How to Cook Steak on BBQ: A Simple Step by Step Guide
How to Cook Steak on BBQ: A Simple Step by Step Guide
This website is independent and not affiliated with Miller & Carter.
To cook steak on a BBQ, bring the steak to room temperature, pat it dry and season it, heat the BBQ until it is searing hot, then grill the steak for a few minutes per side to your preferred doneness and rest it for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. That short method is the whole recipe: hot grill, good seasoning, careful timing and a proper rest. This guide walks through each stage for a general BBQ, including gas grills and standard BBQ principles. For charcoal specific methods, see our guide to cooking steak on a charcoal BBQ (note: this page is published alongside this one and the link will resolve once both are live).
Preparing the Steak for the BBQ
Good BBQ steak starts before the grill is lit. Take the steak out of the fridge 20 to 30 minutes before cooking so the chill comes off the meat. A fridge cold steak cooks unevenly, with the outside charring before the centre warms through.
Pat the steak dry on both sides with kitchen paper. Surface moisture turns to steam on the grill and stops a proper crust forming. Brush the steak lightly with a high smoke point oil such as sunflower or rapeseed oil, then season generously with salt and black pepper on both sides. Keep it simple: salt and pepper let the beef flavour come through.
Thickness matters more than weight. A steak around 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick is the sweet spot for BBQ cooking, giving you enough time on the grill to build a crust without overcooking the centre.
Setting Up the BBQ
Heat is everything. Preheat the BBQ until it is as hot as it will go, which on most gas grills means turning all the burners to high and closing the lid for 10 to 15 minutes. You are aiming for roughly 230°C to 260°C (450°F to 500°F) at the cooking surface.
Set up two heat zones: one side very hot for searing and one side cooler. On a gas BBQ this means turning one or two burners down after preheating. The cooler zone is your safety net. If the steak is charring too fast or fat is dripping and causing flare ups, move it to the cooler side to finish more gently.
Clean the grates before the steak goes on. Scrub them with a grill brush while hot, then wipe them with an oiled paper towel held in long tongs. A clean, oiled grate stops the steak sticking and gives those dark grill marks.
How to Cook Steak on a BBQ Step by Step
Once the steak is prepared and the BBQ is roaring hot, the cooking itself is quick:
- Lay the steak down on the hot zone. You should hear a strong sizzle the moment the meat touches the grate. If there is no sizzle, the BBQ is not hot enough yet.
- Leave it alone. Do not press the steak down with a spatula and do not move it around. Let it sear undisturbed for 2 to 4 minutes, depending on thickness.
- Flip once with tongs. Never use a fork, which pierces the meat and lets the juices escape. Turn the steak a quarter turn partway through each side if you want a crosshatch pattern.
- Use the lid for thick steaks. If the steak is thicker than about 3 cm, close the lid after searing to let the heat cook the centre through, or move it to the cooler zone with the lid down.
- Check with a thermometer. A quick read meat thermometer is the only reliable way to judge doneness. Push it into the thickest part of the steak without touching bone or fat.
- Pull it off a little early. Remove the steak when it is about 3°C to 5°C below your target temperature, because the inside keeps cooking as it rests.
BBQ Cooking Times and Doneness
Times below are for a steak around 2.5 cm thick on a hot BBQ. Treat them as a guide, because every grill and every steak is slightly different. The thermometer reading is what matters most.
| Doneness | Time per side (approx) | Internal temperature (approx) |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 3 to 4 minutes | About 52°C (125°F) |
| Medium rare | 4 to 5 minutes | About 57°C (135°F) |
| Medium | 5 to 6 minutes | About 63°C (145°F) |
| Medium well | 6 to 7 minutes | About 66°C (150°F) |
| Well done | 7 to 8 minutes | About 71°C (160°F) |
Figures are approximate and drawn from widely published grilling guides. Add about a minute per side for every extra half inch of thickness.
Handling Flare Ups
Dripping fat can ignite on a hot BBQ and cause sudden flames. Do not panic and do not spray water on a gas grill, which can spread hot grease. Simply move the steak to the cooler zone, close the lid to starve the flames of oxygen, and wait for the flare up to die down. Trimming thick bands of hard fat from the steak edge before cooking also reduces flare ups.
Resting the Steak
Resting is not optional. Move the steak to a warm plate or board, tent it loosely with foil and leave it for 5 to 10 minutes. During this time the juices redistribute through the meat instead of flooding out on to the plate when you cut. A rested steak is noticeably juicier than one sliced straight off the grill. Our rump steak cooking guide covers resting in more detail for a specific cut.
Gas BBQ vs Charcoal BBQ
This guide covers the general method that works on any BBQ, and gas grills are the easiest starting point because the heat is consistent and adjustable. Charcoal adds a smoky flavour and can run hotter, but it needs more management of the coals and the airflow. If you cook with charcoal, our charcoal BBQ steak guide goes deeper on coal setup and smoke (note: this page is published alongside this one and the link will resolve once both are live).
FAQs
How hot should the BBQ be for steak?
As hot as it will go for searing, roughly 230°C to 260°C (450°F to 500°F) at the grate. Preheat for 10 to 15 minutes with the lid closed so the grates are properly heated.
Should I close the lid when cooking steak on a BBQ?
For steaks up to about 2.5 cm thick, you can cook with the lid open. For thicker steaks, close the lid after searing so the ambient heat cooks the centre through without burning the outside.
How many times should I flip a steak on the BBQ?
Once is the classic advice and works well. Use tongs rather than a fork so you do not pierce the meat.
Do I need to oil the steak or the grill?
Both. Lightly oil the steak before seasoning and wipe the hot grates with oiled paper towel. The oil helps the seasoning stick and stops the steak tearing on the grate.
BBQ times and temperatures are approximate guides only. Grills vary, so a meat thermometer is the safest way to judge doneness. This website is independent and not affiliated with Miller & Carter.
