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Cooking Steak on the Grill

If you want to be a grill master when cooking your ideal steak, you’ve come to the right place. We will show you how to grill an excellent steak using a gas or charcoal grill. We will guide you in making an unsurpassed delicious steak, no matter which cut is your favorite! For those wanting to cook their steak encapsulating all its wonderful flavors, there are two primary ways of grilling: using a charcoal grill or a gas grill.

Different cuts of steak require various cooking times and temperatures because each has its unique density and thickness. Follow the step-by-step instructions below to cook the perfect steak on the grill!

If you know what specific cut of steak you are cooking, visit our How to Cook Steaks page and select the cut of steak for more specific instructions!


Thaw steaks.
1

Be sure your steak is completely thawed

We recommend thawing in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Once thawed, remove your steak from the refrigerator approximately 30–40 minutes before cooking to allow the steak to come to room temperature.
Preheat grill.
2

Preheat your charcoal grill on high

Season steak.
3

Season your steak as desired

We recommend Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning
Sear steaks on charcoal grill.
4

Place steaks over the hottest part of the grill

Sear both sides of the steak for 1–2 minutes. Then move to medium, ash-covered coals and continue to grill for the times listed in the Cooking Times Chart below. Turn about 1 minute before the halfway point.
Remove steaks from grill.
5

Remove steaks from the grill

Remove your steaks from the grill when they are 5°F below the desired internal doneness temperature based on your desired degree of doneness.
Resting steaks.
6

Rest & Serve

Rest your steaks for 5–10 minutes before serving, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise about 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking"). The final temperature should match the temperature of your desired level of doneness, as listed in the Measuring Doneness Chart below.

Resting steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.

Thawed steaks.
1

Be sure your steak is completely thawed

We recommend thawing in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Once thawed, remove your steak from the refrigerator approximately 30–40 minutes before cooking to allow the steak to come to room temperature.
Preheat gas grill
2

Preheat your gas grill on high

Seasoned steak
3

Season your steak as desired

We recommend Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning.
Sear steaks on gas grill.
4

Place steaks over the hottest part of the grill

Sear both sides of the steak for 1–2 minutes. Then reduce to medium heat and continue to grill for the times listed in the Cooking Times Chart below. Turn about 1 minute before the halfway point.
Remove steaks from grill
5

Remove steaks from the grill

Remove your steaks from the grill when they are 5°F below the desired internal doneness temperature based on your desired degree of doneness.
Resting steaks.
6

Rest for 5–10 minutes before serving

Rest your steaks for 5–10 minutes before serving, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise for as much as 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking"). The final temperature should match the temperature of your desired level of doneness, as listed in the Measuring Doneness Chart below.

Resting steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.



Steak Cooking Times on the Grill

For steak cooking times on the grill, the chart below is based on the thickness of the steak and your desired doneness. Select your favorite level of steak doneness from rare, medium-rare, medium, or medium-well, and follow the recommended steak cooking times for the best results. We recommend using a meat thermometer and the Measuring Doneness Chart below for perfect steak doneness. Additionally, you can find cut specific steak cooking recommendations for each cut on our How To Cook Steaks page.

 

Grill
Charcoal
Gas
Rare
1-inch
5–10 mins
5–10 mins
1½ inches
7–13 mins
7–13 mins
Medium-Rare
1-inch
7–12 mins
7–12 mins
1½ inches
9–15 mins
9–15 mins
Medium
1-inch
8–13 mins
8–13 mins
1½ inches
10–16 mins
10–16 mins
Medium-Well
1-inch
10–15 mins
10–15 mins
1½ inches
12–18 mins
12–18 mins

How to Cook Steaks by Cut




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