Grilling steaks on a Pit Boss pellet grill is not an easy job. However, if used correctly, the Pit Boss pellet grill can help you to get good results every time.
Learn how to cook steak on a Pit Boss pellet grill. It is not too difficult to cook the perfect steak. You can even become popular among friends and family with great tasting steaks.
Cooking the Perfect Steak on a Pit Boss pellet grill
Many things can go wrong if you are cooking steak on a Pit Boss pellet grill. Novice cooks, in particular, may have a tough time initially. It is all too easy to char your steak, fail to sear it correctly or to end up with dried steak. But with the right cooking techniques, you can avoid most of these common mistakes. You should use these techniques so that your hard work is not wasted. In fact, you can serve the perfect steak with the right level of sear, juiciness, and texture each and every time with the methods outlined below.
But before jumping into how the steak is cooked, you should also consider the tools needed and the quality of meat that you are buying.
Tools Required for Searing Steak on the Pit Boss pellet grill
You will need some basic grilling gear to get the best results from your Pit Boss pellet grill. An accurate thermometer is a great tool for consistently good results. It should be able to register the temperature quickly and precisely. The Thermoworks Thermapen is good for measuring the internal temperature of meat quickly and accurately.
You can also try investing in grill grates. They are very good for searing your steak and making sure that it does not stick to the grill. You can also obtain higher temperatures with these gratings due to which searing becomes easier.
Preparing the Meat for the Steak
Apart from the right grill and tools, it is also necessary to have high-quality meat for the perfect steak. Beef has 8 primal cuts. When talking about steak the first thing that comes to mind for most people is a marbled ribeye or t-bone. Strip steak and sirloin are also other popular choices. But there is no doubt that the ribeye is the favorite cut for many seasoned grill chefs and connoisseurs. Of course, selecting the cut depends on your own personal preference.
But no matter what your choice, you should pay close attention to how much you want to sear your steak. If you favor rare steak, then you should aim for thicker cuts that are at least one inch thick. With steaks that are thinner than an inch, it is very hard to keep the center rare and the exterior well done at the same time. You can even go for steaks that are up to 2 inches if you are a fan of rare steaks. This type of steak is the best option for a rare reddish center and well seared crispy crust.
While purchasing the steak, touch it on the packaging to get a feel of what its quality is like. The meat should not be too hard and it should have some amount of solid marbling otherwise it will turn out to be too tough.
How to Cook Steak with Pit Boss Pellet Grills
There are basically two options for cooking steaks with Pit Boss pellet grills.
First option. Begin cooking with the hottest grill possible. Sear the exterior and serve. This will allow you to create a succulent, tender and rare center while keeping the outside crunchy, well-seared and delicious. The surface of your barbecue will have the distinctive taste and aroma of well-grilled meals.
Second option. Grill your steak using the reverse sear technique. The smoke will then permeate the entire steak rather than just the well-done exterior.
The First Option
You should allow your steak to rest for at least one hour prior to grilling. Before grilling your steak, you should ensure that there is no moisture on its surface. Avoiding moisture is important since it can start steaming in the hot grill. This will deteriorate the quality of the sear. By ensuring that the surface is nice and dry, you can consistently create perfectly seared texture for your crust.
For this option, you must ensure that your Pit Boss pellet grill is preheated to a high temperature. With high temperature, you will instantly hear a sizzling sound as soon as the steak lands on the grill. Your Pit Boss pellet grill should be preheated to at least 350 degrees Fahrenheit prior to cooking.
When you are searing, you should place your steak on the hottest part of the grill for best results. You should, therefore, aim for the center of the cooking area.
The Second Option
The reverse sear technique is a bit more involved compared to the first option but the results are definitely worth it. It will impart a delicious smoky aroma to all parts of your steak which is simply irresistible.
You need to prepare your steak before firing up your Pit Boss pellet grill. Take the steak out from the refrigerator and using a towel or clean cloth, pat it dry. This will ensure that all moisture is removed from the surface. Remember, moisture can interfere with searing because it will start vaporizing at high temperature.
Allow your steak to rest on the counter for at least an hour to get the best results. But with the reverse sear technique, you can let your steak rest for as little as twenty minutes if you are in a hurry. This is because the temperature of the grill will be lower and thus your steak will be exposed to a lower heat prior to searing.
Preheat your Pit Boss pellet grill to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Once your grill has stabilized at this temperature, place your steaks in the cooking area. Try to put them where there will be minimal direct heat and a maximum flow of smoke. With this technique, we are more interested in smoking the steak at lower temperatures. The uppermost grill rack is ideal for this purpose.
How Long to Cook a Steak on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill
The time duration for which you smoke your steak depends on its thickness. Smoking for around 15 to 30 minutes is sufficient for most purposes. Once you reach the 15-minute mark, make sure that you check the internal temperature using a good thermometer. Keep checking the temperature after every 5 minutes to ensure consistent heating. You should also flip the steak after 15 minutes of grilling.
Keep grilling your steak until its temperature is between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit. At this point, you should remove your steak from the grill and raise the temperature of your grill. The ideal temperature of your Pit Boss pellet grill for this phase of cooking is 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow your grilling grates to reach this temperature before putting the steak back in. Before you put your steak back on the grill, infuse it on both sides with barbecue rub.
After this point, things will start moving pretty quickly, so you must be prepared and ensure that everything is in place. Carefully place the steak back on the grilling grates at a small angle. Continue to cook for another minute. After a minute has elapsed, rotate the steak by 45 degrees. Cook for at least another minute. You can then flip your steak over to the other side and repeat the previous process for this side as well.
At this point, the thickness of your steak will play an important role. Solid medium-rare temperature will be from 130 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit, medium will be around 145 degrees and medium well is about 155 degrees Fahrenheit. How well done you like your steak is a matter of personal taste.
For good searing, you should remove any excess fat that has melted on the surface. Since there may be fat on some parts of the exterior, this practice will also prevent your steak from searing excessively. Removing fat is much easier if you do it prior to grilling and searing. So you should make it a regular practice to trim the fat from the exterior prior to grilling.
Searing Steaks Myths
Some people think that searing is carried out to keep the juices sealed within the steak. In theory, this might appear true, but in practice, things turn out differently. While it is true that a well-seared surface will keep the juices inside, it also consumes the juice and can, therefore, make your steak dry.
So although searing is a popular practice, it should be done carefully to ensure that the steak does not become too dry.
Our Final Thoughts
Learning how to cook steak on a Pit Boss pellet grill will not take you too long to master. You just need to incorporate the aforementioned steps in your routine to get good results.
