The manner in which you prepare your steaks for the grill will make a difference in their quality when they come off the grill. Follow these steps to ensure that you get the most out of your steaks. Great steaks can take some time especially if your steaks are frozen so plan ahead!
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Keep those steaks out of the freezer!: The last thing you want to do after splurging on a couple Filet Mingons is throw them in the freezer. Try to purchase your steaks fresh on the day you intend to grill them. If this is not possible try to keep their stay in the freezer as short as possible. To avoid food born illness it is not recommended to defrost your steaks at room temperature or in warm water. A couple alternatives are refrigerator defrosting and cold water defrosting. Follow the tables below for these methods. If you are not ready to grill when the steaks are defrosted then store in the refrigerator until 30 minutes to an hour before grilling time. Do not use a microwave to defrost premium steaks!
| Refrigerator Defrosting |
| Steak Thickness |
Defrost Time |
| 1/2" Steaks |
4 to 8 Hours |
| 1" Steaks |
8 to 12 Hours |
| 1 1/2" Steaks |
12 to 16 Hours |
| 2" Steaks |
16 to 24 Hours |
| Cold Water Defrosting |
| Steak Thickness |
Defrost Time |
| 1/2" Steaks |
1 to 2 Hours |
| 1" Steaks |
2 to 3 Hours |
| 1 1/2" Steaks |
3 to 4 Hours |
| 2" Steaks |
4 to 5 Hours |
**Submerge in cold water; Change water every 30 minutes**
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Steaks need to be at room temperature when they go on the grill:
Take your steaks out of the refrigerator about an hour before grilling and cover in plastic wrap to ensure they are at room temperature when they go on the grill. If your steaks are thin they may not require as much time but if you are grilliing great steaks they need to be at least an inch thick!
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Preheat the grill:
If you use a gas grill preheat on high for about 20 minutes. Charcoal grills will need to have enough coals to cover an area a few inches larger on all sides than the steaks going on the grill. I would recommend using an electric starter or a chimney starter to light the charcoals. If you use lighter fluid there is a good chance you will taste the lighter fluid on your steak. Once the coals are covered in a gray ash they are ready.
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Apply Rub
Pat steaks dry with a paper towel and coat in olive oil. Let the olive oil drip off to avoid flareups on the grill. In a small bowl combine 1 Tbsp fresh cracked black pepper and 1 Tbsp coarse sea salt or kosher salt per steak. Cover the complete steak in the mixture and rub into the steak.
Click here for my favorite steak rubs.
Click here for my favorite steak marinades.
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