Steaks are just great. They are good sources of proteins along with several vitamins and minerals. When consumed in small portions, steaks can also be great for diet and weight loss.
However, the problem usually encountered in steaks eaten in small pieces is that you trim the thickness of the steak. It poses difficulty in achieving the right amount of rareness with the crisp outer layer.
Many have tried the most intricate steps in grilling thin steaks but still ended up with a well-done steak. Whether you use a sirloin cut, a T-bone, or a ribeye is not what matters.
The right method of cooking is more than just how long to grill a thin steak or how to grill a thin-cut steak.
With this, we made it our cause to help you achieve that steak consistency you aim at even when using thin cuts.
This process will tackle the thin cut steak grill time and the overall strategy on how to grill thin steak per se, from pre-cook treatments to grilling the thin steaks.
How to Grill a Thin Steak
Do the following steps next time you plan on having a steak for dinner or your hangout with friends and family. That way, you may give them that crispy, juicy steak they all want.
For starters, there are a few items you will need for this process. The following items are suitable for two thin steaks:
- Paper towels
- a tablespoon of salt
- 1-1.5 teaspoon cornstarch
- Wire rack
- Olive oil
- Pepper
- Aluminum foil
- Meat thermometer
1st Step: Patting the meat dry
After getting your fresh thin slab of meat from the grocery store, and you have already decided to cook it.
Use your paper towels to pat the meat dry first. The rationale behind this step is browning.
Dry steaks are more capable of browning compared to wet or moist ones. When the steak is wet, applying salt on the meat surface will draw out moisture, making browning of the meat difficult even when grilled.
Suppose you want an aesthetic, smoky-gray looking steak. Then blot the fresh thin steak with paper towels first.
2nd Step: The salt and cornstarch combo
Set the dried-out meat aside for a while. Mix the salt and cornstarch in a container until well incorporated. Then rub the mixture to both sides of the steak until every portion of the meat well-coated.
Some might overlook this step, but the salt and cornstarch complement each other. The added salt will draw out the water from the meat and inhibit browning.
The cornstarch will act as the moisture absorbent released from the steak. This way, the meat juice will not get in the way of grilling the steak.
3rd Step: Freeze the steak first
After coating the steak, place it over a wire rack, then put it in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.
Using a flat sheet to freeze the steaks on is counter-intuitive.
Since the meats are coated with salt and cornstarch mixture, laying them flat on a bare non-wired rack might remove the mixture from the meat surface.
Chilling the steak will also allow for the meat to harden its surface in preparation for the grilling. The next steps will discuss how to cook thin steak on the grill.
4th Step: Peripheral preparations
Be sure to wipe over olive oil on the grilling grates before putting the meat. It will help the meat adjust to the temperature of the grills once placed over the grill.
It will also inhibit the meat from sticking to the grates as the oil will inhibit the direct contact of the meat and the grills.
Around 10 minutes before the chilling period is over, start preheating your gas to high settings.
At the 30-minute mark, remove the meat from the freezer and sprinkle over some black pepper powder on both sides before cooking.
5th Step: The grilling proper
The process on how to grill a thin steakrelies on three factors: the time, the temperature, and the looks.
The time portion is highly dependent on the thickness of the slab of meat to be cooked. In this case, for grilling thin steaks, how long would it take?
By convention, you should grill the thin steak for two minutes each for both sides. Then repeat the process by flipping the steak over but shifting the angle by 90 degrees to create diamond grill marks on the meat. Do the said process for another 2 minutes for both sides—all in all, 8 minutes to cook each thin steak.
As for the meat’s temperature indicator, to be utterly specific, use a meat thermometer to check the temperature. It can give more accurate grill results.
For medium-rare steaks, the temperature ranges from 120° to 125° degrees Fahrenheit or 49° to 52° degrees Celsius.
As for the looks, the outside must have a smoky-gray looking feel with no burns except the grill marks on the thin steak. Make sure to cover the steak with aluminum foil first for approximately 5 minutes before consumption.
It will allow you to have time to prepare the table for your family. Plus, it will also let the heat be trapped and infiltrate the thin steak more.
Once you remove the foil and slice the steak open, the meat should show two distinctive layers—one grayish-brown layer on the outside indicating the crisp cooked feel.
Another layer on the inside that is pinkish with juice that drips when pressed. There you have your medium-rare thin steak.
Conclusion
Grilling thin steaks is not easy. It will not be easy jumping from newbie to pro.
However, with the tips above, you can start honing your grilling skills to perfection. Do not be afraid to grill think steaks from now on!
Related Articles:
