GRILLED STEAK WITH RED WINE SAUCE

Grilled Steak with Red Wine Sauce – Hot, juicy, steak straight off the grill, this is a decadent meal! Grilling a perfect steak in your own backyard is easy with a few simple tips!

GRILLED STEAK WITH RED WINE SAUCE

There’s nothing much better than sitting out on a warm spring afternoon enjoying drinks and food with friends. When the food includes a perfectly cooked steak it’s extra good!

First, almost everyone likes their steak cooked differently. Therefore, a ‘perfect’ steak to you isn’t the perfect steak for everyone. However, I’m going to give you the basic information that you need for successful steak grilling. You can then cook it to suit everyone’s request.

My perfect is between medium and medium-rare. ‘Almost’ medium-rare, but just shy of that? Understand? 😉

BEST STEAK CUTS TO GRILL

Ribeye and Rib Steak aka Bone-in Ribeye – Considered the best steak to grill by some, this cut is rich, juicy, full of flavor, and has great marbling throughout.

Filet mignon – Filet is one of the most coveted steak cuts, is the most tender and expensive cut of beef.

Porterhouse – This cut is a cross-section of the beef short loin. It has the strip on one side of the bone and tenderloin on the other. Porterhouse steaks are tender and flavorful.

T-Bone – T-bone steaks are similar to the porterhouse but further away from the rump and much smaller. The tenderloin muscle is much smaller, but the ribeye side is more tender.

Strip steak (aka New York strip, Kansas City strip, strip loin, or top loin steak) – Strip steaks are lean with an intense beef flavor. However,  leaner means less fat, which results in less flavor and juiciness.

Top sirloin – This steak is cheaper but less tender than the other cuts. However, it has a nice flavor. Personally, I don’t prefer grilled sirloin unless it was on tacos or a sandwich.

HOW TO GRILL THE PERFECT STEAK

Now that we’ve discussed the perfect cut, let’s move on to grilling your steak.

1. First, place the steaks on a tray on the counter 40 minutes to 1 hour before you put them on the grill. (I do this before I light the grill.) An important tip is to brush the steaks with oil and season them now!
2. If the steak has large chunks of fat, consider trimming them. Excess fat can cause flare-ups on the grill.
3. Prepare the grill. Clean the grates. Heat one area of your grill to high, between 425° and 450°. This is the side you’ll sear the steaks. You need a cooler side to move the steaks to after searing and to finish cooking them.
4. Place steaks on the hottest side of the grill and sear for 2-4 minutes on each side. Searing locks in the juices. To get a crosshatch pattern, place steaks at a 45-degree angle. After one minute, rotate 90 degrees. Repeat on the other side. After you get a nice sear on each side, move the steaks to the cool side of the grill. Close the lid and continue to cook until the steak reaches the desired internal temperature.

Test and Rest

1. Once the steaks have reached the desired temperature (Temperatures are listed below.), remove them from the grill and brush them with melted butter. Or, omit the butter and make red wine sauce using the recipe card below.
2. To check the temperature, use an instant-read meat thermometer. Hold the steak with metal tongs and insert the thermometer through the side of the steak towards the middle. The end of the probe should be at the thickest part of the steak.
3. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil (you want them to stay warm but not steam), and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing to redistribute juices. This is probably the hardest part for me!

STEAK TEMPERATURE CHART

Note: The first number is when to take off the grill.

I highly recommend you invest in an instant-read thermometer for a precise internal temperature.

RED WINE SAUCE

You may want to spread Compound Butter on your steak instead of this sauce. Either will elevate your steak.

For the sauce, cook the onion in one tablespoon of butter over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until tender. Add the wine and broth to the onions and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until reduced by about 1/3. Next, reduce the heat to low. Combine room-temperature butter and flour in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Whisk into the wine sauce. Cook and stir for one minute or until the sauce is thickened. Serve warm over steaks.

WHILE YOU’RE HERE, CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES

1. JP’s Steak Bites
2. Hamburger Steak with Onions and Brown Gravy
3. Smoked Tomahawk Steak
4. Orange & Jalapeno Marinated Grilled Flat Iron Steak
5. Steak Stuffed Jalapenos
6. SLOW COOKER CARIBBEAN POT ROAST
7. BLACK AND BLUE SALAD RECIPE
8. BOURBON HONEY STEAK TIPS
9. STEAK STUFFED JALAPENOS
10. Balsamic Butter Sauce over New York Strip Steaks 

I updated this post from an earlier version dated September 28, 2012. I made new photos and simplified the recipe instructions.

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