How Long To cook Steak on a Grill? 

Cooking steak is not as simple as you might think; it involves a lot of preparation and perfect timing. Here we have a guide that you can follow on how long to grill steak to perfect it.

There are many ways to cook your steak, and perhaps the most common is to do it on a cast-iron skillet and then bake it for a few minutes to cook it through its insides.

However, when you use a grill, you will be able to make the cooking process easier. You do not need to switch to another appliance, and you can cook the steak directly over the heat.

 

Grilling steak is simple in a way that you do not need to prepare other appliances. However, there are also some disadvantages to grilling if you do not do it properly and safely.

See, you are either using a cast-iron skillet on the grill or cooking the steaks directly on the grill grates. The disadvantage in that is that the juices from the meat might cause some flare-ups.

 So you need to be careful and adjust the temperature and put some blockers on the firebox to prevent such problems. You can make that by following this simple guide on grilling steaks.

 

How Long To Grill Steak On Each Side?

We will see how long to grill a steak with a relatively thin slice for this first part. For a 2-cm thick steak, you will need to grill it for two to three minutes on each side to go for rare doneness.

 If you want to go for medium doneness, you need to grill the steak for 4 minutes on each side. For a well-done steak, you need to grill it for 5 to 6 minutes on each side with just one flip. 

Turning the steaks is good, but flipping them more than once will affect the steak’s juices. So make sure that you only flip them once during cooking to prevent them from drying.

There are also some tips that you can use to make the steak better, such as always using tongs when handling the steak or when flipping them so you can avoid piercing the outer parts.

If you use any other sharp items, make sure that you do not press too hard. If you do, the steak’s pierced part will allow the juices to come out, which can make it dry when cooked.

 

How Long To Grill Thick Steaks? 

If you want to cook a 1-inch to 2-inch steak, you will have to grill them for a longer period. This is to make sure that the insides are cooked and softened properly.

 For a 1-inch steak, you will need to grill it for 9 to 12 minutes to get to perfect medium-rare doneness. A 1 1/2-inch thick steak takes about 12 to 15 minutes to get to a medium-rare finish.

The secret behind cooking thick steaks on a grill is to cook the other side longer. So right before the halfway mark of the total cooking time, flip the steak over and let it cook by itself.

For a thicker 2-inch thick steak, you will need to cook it for at least 8 minutes on each side to get to medium-rare doneness. The thicker the cut of meat, the trickier it is to manage or cook.

You will need to be more patient and careful when grilling thick steaks. There are also many juices inside the thick steaks, so you need to be able to preserve the juices when cooking.

 

 

One way to do that is to use tongs or any type of tool that will prevent piercing the steaks’ surface. You can also add butter to the mix and melt it over the steaks to add a little juice.

But perhaps the most effective way to keep the juices inside the steaks is to let them rest once cooking. Let the steaks rest for at least 5 minutes after getting grilled.

 This will help circulate the juices inside the meat and help the steaks cook further on. You can either wrap the steaks in aluminum foil or just let them rest on a clean board.

When you decide to cover the steaks with foil, do not fully press the foil onto the meat as it might lock the moisture and not travel throughout the meat. So just loosely cover it with foil.

 

What Temperature Do You Cook Steak On A Gas Grill?

The timing of cooking the steaks on a grill varies according to the temperature you have set on the grill. So you need to make sure that you put the grill at the right temperature.

The first thing you need to do is clean the grill grates by wiping them with paper towels. You can also spray some oil on the paper towel before wiping the grill grates to help in cooking later.

 The thin layer of oil on the grill grates will prevent the steaks from sticking on the grill grates and help put some nice grill marks on the steaks’ surface when they cooked.

Place the grill’s flame guard on to prevent flare-ups that might also cause uneven finishes and burns on the steaks. Set the temperature between 450 and 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

This is the best temperature to grill steaks because it is powerful but as long as you have the flame guard on, the steaks will not burn easily when cooking at this high temperature.

 Also, when you are cooking at this temperature, keep the grill lid closed, this will act as an oven-like environment that will help the steaks cook faster and cook more evenly. 

As you put the steaks on the grill, set the timer to 2 to 3 minutes for thin steaks or adjust the timer according to the steaks’ thickness that you want to cook at the high temperature.

You will also need to set the timer to get to the finish that you want on the meat. So grill the steaks longer if you want a well-done finish or go shorter for medium-rare doneness.

 

How Long To Grill Steak At 350 Degrees Fahrenheit?

 I have tried grilling on both high and low temperatures and I have to say that there are many differences between the two temperatures. Aside from the timing, the finish is different.

When grilling steaks at 400 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, the grill marks on the steaks tend to be deeper and darker. The doneness on the meat is great but it tends to be drier when cooked.

That is why I choose to cook at a low temperature. First and foremost, it is easier to control and you are less likely to mess up the process as you can adjust the temperature easily inside.

At 350 degrees Fahrenheit, you can adjust the timing of the cooking process. You can even make the grilling longer without having to worry about burning the steaks inside the grill.

What I am trying to say is that you have a narrower margin of error when it comes to cooking at high temperatures. You can adjust the grilling time easier when you cook at lower temperatures.

At 350 degrees Fahrenheit, you need to grill the steaks for at least 7 minutes or 10 minutes depending on the steaks’ thickness with the grill lid closed for medium-rare doneness.

Do not forget to always let the steaks rest after grilling them. Serve the steaks with the best side dishes of your choice and enjoy a nice meal filled with protein and delicious meaty flavors.

 

Conclusion

Cooking your steaks on the grill is not that hard, but it can be challenging if you only depend on the timing and color of the steaks’ outside parts.

To make sure that you get to the right doneness that you want, invest in a great meat probe and always use it when you are grilling steaks to make sure you get the right finish.

There are also many tools that you can use to improve your cooking skills. Make sure to remember the details on how long you should grill your steaks to make the perfect one every time!

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