My husband has been grilling steaks for quite a long time (I obviously don’t want to age him), so I’ve gotten used to having a restaurant-quality steak at home. Over the years, he’s perfected his technique on the stovetop (cast-iron skillet, FTW!) and on a charcoal and gas grill.
As he’s fine-tuned his method, he’s gathered a short list of go-to ingredients that guarantee a perfectly juicy, tender, flavorful steak every time—and now I’m sharing it with you. His secret weapon can be found in the grocery store’s spice aisle (more on that below). With that and a few other key ingredients, you’re on your way to the best-ever steak.
With Father’s Day coming up, consider making a grilled steak dinner as a gift instead of buying Dad another pair of socks or a t-shirt. This simple, dad-approved recipe, courtesy of my husband, is sure to be a hit in your house.
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Kellye Fox
What Makes My Husband’s Grilled Steak So Special
My husband doesn’t use a fancy marinade or hard-to-find ingredients. He cracked the code to the best-ever grilled steak by using a pre-mixed seasoning blend that you can probably find at your grocery store: McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning. The blend has coarse salt, cracked black pepper, red pepper, garlic, onion and paprika. Of course, you could make your own, but why mess with a tested, consistent seasoning blend that’s ready to go?
To go along with the seasoning blend, he adds softened butter, parsley and Worcestershire sauce. The steak is delicious solo, but he often serves it with some quick caramelized onions and crumbled blue cheese. You can skip or swap out those toppers to make this recipe your own.
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Kellye Fox
How to Make My Husband’s Best-Ever Grilled Steak at Home
The method below is for two filets that are about 1/2 pound each and roughly two inches thick, grilled to medium.
Give it some time
Let the meat come to room temperature, which should take about 15–20 minutes, depending on the thickness. Cut 1/2 of a yellow onion into wide slices (about 1/2 inch) and cook over medium or medium-low heat until they’re softened and slightly browned, which should take about 35 minutes. (You can make the onions ahead and stash them in the fridge.)
Season it up
While the onions are cooking, season the steaks. Mix 1 to 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter with some dried parsley and 1 to 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Rub the butter all over the steaks and then season them generously with McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning. (The butter adds flavor and also helps the seasoning adhere to the meat.) Let the steaks sit for 20–25 minutes, and preheat your grill.
Fire up the grill
Heat the gas grill to 350° (medium temperature) and add the steaks. After 2–3 minutes, use tongs to rotate them 90 degrees (without flipping) to create cross-hatch grill marks. Grill for another 3 minutes before flipping and repeating the process on the other side. (You’ll need to cook the steaks for 5 to 6 minutes per side.) For a medium steak, cook the meat until it registers 145° on an instant-read thermometer.
Give it a rest
When the meat is done, remove it from the grill and loosely cover with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes to lock in all of those glorious juices. Once rested, slice the steak against the grain, divide among plates and top with crumbled blue cheese and those browned onions. You can also add some chopped fresh parsley, if you’re feeling fancy.
Kellye Fox
My Husband’s Top Tips for the Best Grilled Steak
Ultimately, my husband’s secret to steak success is simplicity. All you need is a good cut of meat, the right seasonings and techniques, and an empty stomach.
Start with a quality cut
One of the best tips to grilling steak is to start with a fresh cut, not frozen. My husband typically buys his steak from our local grocery store or his favorite butcher shop. Filet mignon is his preferred steak cut, but this recipe is also great with ribeyes or New York strip steak.
Don’t rush it
Although it adds time to the process, my husband likes to bring the steak to room temperature before it hits the grill to ensure even cooking.
Don’t skip on the seasoning
This isn’t a time to be stingy. Sprinkle the Montreal Steak Seasoning generously on every side of the steak to make sure the meat is thoroughly and evenly seasoned.
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