How To Sear a Steak on The Grill

Nothing beats a perfectly grilled steak. Whether you like it rare, well done, or anywhere in between, you need a good sear to give you the beautiful grill marks and deep brown color that makes a steak look irresistible. Searing also helps to keep the juices from leaking out of the steak. This maintains the steak’s flavor and actually makes it easier to grill by preventing flare-ups.

Searing a steak is an art. Even if you have no idea how to sear a steak, Blain’s Farm & Fleet will help you get the perfect sear on your steaks with your grill.

How to Sear a Steak: Grill and Steak Prep

Use a grill brush to make sure your grill grates are clean. Start the grill and get it very hot. Chefs recommend no less than 400° F for searing. Start by brushing the steak with some cooking oil or olive oil. Rub the steak with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Just before you set the steak on the grill, brush your grates with olive oil to keep the meat from sticking.

How to Sear a Steak: Timing and Grill Marks

Use a stopwatch to time your sear. 30 seconds after the steak hits the grill, rotate it 90 degrees. This will give you the classic cross-hatch grill marks you see on steakhouse ads. After another 30 seconds, flip your steak. 30 more seconds, and you can rotate it 90 degrees again. Finally, after a final 30 seconds, you can move the steak to a lower heat area of the grill or remove it entirely to let the grill cool a bit for the final cooking. The searing process shouldn’t take more than three minutes at the most, especially if you prefer it rare or medium rare.

Since you rotated your steak while it was searing on both sides, it will have the cross-hatched grill marks on both. Check to see which side looks better, and serve the meat with that side facing up after you’re done cooking it.

How To Sear a Steak: Finishing Up

Once your steak is seared, you’re free to cook it to your personal taste. A good, thick steak (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick), usually takes about 8 minutes on medium to medium high heat for medium rare, 10 minutes for medium, 12 minutes for medium well, and 15 minutes for well done. Use a grill thermometer to test the temperature of your meat.

For more great Grilling Tips, Buyer’s Guides, and How-To articles, check out our blog.