We love steaks – any type, in any shape or form. Medium rare, well done, with sauce, without sauce, on fajitas, with a side of fries – we just love them.
The Griller Dude team enjoys grilling steaks so much that we decided to create an easy to follow, simple guide on the best ways to cook most common steak types as well as accurate explanations on how long to cook steak on grill.
Due to the many different types of beef cuts out there, and the different character of the meat based on which part of the animal it comes from, we observed different cooking times and methods that work best.
We hope this simple, quick to read guide on how to cook steak on grill will be of use to you and provide you with enough information so you can enjoy steaks as much as we do.
The Different Types of Steak Cuts in the US
There are seventeen recognized types of beef cuts out there, some of which are very well known, others that are quite common but are not as recognizable as the T-bone stake (more on it down below).
Why does it matter what part of the animal the meat is sourced from? Because the different tissue contents and thicknesses give us a better understanding on what temp to cook steak on grill.
In this text we’ll be exploring the six most widely know and common beef cut types, helping everyone better understand how to cook steak on grill. We’ll be starting with the most popular, and arguably the tastiest one – the ribeye steak.
Ribeye Steak – For medium-rare grill 4 mins on each side at 137F internal temp
The ribeye steak is a cut made from the center most point of the cow, or the “eye” of the animal (hence the name). It contains a rich fat marbling which provides a fantastic place for flavors to build.
It’s characterized with a full, buttery flavor and when cooked well, will dissolve in your mouth. The most common type of ribeye stake cut contains at least one rib and the most common thicknesses are at 1 inch and 1 ½ inches.
Thanks to its rich fatty contents, the ribeye steak can be seasoned with a modest amount of salt and freshly ground pepper and still come out tasting like a million bucks.
How we answer the question “How to cook ribeye steak on grill?” – for a medium-rare finish you should generally focus on reaching a 137F internal heat and hold it for 4 mins. Flip at the 4.5 minute mark for a golden finish.
Porterhouse Steak (T-bone steak) – for medium-rare grill for 12 minutes, turn on 5th minute mark, internal heat should not exceed 130F.
The porterhouse steak is often referred to as the king of all stakes. It contains meats from two different types of beef cuts (strip steaks and tenderloin).
Due to the complexity of the marbling (fat contents) of the T-bone steak (two different meat sources), it’s a bit more challenging to properly cook – however, the Griller Dude has got you covered.
Due to the high connective tissue amount in the tenderloin part of your T-bone steak, it’s best to keep that part away from high heat. You can grill the strip steak part at about 130F internal and leave the tenderloin part away from the coals.
When using the GrillerDude.com Smart Flip Grill, use the second setting on the handle once you start focusing on the tenderloin part of the T-bone beef cut.
Once flipped, time 6 minutes then remove the steak from the heat and let it rest under foil for 5 minutes before serving. Salted butter goes well with the resting steak.
How we answer the question “How to cook porterhouse steak on the grill?” – grill strip steak part over high heat, reduce heat for tenderloin section by 25%. Cook for 6 minutes on each side then flip until it reaches 130F internal heat.
Flank Steak – for medium-rare 4-5 minutes each side on high heat(400F-450F), pare with strong sauces for extra taste.
The flank steak comes from the lower abdominal part of the cow or bull and is characterized with a high connectivity tissue, relatively low-fat content. This means that to properly cook this steak cut, you’d need high heat – which is perfect for a Smart Flip Grill.
You can choose to tenderize the steak to further help it develop taste. These stakes types generally are presented with strong sauces due to the low-fat content of the cut. Remember – fat is the flavor carrier in each meat so low-fat means that it needs help to taste good.
To answer the important question of how long to cook flank steak on grill – you should go for quick and hot. Flip the steak at the 5-minute mark and make sure you stoke to coals underneath it to ensure it reaches 450F – the best temperature to grill a flank steak at.
How we answer the question “How to cook flank steak on grill?” – Flip when timer reaches 5 minutes, cook at 450F due to low fat content, allow to sit for 7 minutes uncovered. Season with sea salt and lemon pepper.
Skirt Steak – for medium-rare cook 4 minutes on each side – internal temp should teach 130F
The skirt steak cut comes from the “plate” part of the animal, which is positioned at the lower-middle half of its abdomen. It contains quite a lot of fat which, provided you cook it properly, will make the steak naturally tender and easy to cut.
Most common butchering cuts make the skirt steak to 1 inch in thickness which is cooked at 425F for 8 minutes in total. Your golden internal temperature is at 130F, once it’s reached it you must remove the steak from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes in a foil so it can release its juices.
Cut the steak against the grain for a better eating texture and be mindful that you don’t overdo the center.
How we answer the question “How to cook skirt steak on grill?” – grill it at very high heat (425F) for 8 minutes in total.
Sirloin Steak – for medium-rare cook for 4-5 minutes each side, internal temp – 135F
The sirloin steak is a quite common steak type which is characterized with a high marbling and connectivity tissue amount. It comes from the sirloin part of the animal, or more specifically the top sirloin which is the back half of the cow or bull.
For an inch of meat cut thickness it’s best to broil the meat first, then place it on a hot grill for 4-5 minutes each side. The meat should start to char so use a meat thermometer to check if it’s reached 135F internal heat.
Flip for another 5 minutes and let the meat rest – it can be seasoned after it’s off the grill.
How we answer the question “how long to cook sirloin steak on grill?” – Broil the meat for 2 hours in salted water then cook for 9-12 minutes on high heat until it reaches 135F internal heat, then let it rest for 6 minutes, covered with foil.
Iron Steak – for medium-rare grill for 4 minutes on each side over high heat – internal temp should reach 120F.
The coveted flat iron steak is an affordable and quite tasteful beef steak cut which comes from the “chuck” side of the animal, or the meat on the side of the shoulders.
The reason it’s so affordable is because it does not have such a pronounced marbling due to the meat’s proximity to the cow’s front leg muscle actuators.
This means that the meat requires a bit more time to cook in an oven, however, with the Smart Flip Grill from Griller Dude you can lower the cooking time and get fantastic results.
How we answer the question “How to cook flat iron steak on grill?” – cook for 9-12 minutes in total for both sides. Cook over direct heat at high coal count (temp should be around 460F). Look for char marks on one side then flip and let sit for 4-minutes on second side. Let it rest for an additional 5 minutes.
Cooking Other Types of Steaks on a Grill
While beef steaks are the most common type of stake cuts out there and by far the most widely consumed variants, there are other types of steaks (from different animals), which also deserve our attention. Below we’ll provide a quick summary on how to cook pork and tuna steaks on a grill.
How Long to Cook Pork Steak on Grill
One of the most common questions we receive from customers who’d like to refine their grilling techniques is exactly how long to cook a steak on the grill.
The time of the cook depends on the thickness of the cut and the type of the meat – just like we’ve explained above, depending on the contents of the meat, the grilling time will depend greatly.
For pork chop steaks it’s best to either first broil or tenderize them, depending from which part of the animal they come. Pork shoulder stakes require a bit of work and are best left to marinade in an acidic marinade (lemon, vinegar, soy sauce) which helps dissolve the protein in the meat and tenderize it to a nice texture.
Pork is easier to cook at high heat because it has more fat in it, meaning you can go for 425F fire heat and grill the meat over direct heat for 4-5 minutes on each side.
How to Cook Tuna Steak on Grill
Tuna steaks are quite interesting to grill because the meat is very low in fat, only about 1.3 grams in an average steak cut. It does have 33 grams of protein which is quite a large amount.
To perfectly cook a tuna steak on a charcoal grill it’s best to have the grill quite hot – the grilling time of all sides is only 2 minutes.
The center of the tuna steak should be tender and look raw (the protein keeps cooking after it’s off the heat so no chance of salmonella there). Overcooking the tuna steak will leave it dry and hard to consume.
We home that his simple guide provides you with enough information on how to cook the perfect steak on the grill – be sure to send us photos.