If you're wondering how to cook thin steaks on the Kamado Joe or any charcoal or gas grill, there are a few things to keep in mind in the quest to make a perfect steak.
With meat prices rising, the ability to perfectly cook a thin steak is more important than ever.
My preferred grill for cooking steaks is the kamado grill because they retain heat well and can achieve extremely hot temperatures.
Although my Kamado Joe and other kamado grills like the Big Green Egg can reach temperatures well over 1000 F that doesn't mean you need to cook at that high of a temperature.
What special equipment is required to cook a thin steak
Some will argue that a steak only needs a hot fire to be cooked. Although I can't really argue that point, there is one piece of equipment I use almost every time I fire up the grill. GrillGrates.
GrillGrates GrillGrates are a grilling surface that sits on top of your existing grates. They are made in the USA from hard-anodized aluminum and provide several benefits This is especially true when cooking with charcoal.
When cooking with charcoal, there can be inconsistencies in the heat. This can be because the charcoal is predominantly lit in a single spot and it's extremely hot in that area.
Subsequently, if your grill has a hot spot, that means it probably also has cooler spots too. GrillGrates will smooth out that heat and provide more of an even cooking surface.
Gas grills and pellet grills often have hot and cool spots too. Some are by design, but most are from the grills either being of poor quality or their burners have seen better days.
Using GrillGrates amplifies the heat in the cooler spots and smooths it out over the hotter areas for more uniform cooking.
You can even use GrillGrates to make a wonderful steak in your air fryer or indoor grill using this method.
Cooking veggies on GrillGrates
A thin steak is quite versatile, and it can be just as flavorful and juicy as a thick steak if you cook it correctly.
How do I make a thin steak juicy and tender?
Many types of meat benefit from a simple technique called dry brining.
Dry brining is the process of adding salt to meats and allowing the salt to penetrate before cooking.
The result is meat that is juicier and also much more flavorful than if the salt had not been introduced.
Meathead from AmazingRibs.com does a great job of explaining this in his book Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling.
How do restaurants make steaks taste so good
Restaurants make steaks taste so good a few different ways. They use high-quality beef. They adhere to the same dry brining process we do in this article, and they stick to a consistent cooking method, often using the reverse sear technique.
All of these techniques are simple and can be achieved at home. Just don't tell your local steakhouse that you know all their secrets!
How Long Should I Cook a Thin Steak?
How long you cook a thin steak depends on a few factors. Most people shoot for cooking to medium-rare. Different cuts of beef can cook differently so using an instant-read thermometer to monitor doneness is important.
I like to cook for between 90-18o seconds per side for filet mignon, sirloin steak, flank steak, skirt steak, and even cube steak. But these times can vary especially if the meat is already cut into thin slices.
Sometimes if the meat is super thin, I will simply use a cast iron pan with a little bit of salt and pepper and have had great results. If you have an outdoor griddle the same rules apply and we've had great luck using this method to cook steaks on the Blackstone Griddle.
Thin Cut Grilled Steak Recipe
Equipment
- Outdoor grill
- GrillGrates
- Tongs for flipping the steak
Materials
- 2 tablespoons Kosher Salt
- 1 delicious thin cut steak
Instructions
- Remove steak from the refrigerator
- Season steak with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt on each side
- Allow steak to rest on a plate while the grill is preheating or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator
- Preheat grill to 500F. If using a charcoal grill plan on 45 minutes of preheating time
- Allow GrillGrates to preheat with grill
- Pat steak dry with paper towels
- Place steak on GrillGrates
- Cook for 90 seconds then turn clockwise ¼ turn to achieve beautiful grill marks
- Cook for an additional 90 seconds
- Flip
- Cook for 90 seconds
- Remove from grill and allow steak to rest on a plate loosely covered with foil for 10 minutes, then Enjoy-
Video
If you're looking for a delicious side dish for a steak, check out this Pendelton Whiskey Mushrooms recipe. They are simple to make and pack loads of flavor.
Are "thin steaks" already packaged that way at the grocery store, or do you have them cut from a larger steak?