Last Updated on March 30, 2023 by Ellen Christian
I’m sharing these beef grilling tips so you can get the best results from your outdoor grilling this year. Last week, I went to Kansas and Oklahoma as part of a blogging trip for Certified Angus Beef® Brand. I learned so much about how to cook beef and what cut to buy that I wanted to share.
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Beef Grilling Tips
One of the most important tips I learned about cooking beef, in general, is that it is all about the cut. In the past, I bought whatever kind of beef was on sale without thought to how I was going to cook it.
It shouldn’t have surprised me that my results were less than stellar.
Marbling
Marbling is the streaks of fat in a cut of beef that resembles the pattern in a piece of marble. These streaks of fat are what make your piece of meat full of flavor, moist and juicy.
Look for marbling when you buy meat for the best possible taste. It really is the secret to grilling steak.
Temperature
Remove your steak from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature before you grill it. Of course, you don’t want to let it sit out and get hot, but room temperature steaks will have a better outcome.
The Cut
If you’ve been choosing whatever cut of beef is one sale without regard to how you’re cooking it, stop. Different cuts should be cooked differently.
If you’re grilling, look for a T-bone steak, Ribeye steak, or a Strip steak. A Porterhouse or Cowboy steak are also good choices. Cowboy Chef Kent Rollins cooked Cowboy steaks for us on our Chuckwagon dinner, and they were amazing!
Thickness
Thickness does matter when you’re grilling. You want to choose a piece of beef that is about one and a half to two inches thick. Too thin and it will cook too fast and be tough.
Too thick and it will be raw inside and burned outside. You want the char on the outside to be perfect at the same time the temperature on the inside has reached its peak of flavor.
Use a thermometer to be certain your meat is 125F which is medium rare. Grilling steak times will vary.
The Grade
Not all beef is created equally. There is a difference in USDA and Certified Angus Beef® grade beef. Angus beef is good. But the Certified Angus Beef® brand? It’s on an entirely different level.
It defines the standard by which all beef is measured. No shortcuts and with a virtual obsession with flavor and juiciness.
I learned quite a bit about selecting the best cut of beef on my trip. But, what stuck in my mind the most is the dedication and passion the ranchers who raise Certified Angus Beef® have.
Their facilities are checked regularly to be sure the cattle are in the best possible health, living in clean and humane conditions.
Passion
They have a passion for the environment because healthy soil leads to healthy crops for their cattle. Plus, they make sure to return nutrients to the ground after harvesting by planting cover crops.
They use a by-product of ethanol production in their cattle feed so that it doesn’t go to waste. They even make sure to feed the cattle vitamins, minerals and probiotics to help them stay healthy.
If you want to be impressed, check out the video of me learning to rope. Maybe I should be a cowboy instead of a blogger?
When you’re choosing the best beef for grilling, make sure you look for the Certified Angus Beef® brand for the best results. In Vermont, look for it at Price Chopper. Then make sure you follow my beef grilling tips.
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Ellen is a busy mom of a 24-year-old son and 29-year-old daughter. She owns six blogs and is addicted to social media. She believes that it doesn’t have to be difficult to lead a healthy life. She shares simple healthy living tips to show busy women how to lead fulfilling lives. If you’d like to work together, email info@confessionsofanover-workedmom.com to chat.
Great recap and post on explaining how and why cuts and technique are so important. Glad we met, Ellen. Happy grilling!
Thanks so much, Cindy! It was great to meet you!
CAB does such an excellent job of teaching o many things! Great post on the cuts and grilling tips 🙂 It was nice meeting you on this trip and look forward to getting to know you better!
Thanks, Shelby! Same to you!
I don’t know much about grilling beef and I leave it to my fiance. I really wanted to learn so I can make some for him for the first time and these tips were really helpful! I’ll be putting them to use this weekend, wish me luck! 🙂
Good luck!
I love a good t-bone steak! I finally have gotten good at cooking a roast, but love any & all tips on cooking beef! My brothers do all the grilling around here during the summer so lots to pass on from your article! Thanks!
Always glad to help!
I have no idea what to look for in steaks and usually have to call my husband who ususally knows what is best. I feel more confident after reading this post as I’ve learned some about steaks.
Glad to help!
So glad you were able to join us on the trip! With grilling tips like these you are sure to have a sizzlin’ summer. Thanks for sharing our passion for delectable steaks!
Thank you for including me!