Pellet grills are increasingly popular these days, because they’re versatile and relatively easy to use. You can even use them for steaks, and you have several wood pellet types to try out.
But it’s not always easy to come up with a perfect steak. The good news is that here are some tips that might get you a steak that rivals whatever steak you might get from your local Longhorn Steakhouse.
Make Sure the Cut is Thick Enough
The general rule here is that thicker is better. It takes time to infuse the meat with the smoky flavor, so thin cuts will just dry out before you can get a decent level of smoke flavor in.
Go with a thickness of at least 1.5 inches. Great options include ribeye, sirloin, New York strip, and T-bone.
Prepare the Steak
First off, you can marinate the steak. You can start simple with salt and pepper, but you can experiment with other stuff as well.
Then you can also season the steak with various herbs and spices. Try onion powder, garlic, basil, thyme, sage, and mustard.
But keep in mind that marinade and seasoning aren’t absolutely necessary. The wood pellets add all the flavor that you might want.
Once you’re done and you take the steak from the fridge, let it come to room temperature. Pat the whole steak dry, and brush it with olive oil if you want. Just make sure the surface
Pick the Right Wood Pellet
The right wood pellet depends on your particular preferences.
Do you go for bolder, stronger flavors? If that’s the case, go with hickory, oak, or mesquite.
Are you a fan of a milder and sweeter flavor added to the steak? Then try cherry wood, maple, applewood, or pecan.
Just make sure you fill up the hopper with the pellets before you start, and you should have some in reserve so you don’t run out.
Be Patient
It takes time to cook the steak using a pellet grill, especially if you want to make sure you get enough of the smoky flavor in the steak.
It might take around 40 minutes to get your rare steak, with an internal temperature of 120 degrees F.
You should use a meat probe to check the internal temperature of the meat, at about the 15-minute mark. That way, you know how much longer you need to get the internal temperature you want.
- For a rare steak, you want a temperature of 120 to 130 degrees F. This will still be red on the inside.
- For a medium rare steak, you want a pink steak on the inside and a temperature of 130 to 135 degrees F.
- For a medium steak, it’s 135 to 145 degrees F.
- For a well-done steak (we won’t judge), it ranges from 145 degrees F (for well steaks) to 165 degrees F for really well-done steaks.
Have fun with your steaks, and check out what flavors you get when you combine a particular cut with a type of wood pellet!