Grilled Ribeye

I can give you a good recipe for a simple spice rub to liven up steaks for the grill.  I wish I could also guarantee you a perfect steak every time.  I have a lot of experience grilling steak, and we’re capable of achieving greatness, with charred outside, silky juicy inside, and even the occasional sexy grill marks.  But every time we throw a steak on the grill it’s a leap of faith, and when it comes out perfectly cooked we feel very grateful and little bit lucky.  (I say “we” because grilling is a partnership here, with John wielding the tongs and me wielding my opinions.) 

Despite all that, there are a few things I’ve learned that I’ll pass along in addition to the spice rub.  This is what I do and what brings me success on our Weber gas grill – YMMV.  And always remember: it’s actually hard to ruin a good steak, so even if it’s not perfect it will still be great.

• Perhaps this goes without saying, but buy a good quality steak from a butcher you trust, and pick a cut with some fat in it.  Ribeye is our cut of choice for grilling.
• Thicker cuts make it easier to get a nice crust on the exterior without overcooking the interior.  Go for at least 1½ inches thick, 2 is better.
• Season the steak with a rub or at the very least kosher salt and black pepper, and do it ahead.  Two hours is minimum, 8 is better, overnight is not a bad idea.
• When it comes time to put the steak on the grill, I oil the steak itself, not the grill. I just find this more efficient because the oil is always right where I want it, on the steak, and not all over the grill where it’s just going to burn away.
• John and I bicker over whether the lid should be up or down.  He claims putting the lid down for part of the cooking time helps to develop a good char.  General wisdom is to leave the lid up when cooking over direct heat, and that’s my preference, but sometimes he sneaks the lid closed when I run inside to get my wine glass, and sometimes he’s right and the steak isn’t overcooked after all.
• Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak, and check before you expect it to be done.  The chef-y technique of poking at the steak with my finger and comparing its give to the firmness of the flesh on my hand is beyond me, and the thermometer never lies.  You need to leave it in for several seconds though to make sure you’re getting an accurate reading, so if you have to move the steak off the grill to a platter while checking the temperature, do it. 
• Take the steak off the grill when it’s 5 to 10 degrees cooler than you want it to be.  I like rare to medium-rare, so I aim for 110 to 115 degrees.  Cover it loosely with foil and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes, during which time the temperature will come up 10 degrees or so.  The rest period is important for letting the juices redistribute inside the steak so they don’t run out when you cut into it.
• I really can’t tell you how long to leave your steaks on the heat – there are so many variables, from the thickness and starting temperature of the meat, to the intensity of the heat from your grill.  We usually get our grill as hot as we can, then give the steaks about 4 minutes per side.  But I start checking the internal temperature after 2 or 3 minutes on the second side, just to keep ahead of things.
• For reference, here’s my personal guide to temperatures and doneness:

And that’s pretty much all I know about steak on the grill.  So, on to the rub.  It’s good and salty (important for enhancing the flavor of beef), and the brown sugar will caramelize nicely on the surface of the meat without actually making it taste sweet.  This is a formula; double or triple it, or more, depending on how many steaks you’re grilling.

Making this ahead, and what to do with leftovers:

• You can make the spice rub weeks ahead, and store it in an airtight container.  If you grill a lot of steaks, make a large quantity to keep on hand.
• Rubbing the mixture on the steaks 2 to 24 hours ahead of time is encouraged.
• Don’t cook the steaks ahead if you want to enjoy them hot and juicy.  But leftover steak is a wonderful thing for sandwiches, slicing onto salads, and many other uses.

To see this recipe featured in a menu, including timing for preparing this and the other dishes, read my post for Saturday Night, September 21, 2019.

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