How to Make a Great Ribeye on the grill

Today the author of The Winter Guest, Miriam gives us some really useful tips on how to properly cook a cut of meat such as a bone-in ribeye or a steak. Because while cooking on a grill is within everyone’s reach, it also has its tricks to do it with flair!

We’re entering barbecue season and lighter cooking, and for this purpose grills are a perfect utensil for cooking with little fat, little fuss and relatively quickly. You hardly need to prepare anything and the meat can be made as light as we want, with almost no added fat and no sauces.

With the summer heat, a piece of meat accompanied by a good salad is an excellent and balanced meal.

Nothing easier than cooking a good piece of meat like the classic cut of beef entrecôte grilled on a heavy iron grill. The tips I give you below to get a perfect piece of grilled meat are valid not only for preparing a ribeye on the barbecue, but also for any beef cut such as a good bone-in ribeye or a good tenderloin, varying the cooking times depending on the size of the cut, of course.

- The first and essential thing is that the meat is of good quality. This usually means the price isn’t exactly low, but every now and then we can treat ourselves.

- It’s advisable to take the cuts out of the fridge in advance so they reach room temperature and the grill doesn’t have to work so hard to raise the internal temperature of the meat as it would if we put it on straight from the fridge. The heat the piece receives on the surface struggles to move toward the center, so it’s not the same if the center of the cut is at 12°, for example, as at 25°. Some even advise bringing the cuts close to the grill or barbecue while it is heating up, so they warm through.

- The grill should be very hot when placing the meat, so it gets a nice browning on the outside.

- It’s preferable to oil the meat before placing it on the grill instead of greasing the grill itself, because by greasing it we end up with oil that’s already somewhat scorched when we add the meat. The easy thing is to pour a splash of oil on top, but it’s also advisable to brush it with a kitchen brush.

- There’s no need to flip the meat constantly; it’s better to leave it on each side until it’s nicely browned, so you make better use of the grill’s heat.

- Cooking time depends on how done we want the meat, of course, although it shouldn’t be excessive. For pieces like the one in the photo, about a finger’s thickness, one to one and a half minutes should be more than enough to achieve a good external sear and a juicy interior.

- It’s preferable to salt the meat once it’s done, when taking it off the grill, because if we salt it beforehand the salt can make it lose more juices.

- To carve the meat use sharp knives that cut well (How uncommon this is in our country!) and preferably not serrated (these tear the fibers; that is why the traditional cuchillos Pallarès, which has the stainless version for the table, are becoming popular).

You might also be interested in learning more about iron grills, how to cook on them and how to care for them. I talked about them here.

With all these tips you have no excuse not to make some impressive steaks this spring-summer season. Enjoy.

In the photo, cuchillos Pallarès. You can find out more about them by clicking here.