The Perfect BBQ Steak
The secret to a great BBQ steak isn’t a marinade or a rub — it’s heat, timing, and patience. Get these right and you’ll never want to cook steak any other way. Serve with garlic butter or peppercorn sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 ribeye or sirloin steaks, at least 2.5cm thick (250–300g each)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- Flaky sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Method
- Take the steaks out of the fridge at least 45 minutes before cooking. A cold steak hitting a hot grill will seize up and cook unevenly.
- Light the BBQ and get it ripping hot — you want glowing coals with a layer of white ash, or a gas grill on maximum. Place your hand 5cm above the grate: you should only be able to hold it there for 1–2 seconds.
- Pat the steaks completely dry with kitchen paper. Brush lightly with oil and season generously with salt and pepper on both sides, right before grilling.
- Place the steaks on the hottest part of the grill. Do not move them. Cook for 2–3 minutes until a deep brown crust forms.
- Flip once and cook the other side for 2–3 minutes for medium-rare (internal temperature 54–57°C). Add 1 minute per side for medium.
- If the steaks are thick, hold them on their edge with tongs to render the fat strip for 1 minute.
- Remove from the grill and rest on a warm plate, loosely tented with foil, for at least 5 minutes. This is not optional.
- Slice against the grain and serve immediately with your chosen sauce.
Chef’s Tips
- Ribeye has more fat marbling and more flavour; sirloin is leaner and slightly more tender — both are excellent.
- A meat thermometer removes all guesswork: 54°C = medium-rare, 60°C = medium, 71°C = well done (but please don’t).
- Never press down on the steak with a spatula — you’re just squeezing out the juices.
- If flare-ups happen, move the steak to a cooler zone; don’t douse with water.