Grilling 101: How Do I Get Those Awesome Grill Marks On My Steak

Here we are on May 1, you know what that means don't you? Right you are Capt. Obvious, Grilling Season is upon us. If you love to cook outdoors like I do, grilling season never ends. But, to the casual backyard cook May starts it all off, especially if you live in the upper Midwest like I do. 
One of the many questions that I have been asked is how do you get those awesome grill marks on your steak? Let's go through the process, It's so easy anyone can do it.

As a backyard cook you know that perfect grill marks are like a badge of honor. Kind of like home run, a touchdown or a goal. You get that euphoric feeling in the pit of your stomach, you stand tall, your shoulders are back and your chest automatically puffs up...Stop looking at those marks we are not finished cooking yet. Here are the easy steps that you need to follow to make the perfect marks every time! 

1. Get your grill HOT: make sure you preheat your grill for at least 15 minutes on high with the cover on before even thinking about cooking. Grill grates that are not hot will not sear the meat.

2. Get your steak to room temp. Make sure you take your steak out of the fridge and get it to room temp. before cooking.

3. Oil your meat: There are 2 different thoughts on this. Some say oil the grates.That is a whole other thing that we can get into at another time. I prefer to oil the meat itself with a bit of olive oil. 

4. Start the cooking process: Place your steak on the hot grate and let them cook til the meat tells you it's ready. Phil, what the hell are you taking about? Well grasshopper I will tell you. Food will release from the grill naturally. Meats release collagen, fruits and veggies juices, and, once those sear marks have done their job and sealed in the juices, your food will be ready for a quarter turn to get the hash marks perfect. After the quarter turn keep on the grill for about 2 minutes then flip.

5. Finish Up with style: After you have flipped the steak use the center as an axis point if you will to keep those grill marks lined up. Remember, your steak is almost done, so you don't have to keep it on as long as you did the first side. After about 2 minutes your steak should be a perfect rare.

6. Rest before cutting: It is crucial to rest the meat for about 5 minutes (for the perfect medium rare) to insure that you don't lose those juices. This is when I add a bit of garlic infused butter on top of the steak (remember the steak will continue to cook). Viola the perfect steak.