Grilled Barbecue Steak

Although there are so many BBQ beef recipes, barbecue steak is always a favorite. Grilled steak doesn't require a complicated recipe with a lot of spices or marinade to make it flavorful - a simple preparation is all it needs. Here's how we cook steak on a charcoal grill.

Choosing a Steak for the Grill

The better your cut of steak, the easier it is to prepare. Look for tender steaks such as T-bones, striploin, tenderloin, rib eye, or porterhouse. Top sirloin is good too but it's a bit tougher (although still very tasty).

Ideally, the steak would be well marbled. Marbling is the thin streaks of fat that run throughout the meat that give the meat extra juiciness and flavor. Also look for beef that is well-aged for maximum tenderness.

Preparation

Tender cuts of beef don't need much preparation or marinating. All it needs is salt & pepper. Season the meat just before you're ready to put it on the grill (there's no need to let the salt & pepper "sit" -- this will just make the meat dry out due to the salt).

Grilling

Everyone has their own method for grilling steak, and their preferences for how they like their steaks done. Here is ours: how to grill steak and check for levels of done-ness (starts a few paragraphs down the page). For every extra 1/2" of thickness, add another 2 to 3 minutes to the grill time.

Serving

Once the steak is done, take it off the grill and put it on a cutting board. Cover loosely with a foil "tent" (make sure the foil isn't tight - you don't want the steak to keep cooking). Let it sit for about 10 minutes to let the juices re-distribute throughout the meat. If you like, add a pat of garlic butter to the top of the steak just before serving. Then go ahead and enjoy your barbecue steak!