The Best Grill Temperature For Cooking Steaks Is Higher Than You Might Think

Grilling, like most cooking, is something of a mashup of art and science. Firing up the grill and throwing on a piece of meat is the easy part. But knowing what to do to get the best results, how to do it, and why takes practice and learning a lot of tips and tricks. One of the most important first lessons in the beginner's guide to grilling is the best temperature to use when cooking. And that's especially true when you're cooking expensive cuts like steak.

The perfect steak has a beautifully seared and crisply browned exterior and a juicy pink or red interior that's full of flavor. But it's hard to get that result over too low a temperature. And many people are so used to cooking over medium heat — in the 300- to 350-degree Fahrenheit range — that it's hard to convince themselves anything should be cooked hotter for fear of burning dinner. But the fact is cooking a quality steak at that temperature is doing it a disservice. Instead, you want to crank the fire and cook it over high heat, at least 450 degrees Fahrenheit. While it's a well-worn steak-searing myth that it seals in the juices, high heat still works best for steaks.

On the grill, high heat creates a beautiful, even sear. The Maillard reaction, responsible for the crisp browning on steak as it starts to cook, starts at about 300 degrees Fahrenheit, and you can definitely safely cook a steak at 350. But it takes longer, and those lovely grill marks really only happen at high heat.

Brad Wise, chef-owner of Trust Restaurant Group and live fire cooking specialist, says grilling between 450 and 500 degrees Fahrenheit brings out steak's nuance and caramelizes the exterior. But there's one more step after you get the grill hot. He says, "Make sure your grill grates are hot and clean — use a wire brush and give them a good scrubbing before you add your steak." If you' don't have a wire brush, using half an onion on the end of a long grilling fork is a cheap and easy cleaning hack. However you do it, get it clean. Debris makes air circulation around the grates less efficient, leading to less optimal cooking conditions.  

When you're ready to toss the steak on the grill, check the temperature of the grates and adjust it as needed. The most reliable way to measure is a device like the Etekcity infrared thermometer. This type device (and giving your grill a good scrub-down before cooking) ensures your steak's flavor and texture shine, no matter how you like it cooked.