How to season a steak before grilling is a very relevant question to ask if you don’t want to end up with a bland steak.
There are different types of steaks that are available for purchase at the butcher shop.
You could have at least 15 different types of steaks that can be seasoned differently before cooking.
If you want to know how to season your steaks before grilling, just stick with me.
I will show you the secrets to a crispy, tasty, and well-seasoned steak.
There are different ways to season different types of steak before grilling. To some, you can season with salt and pepper right before you grill. While some you must marinate to soften their fiber before you grill.
Steaks are meat cuts that are sliced across the muscle fibers from different parts of a cow.
These steaks do not have the same flavor due to a difference in the fat content present in each steak.
Hence, you have to season them properly, to enjoy their unique flavors in a maximum way.
How To Season A Steak Before Grilling
If you want to get it right then you must know “how long to season a steak before grilling“.
Unless you want to marinate them, steaks are seasoned for about 30 minutes to an hour before grilling.
But then again steaks are gotten from different parts of a cow. Some steaks are tougher than others.
And you might want to season some steaks and leave them to rest longer than others.
The tough steaks are marinated for an extended period to soften their tissues and get all the seasonings in.
It might even take up to 12 hours for some steaks to marinate.
At the same time, some do not need marinating at all. After marinating, you can now season before grilling.
You can find out the type of steak you are buying by checking the label.
You can also ask the butcher for some specific information. This will guide you on how long to season your steaks before placing them on the skillet for grilling.
Different Ways To Season Steak Before Grilling
We already know that steaks do not have the same fat content. Some are well-marbled while some are less marbled.
Once you can identify your steak, you can season them according to any of the methods below:
Rib-Eye Steak
The Rib-eye steak has a lot of fat that makes it juicy.
You just need to season it with salt and pepper before grilling to have a very nice taste.
But if you want a juicer taste, add 1 tablespoon of salt with ½ tablespoon of pepper and mix it with canola oil.
Smear the mixture on the steak and grill both sides for 10 minutes.
After which you can add rosemary, garlic, thyme, and butter and cook on low heat for 5 minutes.
Cube Steak
The cube steak contains a little fat content and they cook faster than other steaks.
It is often tenderized with a meat mallet before grilling.
You can season the cube steak with a mixture of onion powder, pepper, salt, and olive oil before cooking it in a pan of mushroom gravy.
The gravy is made from mushrooms, beef broth, cornstarch, and water.
Tip: Grill your steak at a temperature of 150 F to get a well-done steak.
Rump Steak
This is also called the round steak. These steaks are tough cuts from lean beef.
Thus, marinating for at least 3 hours is needed to make the meat fibers softer.
Season this steak with a mixture of thyme leaf, onions, salt, olive oil, butter, and pepper.
Tip: After seasoning, then cookie it inside beef broth and Worcestershire sauce to get the best results.
Tomahawk Steak
This is a Rib-eye steak with its bones still attached. The marbled fat in this steak makes it very juicy and flavorful.
And this makes it a great choice of a steak.
It is seasoned with a mixture of olive oil, Kosher Pepper, salt, rosemary, and parsley before it is grilled on a skillet.
Flank Steak
This is a steak cut from the cow’s belly or abdominal muscles. It is not as flavorful as Rib eye or Tomahawk steak.
But the flavor can be greatly improved with marinating before grilling.
It is seasoned with a mixture of olive oil, malt vinegar, cloves, Chile powder, thyme, oregano, salt, and black pepper during grilling.
After grilling, it is cooked in a herb sauce made from anchovies paste, whole-grain mustard, juiced lemon, fresh basil, fresh parsley, fresh mint, and black pepper.
Short Ribs
This steak is seasoned with a mixture of salt, black pepper, onion, olive oil, garlic, crushed tomatoes, and brown sugar.
You can leave it to rest for 30 minutes to an hour before grilling on a skillet.
Hanger Steak
This tender cut is gotten from the upper belly of a cow. It should be well marinated in vinegar for tenderizing and a juicier flavor before grilling.
You can season hanger steak with a mixture of garlic, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce.
Filet Mignon (Tenderloin Steak)
This cut is gotten from the loin of a cow and this makes it very tender and lean.
The fat content is low as compared to other steaks.
Hence, the cooking does not take much time at all to avoid drying out.
The steak can be seasoned with kosher salt, black pepper, butter, rosemary, and olive oil before grilling.
Strip Steak
This cut is gotten from the short loin area of a cow which can be bought boneless or bone-in.
It can be well seasoned with minced garlic, butter, fresh herbs, and wine.
Tip: You can add chimichurri sauce also if you want to be extra.
Skirt Steak
This steak is gotten from the plate section of a cow’s belly. It has a high-fat content that makes it flavorful and buttery in taste.
You can marinate it in a mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice for 30 minutes before grilling.
You can now season it by rubbing a mixture of garlic paste, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Then you let it sit for a minimum of 2hours before grilling. After which you place the steak on the skillet for grilling.
Sirloin Steak
These are boneless beef cuts from the sirloin section of a cow.
They are tender but less flavorful due to their low-fat content \when compared to other steaks.
Sirloin steak can be seasoned with salt, pepper, herbs, and garlic butter before grilling.
Coulotte Steak
This skinny steak is gotten from the upper sirloin section of a cow.
You can season this steak with a mixture of olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and let it sit for 30 minutes before grilling.
Note: This steak is not as popular as other steaks but it is very delicious and flavorful when seasoned properly.
Denver Steak
This is also known as the Japanese Wagyu Zabuton. This meaty steak is gotten from the shoulder under-blade region of a cow.
It has a high-fat content which makes it very flavorful and soft. It is boneless and you can tenderize it by pounding.
Denver steak can be marinated in a mixture of orange zest, Dijon mustard, orange juice, and balsamic vinegar for 4-6hrs before grilling.
You can season your marinated steak with a mixture of minced garlic, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper and leave it for an hour before grilling on a skillet.
Flat Iron Steak
This cut is also gotten from the shoulder area of the cow.
It has a moderate fat content and is also very flavorful which makes it a popular choice among steak lovers.
Flat iron steak is marinated in a mixture of olive oil, garlic, parsley, rosemary, chives, red wine, and mustard powder and left for 3-4hours in the refrigerator.
It is now seasoned with salt and pepper and left to sit for 20-30minutes before grilling on a pan or skillet.
Flap Steak
Also called the Sirloin flap steak, this cut is gotten from the bottom of the sirloin region of a cow.
The steak is very flavorful with a mineral taste and tender. It is lean meat and very good for marinating.
Flap steak can be marinated in a mixture of water, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, onion powder, red wine vinegar, paprika, cumin, fresh marjoram, garlic powder, ginger, and cloves.
You can season it with the Worcestershire sauce for a highly flavorful taste. It is left to marinate for 2-4hours.
The steak is now seasoned with salt and black pepper before grilling on a skillet.
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Conclusion
I have shown you the best methods on how to season your steaks before grilling, and show you different steaks and the best way to season them individually for maximum flavor.
You need to also remember that it is important to take note of how long you need to marinate and season your steaks before grilling.
I have shown you the best methods on how to season your steaks before grilling.
There is nothing as delicious as a piece of well-seasoned grilled steak.
Whether you are eating it alone or as an accompaniment with other dishes it is super delicious.
Explore these flavorful steaks and let me know what you think.
Enjoy!