Grilled Beef Steak

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Get your ingredients ready. For grilling, buy a piece no more than about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) thick. At 3/4 to 1 inch (2–2.5 cm) you'll get meat cooked all the way through; over 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) at this heat you'll get a rare steak—your call! The doneness also depends on how hot the fire is.

2. Step 2:

   

   Trim the beef of membranes and fat, carefully cutting away the silverskin—it curls up during cooking and twists the meat with it, and you won't be able to chew through it, so trim it off now. Rub the meat with salt and ground black pepper, since a steak takes no other spices; you can swap the table salt for crushed sea salt, which only improves the flavor.

3. Step 3:

   

   Brush the beef with vegetable oil—it forms a film on the surface so the meat soaks up all the seasoning. Remember to oil the meat after seasoning, not before, or the greasy film will keep the salt and pepper from getting through. Let it sit somewhere warm for 15–20 minutes. Don't leave the meat in the cold, because grilling chilled meat gives you a browned crust and a completely raw steak inside.

4. Step 4:

   

   Heat the grill thoroughly, lay the beef on the grate, and cook for 2 minutes. On an electric grill that's enough to cook both sides at once. On a regular charcoal grill, cook the steak for a minute per side.

5. Step 5:

   

   As soon as even, browned grill marks and a golden crust form on the surface, the steak is done!

6. Step 6:

   

   Take the meat off the grill and let it rest and cool slightly. If you like, you can wrap the cooked meat in foil—but don't put it in the oven!

7. Step 7:

   

   After 3–5 minutes, use a sharp knife to slice the beef steak into pieces about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) thick and arrange them on plates or a platter in a semicircle.

8. Step 8:

   

   Serve the hot steak with sauces, whole-grain mustard, mayonnaise, and fresh vegetables—which, by the way, you can grill too!