As a self-proclaimed “meat and potatoes kind of guy,” our Executive Chef at deSha’s Lexington, knows all the tricks when it comes to grilling the perfect steak.  He has shared five simple tips for you to remember when you are grilling a steak.

1. Quality Cut of Meat

Make sure you have a good quality cut of meat. Prime is the best quality but it is hard to find sometimes so Choice cut is great too. Look for a steak with a lot of marbling (little white lines). A common myth is that the marbling is fat and you don’t want that in your steak but it actually liquefies while it’s cooking and makes the steak tender.

2. Room Temperature before Grilling

Don’t take your steak directly from a cold fridge and throw it on the grill. Room temperature is best so you want to let it sit for a little bit. If not, you could shock the meat and it will be tough.

3. Seasoning

Always season your meat as it is going on the grill. Season the side you’re going to lay down flat right before placing it on the grill. Once it’s on the grill, season the other side facing upward. You always want to season your meat from high up.  If you season too close, you’ll get clusters of flavors. When you season from high up, the seasoning will be more even across your meat.

4. Leave it Alone

The worst mistake people can make is cutting into the meat during the grilling process. If you cut into the meat once you’ve seared it off, you’re allowing the juices to escape and it will dry out the meat.  Just leave it alone! If you’re not comfortable with cooking steak to different temperatures, a thermometer with a probe is best because it makes the smallest hole.

5. Two Minute Sit

When your steak is done, pull it off of the grill and let it sit for at least two minutes before you cut into it. The minutes you pull it off of the grill, all the proteins will be drawn to the surface from the heat and you want to give those proteins time to set back into the steak.

With these five tips from Chef Wes, you will be a grill master in no time. Good luck!