Are you wondering whether you can use your griddle for cooking delicious steaks?
The good news is that you can cook wonderful steak on the griddle or flat top grill when using this handy gadget, in addition to creating bacon, eggs, or pancakes.
In fact, cooking steak on the griddle’s hot, flat surface is a breeze.
When the meat is properly prepared and cooked, cooking steaks on a griddle is an easy operation with delicious results.
Continue reading to learn more about griddling steaks.
Overview of how to cook a steak on the griddle
The flat and evenly hot surface of the griddle is an excellent choice when cooking steak.
While the griddle’s surface distributes the heat evenly, it does not allow flames to touch the food that you are preparing. This helps prevent nasty flare-ups, which can cause a bitter and unpleasant taste of the meat.
While some low-quality grills can have hot and cold spots, griddles offer an even distribution of the heat. This means that the steak will be cooked evenly and properly.
You can rely on a good quality griddle like the Blackstone Outdoor Flat Top Grill or the Champ Chef Flat Top Grill to prepare a perfectly done delicious steak.
Here is a complete guide on cooking a steak on a flat-top grill.
A step-by-step guide for cooking steaks on a griddle
Prep the steak
You can cook any kind of steak on a flat top grill, be it a T-bone, NY Strip, Ribeye, Porterhouse, or other.
Choose the steak you prefer and season it according to your taste.
One simple and delicious way to prepare the steak for grilling is to coat it with a thin layer of olive oil and sprinkle it liberally with fresh ground black pepper and salt.
After applying the marinade or seasoning, let the meat rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking it.
If your steak is frozen, learn how to thaw it the right way
Set up the flat top grill
Set the burners of the griddle to high heat. The temperature of the flat top grill’s surface should reach 400 degrees Fahrenheit for the best results.
Once the cooking surface has heated up, use some cooking oil or butter to create a base layer for the cooking. Spread the oil or butter on the entire area that you will be using.
If you are feeling confident enough, you can create the cooking base layer by using the fat from the steak itself. This can be done by rubbing the fatty area of the meat on the hot cooking surface. The fat will melt, and you can spread it around the hot griddle to prep the surface for cooking the steak.
Cook the steak on the flat top grill
Cooking steaks on the griddle is quite simple.
Just place them on the preheated and oiled surface and press each steak down to the cooking surface using a spatula. Once the steaks are in full contact with the flat top, the cooking will begin.
Cook each side of the steak until it has formed a beautiful crust, but do not flip them over incessantly. In fact, it is recommended that the steak is flipped only once during the cooking. Simply keep an eye on the bottom half of each of the steaks as well as on the bottom to make sure that
the sear is developing and the meat is cooking as per your liking.
The average cooking time for a steak that is 1-inch thick on a griddle is about 18 minutes total, and the flipping should happen around the 10th minute of the cooking.
Of course, the exact time for flipping and taking the steak off of the griddle depends on the size and thickness of the meat cut and the desired doneness of the steak.
The best way to tell whether the steak is done is to use a reliable meat thermometer.
All you need to do is insert the probe of the thermometer in the thickest part of the steak and monitor the internal temperature until it reaches the doneness you want.
The temperatures for the doneness of steak are:
- For medium-rare – 128 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit
- For medium – 135 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit
- For medium-well done – 145 to 155 degrees Fahrenheit
Let the steak rest
People often make the mistake of serving and cutting the steak immediately after removing it from the grill. It is essential to let the meat rest for at least 8 to 15 minutes after you pull it off of the griddle or grill. This will allow for the juices to redistribute and for the meat to continue cooking to the desired temperature.
This is why it is recommended that you remove the steak from the flat top grill when it has almost reached the desired doneness temperature. While it rests, the steak will continue cooking, and its internal temperature will rise by another few degrees.
It is the resting process that adds to the deliciousness of a perfectly prepared steak.
If you cut into the steak right after the cooking, you will lose the juices of the meat, and it may become dry and lose some of its delicious flavors.
Read further on how to clean a flat top grill
Cooking steaks on a griddle – a quick guide
Time
- Prep time – 10 minutes
- Cooking time – 20 minutes
- Total time – 30 minutes
Equipment needed
- A griddle or flat top grill
- A spatula
Ingredients
- A ribeye, NY strip, or T-bone steak – 14-16-oz
- Kosher salt – 1 tablespoon
- Ground black pepper – 1 tablespoon
- Other marinade or rub of your choice (optional)
- Olive oil – 1 tablespoon (for seasoning)
- Cooking oil, butter, or other fat – for a base layer for the cooking
Nutrition
250 kcal
Instructions for cooking a steak on a griddle
- Coat the steak with olive oil and sprinkle it with ground black pepper and salt on both sides
- Let the steak rest for about 30 minutes at room temperature
- Preheat the flat top grill to a high heat
- Add some oil, and butter, or rub the fat from the steak on the hot surface to create a base layer
- Place the steak on the hot cooking surface and press it down using a spatula to ensure that it is in complete contact with it
- Use a meat thermometer to monitor the doneness, and check for the sear you desire without flipping the steak over
- Cook for about 9-10 minutes before flipping the steak over to the other side
- Cook the other side for another 9-10 minutes (for a 1-inch steak)
- Remove the steak from the griddle when its internal temperature is 2-3 degrees away from the desired doneness temperature, or as follows:
- For medium-rare – when the temperature of the steak is 128 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit
- For medium – when the internal meat temperature is 135 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit
- For medium-well – when the internal temperature of the meat is 145 to 155 degrees Fahrenheit
Let the steak rest for about 8 to 15 minutes before cutting it and serving it
Final words
As you can see, cooking a delicious steak on the griddle is quite a straightforward task. If you have a flat top grill and have not yet used it for making the perfect steak, then you should try it right away.
You will be happy to know that you can use your griddle for making restaurant and steakhouse quality steak as well as use it for prepping breakfast, pancakes, or burgers.
So, get that flat top grill started!