill.

  1. Pre-heat the grill at the maximum temperature to ensure that the meat cooks properly.Keep the grill cover closed during this process.
  2. Oili the grill bars lightly by rubbing on extra pieces of fat from trimming the steaks, or use a cloth soaked in olive, vegetable or canola oil.
  3. The biggest challenge in cooking in a gas grill is setting the correct temperature. Most steaks do well with a setting of medium-high to high, but this can vary with different grills.

The Grilling Process

Cooking a steak on a gas grill is easy and straightforward.

  1. Lay the steak on the hottest part of the grill, but not above any metal shields in the grill. The melting fat drips down, and contact with metal can cause flare ups.
  2. Sear the meat over direct heat, finishing the thicker cuts over indirect heat. The time will vary depending on the thickness of the steak and desired degree of doneness. For a steak that is one-inch thick, place the steak on the grill and let it cook on one side for 4 to 6 minutes. Turn and cook an additional 4 to 6 minutes. Do not flip the steaks more than is necessary.
  3. Test the temperature of the steak using a meat thermometer. Rare steaks are done at 135 to 140 degrees F, 160 degrees F for medium and 170 degrees F for well-done. If necessary, flip the steak one more time and cook an additional few minutes or until it reaches the desired degree of doneness.
  4. As the steaks will continue to cook when they come off of the grill, remove the steaks when they reach 5 degrees less than desired, or 130 to 135 degrees F for rare. Let the steak sit for at least five to ten minutes at room temperature before serving to allow the juices to circulate back into the steak.

The optimal cooking time varies. A rare steak of 1” thick usually takes 8 to 10 minutes, a medium-done steak of one-inch usually takes 12 to 14 minutes, and a well-done 1-inch steak usually takes 16 to 20 minutes. Add or subtract 2 to 4 minutes for every addition or lesser 1/2-inch thickness respectively.

Important considerations when the steak remains on the grill include:

  • Keep the grill’s lid closed, except when turning the meat.
  • Watching out for flare-ups from marinades and steak fat. Flare-ups occur when the melting fat or marinade touches the metal base, and can burn the steak.When a flare-up occurs, move the steak to the side of the grill until the flames die down.
  • Refraining from piercing the steak with a fork to check the doneness. Piercing allows the juices to escape and leaves a dry piece of meat.

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