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How to Grill a Steak (the Simple Way)

You don't need a special technique to grill a great steak — you need high heat, a two-zone fire, and a thermometer. Here's the whole method.

By Stephen V.Last updated How we pick

Quick answer

Salt the steak and let it come toward room temperature. Build a two-zone fire (hot on one side, cooler on the other), sear both sides over the hot zone, then finish over the cooler side until a thermometer reads your target — about 130–135°F for medium-rare. Rest it 5 minutes before cutting. The USDA safe minimum for whole cuts of beef is 145°F.

Grilling a steak intimidates people far more than it should. There is no secret rub and no restaurant trick that matters more than two things: cooking over the right heat, and knowing when to take it off. Get those right and the rest is detail.

What you need

  • A steak at least an inch thick (thin steaks overcook before they sear).
  • Coarse salt, and pepper if you like.
  • An instant-read thermometer — the one tool that turns guesswork into a number.
  • A grill you can set up with a hot side and a cooler side.

The method, step by step

  1. Salt early.Season generously with coarse salt at least 40 minutes ahead if you can, or right before cooking. Let the steak sit out to take the deep chill off — a room-temperature steak cooks more evenly.
  2. Build a two-zone fire. Bank the coals (or leave one burner off) so you have a screaming-hot side for searing and a gentler side to finish. This is the single change that stops a charred-outside, raw-inside steak.
  3. Sear over high heat.Lay the steak over the hot zone and leave it alone for 2–3 minutes a side, until it releases easily and has a deep brown crust.
  4. Finish over the cool side. Move it to the cooler zone and close the lid. Cook until the thermometer hits your target, flipping once or twice.
  5. Rest.Pull it 5°F before your target (it keeps rising off the heat) and rest it 5 minutes so the juices redistribute. Then cut against the grain.

Steak temperatures

Doneness is about internal temperature, not time. Below are common targets. The one line that isn’t a preference is the USDA safe minimum for whole cuts of beef: 145°F, followed by a 3-minute rest. Cooking below that is a personal choice about risk, not a safety recommendation.

DonenessPull at (internal temp)Note
Rare120–125°FBelow the USDA safe minimum
Medium-rare130–135°FMost popular; below safe minimum
Medium135–145°FReaches the safe minimum at the top
Medium-well145–155°FUSDA safe (145°F + 3-min rest)
Well done155°F+Fully firm

Remember the steak keeps cooking after it leaves the grill, so pull it about 5°F below your target. If you take one thing from this guide, let it be that a good instant-read thermometer makes a perfect steak repeatable, and a great one costs about fifteen dollars.

Frequently asked questions

What temperature should I grill a steak to?

For medium-rare, pull the steak at 130 to 135°F; it climbs a few degrees while it rests. The USDA safe minimum for whole cuts of beef is 145°F followed by a 3-minute rest, so anything below that is a personal choice about risk.

How long do you grill a steak?

Roughly 2 to 3 minutes per side to sear, then a few more minutes over lower heat to finish. Time is only a rough guide, though — thickness and grill heat vary, so cook to an internal temperature with a thermometer instead of a clock.

Do you close the grill when cooking steak?

Sear with the lid open over high heat, then close it while the steak finishes over the cooler zone. Closing the lid traps heat and cooks the inside evenly without burning the crust.

Should you let a steak rest after grilling?

Yes. Resting 5 minutes lets the juices redistribute so they stay in the steak instead of running out when you cut it. It also lets carryover heat finish the cooking, which is why you pull it a few degrees early.

Sources

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