The Top 5 Most Common “Mis-steaks” and How to Avoid Them

From the Grilling Gurus of KC Steaks

There are few things more tragic than a world-class cut of meat being ruined by sub-par preparation.

It’s like trying to restore a work of fine art using finger paints.

It should go without saying that we’re passionate about our meat at The Kansas City Steak Company. And with that passion comes a profound respect, and a desire to see them done right.

Just not done well. 

So, to help defend the honor and integrity of our beloved steaks (and burgers), we asked our longtime employees to share with you five of the most common ways that novice grill masters ruin their steaks:

1. Go Overboard with the Sauce and Seasonings – A high-quality steak earns that distinction based on just a few simple qualities: texture, tenderness, and So burying all that rich, steak flavor under a mountain of rosemary defeats the purpose of a prime cut all together.
2. Overlook and Undercook: Missing the Hotspots Beneath Your Meat – Many a grill will go out of whack from time to time. Uneven burners can lead to hot spots, where small sections of the grill reach significantly higher temperatures than rest. Want an easy way to test and locate your hotspots? Put some white bread on the grill and let it toast up for a bit. Flip it over and what you have is essentially a heat map of your grill surface. If you see certain spots that are a whole lot darker than others, it’s time to get your grill fixed.
3. Go Straight from the Fridge to the Fire – Throwing a cold cut of meat directly onto a hot grill is a surefire way to sabotage your steak. Instead, take your steak out of the fridge a good 60 minutes before putting it on the grill. Doing so will help make sure that the inside of the steak cooks through long before charring the exterior.
4. Poke, Prod, and Flip Too Much – That 16 oz. Boneless Ribeye on your grill doesn’t want to break dance. The more times you flip it, spin it, and poke it around, the more likely it is to lose a lot of its juices and, therefore, flavor. Use a thermometer and patience to make sure you only flip your steak once or twice before plating it.
5. Cut in Right Away – Once again, patience is a virtue. After taking your steak off the grill, be sure to give it at least 5 minutes to rest (and ideally 10) before cutting in. Sink your knife in too soon and you’ll be saying goodbye to all those delicious, mouth-watering juices that make thick, hardy cuts like the Porterhouse so perfect.

So, there you have it. Five of the most common “mis-steaks” that amateur grillers make when wielding the spatula and tongs.

Respect the meat. Respect your stomach. Grill your KC Steaks the right way.