Secrets to succulent grilled steak

Who doesn't love a juicy steak, hot off the grill? Here are Grandma's best tips for grilling the juiciest beef steaks:

• 1. For even cooking, remove the steaks from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you’re ready to grill to let them come to room temperature.
• 2. To seal in juices and keep meat from sticking, seal a crust on the steaks first: Put the steaks on the grill, and then don’t disturb them until a crust forms and the meat easily releases from the grate.
• 3. Turn the steaks with a spatula and flat-bladed tongs, not a fork. Stabs and jabs make exit holes for juices.
• 4. Rest the meat at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes after grilling; this lets the juices retreat back into the meat, giving you a juicier steak.

How Long? The general rule of thumb when cooking steaks is 10 minutes (total time) per inch of thickness for medium-rare. So a 1-inch-thick steak would be medium-rare after 10 minutes grilling; 1 1/2-inch-thick steaks will take about 14 minutes.  However, no two grills are alike, so watch carefully.

Marinade Magic Marinating beef is a great way to add flavor and tenderize tougher cuts of beef. Keep these points in mind when marinating:

1. Be sure to follow the recipe’s marinating time—you can overdo it and overpower the steak’s flavor.

2. Stop basting the steaks with the marinade the last 5 minutes of cooking to prevent bacterial contamination. If you want to serve the leftover marinade as a sauce, bring it to a boil in small saucepan, reduce the heat, and simmer for 3 minutes.

3. Freezing steaks for later? Douse them with a marinade first, transfer to heavy-duty plastic bags and then freeze. The meat will soak up the flavors as it thaws.

Grandma's Best Grilled Steak Recipes

• Grilled Asian Flank Steak
• Grilled Steak with Bearnaise
• Grilled Beef Kebabs

Don't miss All About Marinades for tips and info on ingredients, timing, safety considerations and more, plus Grandma's Best Marinades for Grilling for 3 great marinades, and recipes to go with them!