A steak should be juicy, tender, well seasoned, and well cooked. Otherwise, what’s the point? You may think cooking a steak well can only be done outside on an outdoor grill. You aren’t wrong that the grill offers a sizzling piece of meat bursting with flavor. But that’s not the only way.
Indoor electric grills have come a long way in the last decade. You got your trustworthy George Foreman Grill, reliable Hamilton Beach electric grill , versatile Ninja Foodi grill, and many more. You can make a delicious steak that is perfectly cooked using indoor grills with similar results to what you would get grilling steak outdoors on a gas grill.
You Can Get Great Tasting Steak on an Indoor Grill
An extra benefit is that you never have to fear bad weather ruining the backyard barbecue ever again. Meat lovers keep reading to find out how to cook a mouthwatering steak on an indoor grill. Let’s get grilling.
These basic directions explain the best way to grill a steak indoors. However, you may have to adjust this to suit your indoor electric grill. Always follow directions and safety precautions that come with your grill.
Properly preparing your steak is key to achieving optimal results, no matter how you’re cooking it. The cut of beef you have determines your preparation. Tougher cuts like flank steak marinate for 2-3 hours before grilling.
Softer cuts of meat will be good to go with salt and pepper. For all cuts, you’ll need to pull the beef out of the fridge 30 minutes before grilling. The meat needs to come to room temperature slowly.
Preheat your grill at 425℉ for at least 20 minutes for best results. Your grill may come with a light that shows when it’s preheated, or you may wait until you see smoke.
You alternatively could add a bit of butter or oil to the skillet. The butter will melt, or the oil will shimmer when it’s hot enough.
No matter which steak you prefer, you’ll want to get one close to one inch thick. One inch to one and a half inches is the ideal size for steak. How long you grill depends on how you like your steak cooked.
The steak will cook for approximately 6-7 minutes to reach medium doneness. The time also depends on if you’re using a grill that has one or two skillets. If it only has one skillet, you’ll need to flip your steak over to cook both sides.
The USDA recommends that you cook your steak to an internal temperature of at least 145℉. Check the temperature of the meat using a digital meat thermometer before taking it off of the grill. You can use the temperature to determine the doneness.
It’s better if you pull the meat off when it’s around 5℉ below the temperature you want it to be. The meat will continue to cook for a few minutes after it leaves the grill.
This might be the most important step of the whole process. Let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes under a piece of aluminum foil before serving. This allows the steak to reabsorb the juices, which would be lost if you cut into it too soon.
The cooking length depends on the thickness of the steak, the temperature you use, and the doneness you desire.
For indoor smokeless grills, the best cut of meat to buy is one inch thick. It’s thick enough to give you control over the doneness, but not so thick that the outside blackens before the inside finishes.
Steaks that are thinner, such as New York Strip steak, will cook a lot faster than thicker cuts like flank steak or tenderloin.
The best temperature to use should range between 375℉ and 400℉. The skillet should be hot, but you don’t want it to be too hot because your steaks can burn. You can cook at lower temperatures, but it’ll take more time.
Indoor Grills with Two Heating Elements (Grates) Will Cook Your Steak More Quickly
With this in mind, let’s look at the cook times for each level of doneness.
These times are for a grill with only one modal. If you have two modals, you can cut the time in half. The time may vary depending on the brand of grill you own as well.
There are plenty of cooking methods available to you, even if you don’t have an indoor grill. Here are the best alternative methods.
Using a cast iron skillet is the way to go if you’re only cooking one or two steaks. Using the 4-3-2 method will give you results similar to grilling outside. Preheat your skillet on high heat. Leave it for a while until it’s super hot.
Don’t add any oil and lay your steak in the pan. Press it down flat and cook it for four minutes without touching it. Flip it over and cook it for three minutes. Take it out of the pan and let it rest for two minutes. Four, three, two, and done.
This method is an excellent choice for cooking many steaks at once. Preheat your oven to 350℉ and heat a skillet on the stove over high heat. It’ll be easier to use an oven-proof skillet if you have it. Lay your steak in the pan for two minutes once it’s hot.
Flip it over and sear another two minutes. If you’ve used an oven-proof skillet, transfer the entire thing to the oven. If you haven’t, put your steak on a pan and put it in the oven.
Leave it in the oven for two to five minutes. Take the steak out. Let it rest before serving.
The Reverse Sear is the method from above but in reverse order. It takes longer than the others but is less stressful. Preheat the oven to 200℉ and put your steaks on a sheet. Cook for 20-35 minutes, or until your steak reaches 125℉.
Take the steaks out and put oil or butter on them. Sear them in a pan for 1-2 minutes on each side. Let the steaks rest before serving.
This is the easiest method for cooking steaks, but it takes a bit of time, and you don’t get a nice charbroil. Preheat your oven to 450℉ and put your steaks on a sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Let the steaks rest.
The air fryer is another quick way to cook your steaks inside. Preheat the air fryer to 400℉ or whatever temperature the instructions recommend. Season your steak with salt and pepper and put it in the basket. Cook for 12 minutes and flip the steak over at six.
Yep. You Can Air Fry Your Steak
Cooking steak on an indoor grill is a viable option for making great steaks. It’s not just a backup plan for bad weather. If you follow the steps outlined above, you’ll have yourself a mouthwatering piece of meat.
There’s nothing to worry about if you don’t have an indoor grill or if you just don’t want to use it. There are many indoor cooking options available to you, like the stove or an air fryer. We wish you happy grilling and perfect steak!
