You can make a great steak

Tender, Juicy and restaurant-worthy steak - fire up your natural gas grill

The skies are clear and the weather is warming in Georgia. That can only mean one thing: grilling season is here!

Walton Gas has compiled some pro-style tips and techniques to help you grill a tender, juicy restaurant-worthy steak.

For the meat lovers among us, grilling season also signals the renewal of a quest to cook a perfect steak over the grates. Walton Gas has compiled some pro-style tips and techniques to help you grill a tender, juicy restaurant-worthy steak. So, fire up your natural gas grill and let’s get cooking.

For the meat lovers among us, grilling season also signals the renewal of a quest to cook a perfect steak over the grates. Walton Gas has compiled some pro-style tips and techniques to help you grill a tender, juicy restaurant-worthy steak. So, fire up your natural gas grill and let’s get cooking.

Grilling with gas

Using the right cooking techniques is key to preparing the juiciest, most flavorful steak on a gas grill, writes BBQ expert Susie Bulloch in her “Hey Grill, Hey” blog.

One perk of gas grills is how easy it is to control the heat. A simple twist of a knob and you can raise or lower the temperature of your grill within minutes. Bulloch uses this precision heat capability for the two-zone grilling method she favors. This cooking technique first cooks the steak with low, gentle indirect heat before searing over direct heat.

“Two-zone grilling works on a gas grill as long as you have AT LEAST 2 burners,” she emphasizes. “The idea is to have half of the burners turned on to provide hot heat and the other half of the grill generating little to no heat.”

Here’s how Bulloch grills a medium-rare steak:

  1.  Preheat burners on one side of the grill to 300-350 degrees F. Leave the burners turned off on the other side.
  2.  Place the steaks on the side of the grill with the burners off — the indirect heat zone. Close the lid, allowing hot air to circulate around the steaks, much like a convection oven, gently cooking the steak. Grill for 10 minutes, flip the steaks, then grill for another 10 minutes.
  3.  Move the steaks over to the direct heat side of the grill and grill them for a few minutes before turning 45 degrees and searing for another couple of minutes to give the steaks those classic grill marks.
  4.  Cook to temperature and not time. Use an instant-read thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature of the steak as it cooks. For medium rare, the target final temperature is 135 degrees F. Cooking times can vary depending on the thickness of the steaks and the heat of your grill.

Double the delicious

While the name of her “Plays Well With Butter” blog gives it away, cook Jess Larson believes butter is key to elevating a steak’s flavor to restaurant quality.

“Simply seasoned steaks hit next-level deliciousness when basted in herby, garlicky butter…”

“Simply seasoned steaks hit next-level deliciousness when basted in herby, garlicky butter over direct heat,” she writes.

Larson makes her own compound butter to add a burst of savory flavor to steaks. She gently brushes butter on the grilled steak while it’s charring over direct heat. She also likes to brush more butter on the steak as it rests. Some chefs recommend resting the steak on a pat of butter to keep it moist and flavorful.

GoBoldwithButter.com offers directions for making herb-infused compound butter and offers its own take with a recipe for grilling Ribeye Steaks with Cowboy Butter.

Next-level grilling

Here are more pro suggestions for amping up your steak grilling game.

  • Choose marbled meat. Purchase a high-quality grade of beef that has good marbling throughout. That marbled fat means more flavor and a more tender steak.
  • Dry. Before placing meat on the grill, pat dry its surface to remove any moisture. Dry meat forms the best crust.
  • Season simply. Generously season your steak with salt and pepper.
  • Maintain heat. Keep the grill lid closed to maintain heat and cook the steak evenly.
  • Get a good thermometer. Cooking it to the proper temperature is key to grilling a great steak. Use an instant-read thermometer to get a quick digital reading. Use this grilling time chart from the Georgia Beef Board.
  • Let it rest. Remove the steak from the grill and allow it to rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender and flavorful steak.

Steak dinners are a great way to celebrate upcoming occasions like Mother’s Day, graduations and Memorial Day. Put our cooking techniques to work for a dinner that’s sure to impress.