Steak is one of my favorite things to cook on the grill, and today I’m going to show you how to grill strip steaks. Now a strip steak is known by several different names such as New York strip, Kansas City strip steak, and strip loin. This cut of meat is from the short loin. It is a pretty tender steak, which is why I like it, but it is not as tender as your ribeye steak, or tenderloin.
There is nothing better than a nice juicy grilled steak; it really is a mark of a true grill master. There are a few points to remember when trying to grill the perfect steak. First you have to have a tender cut of beef. Strip steaks are a tender cut, so you are good to go there. Next you want to grill them over high heat to get that nice seared outside. Finally, and this is really important, you must let your steak rest after grilling. This will make the steak much juicier.
Let’s get to grilling the strip steak. First set up your gas or charcoal grill for high heat. We are going to cook them directly over the heat source. Some people like to bring their steaks to room temperature before grilling, but you do not have to. Season your strip steaks with whatever seasoning you prefer. For me it is just some kosher salt and cracked black pepper. The strip steaks I use are usually around 8 to 10 ounces.
Oil up your grill grate and place the steaks on the grill. If you like the crosshatch grill marks, place the steak on the grate at a 45 degree angle. Grill for about 4 to 6 minutes, rotating them 90 degrees after about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the steak and grill for another 4 to 6 minutes doing the same thing to get the crosshatch grill marks on the other side.
At this point your steak should be about medium-rare. It should have an internal temperature of 145F. I use a digital instant read thermometer like this one. Adjust your grilling time for your desired doneness. After the steak is done remove them from the grill and let them rest for about 3 minutes before slicing. This is very important if you want a juicy steak.
That is how to grill strip steaks that turn out great looking and great tasting every time. Feel free to use this method of grilling steaks with other steak cuts too. And also, sometimes I add a little smoke to my steaks, so try throwing on some oak or mesquite chips to add a different flavor. If you are cooking with a gas grill you can use that to smoke too, just check out smoking with a gas grill.
image courtesy of WmJR/flickr