A steak is great any way you slice it. But there’s something particularly special about a perfectly seared piece of steak hot off of the griddle. Maybe it’s the charred edges. Or maybe it’s the trapped juices and flavor.
Whatever the case, there’s no denying the merits of a griddle-seared steak. And we’ve got the insights to make sure you griddle a perfect hunk of meat every time. Follow our steps and we are confident you’ll enjoy every bite, tip to tallow.
A Step-by-Step Griddle Guide
Step 1 – Dry Your Steak
This is a first step that many amateur cooks skip. But it’s an important one. Why? Because a wet steak will allow for all of the moisture inside the meat to escape while cooking.
By patting your favorite steak dry with a paper towel, you help create a barrier on the outside of the meat. Once hot, all of those flavorful juices inside will have nowhere to go, thus keeping your steak nice and moist.
Step 2 – Season Your Steak
Once dry, it’s time to season your steak. There are a thousand different steak rubs to consider, and we won’t begin to gauge which one is the best of the bunch.
However, you don’t always need to get fancy with your rub. Good old-fashioned sea salt and pepper are all your steak really needs to taste amazing. Anything beyond those is just overthinking it, if you ask us.
Step 3 – Pre-Heat Your Griddle
Now it’s time to get into the thick of it. You may think a juicy piece of meat needs to be cooked low and slow to maintain its tenderness, but this is a rookie mistake. Overcooking your meat is a surefire way to end up with a tough and dry bite.
Instead, crank up your griddle. But what temp to cook steak on a griddle specifically? We suggest between 450 degrees and 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Whatever you do, do not place your steak on the griddle before it reaches that temp, though! Just be patient, chill out with a beer and some yacht rock, and wait for heated perfection. We promise you’ll thank us later.
Step 4 – Sear It
Your grill will let you know when it’s time to cook. How long to cook steak on a griddle depends on the griddle’s readiness.
Simply place some butter, oil, or other lubricant on the grill top and see what happens. Once it starts to smoke, it’s time to place your steak on the cooking surface. Listen for that classic sizzle when you place the meat down. Cooking is as much about the ears as it is about the eyes and nose, you know.
Step 5 – Wait
You may be tempted to move your steak around or peek at the cooking side, but hold off. Cooking steak on a griddle is as much about patience as it is about consistent heat.
Every time you move it, you’re breaking the seal between the meat and the grill top. That connection is the key to a good sear during cook time.
Step 6 – Flip
How long to cook steak on a griddle isn’t universal, as every cut of steak is different. But here is a rough rule to follow. Give it just under five minutes per inch of thickness per side. So, if your steak is an inch thick, sear it on one side for five minutes, flip, and repeat.
Step 7 – Remove from the Heat and Test
The rough guide above is helpful to avoid overcooking your meat. But it’s just a guide, not science. To truly know whether your steak is done or not, you need to check its internal temperature.
According to Food Network, a properly cooked piece of steak should be the following temperature, depending on your preferences:
- Rare: 125 degrees Fahrenheit
- Medium-Rare: 130-135 degrees Fahrenheit
- Medium: 135-140 degrees Fahrenheit
- Medium-Well: 140-150 degrees Fahrenheit
- Well-Done: 155 degrees Fahrenheit
So just jab a meat thermometer in there and let it tell you whether or not it’s done.
Step 8 – Rest
Like any expertly cooked piece of meat, you can’t cut into it immediately after removing from the heat. That is because all of those flavorful juices you just worked so hard to build up will escape with the first cut. Cutting into your meat too soon is a one-way ticket to Dryville.
Instead, let your meat rest off of the heat for about 5 minutes. This will trap the juices inside, ensuring moist bites through and through when it’s time to carve.
Get an Expert Griddle for Expert Searing
And boom; that’s it! If you followed our steps to the letter, you should have learned how to cook a steak on a griddle perfectly. But aside from some of the less flexible steps, we encourage you to experiment with what works best for you.
The one thing that you shouldn’t experiment with is your griddle. For expert griddling, only an expert griddle will do. HALO’s series of outdoor griddles and pellet cookers provide just the expert cooktops you need. Shop our Elite Series Outdoor Griddles.