Steaks are fundamental to backyard grilling. Wieners and burgers are great and ribs can be downright heavenly, but when you get right down to it, steak is truth. If you can produce an awesome steak off your grill, you are a backyard godling. Here is how to grill a great steak every single time.

There are two primary elements that go into the perfect steak: selection of the meat and managing the heat.

Selection of the Meat

What sets a barbecued steak apart from the meaty crowd is the cut. Whilst a filet mignon is an exquisite cut of meat, it is not really barbecue fare. You want a steak that will take a good amount of direct heat, has enough fat to char up nicely, will take on some smoky flavor and will stand up to dry rub or sauce. The New York Strip (aka: Shell Steak or Strip Steak) is a classic selection, but it tends to be pretty lean for what you want on the grill.

The best steak for the barbecue is, without a doubt, the Rib Steak. Without the bone, this is can be called a Rib-eye, Spenser, Delmonico or Market steak. Contrary to what the grocery store tells you, there is no such thing as a bone-in Rib-eye – if the bone is in, it is a rib steak. Bone in or not, this is the best cut for the grill. It is tender and flavorful, it takes a little smoke excellently, and it will stay juicy through the high heat of the grill. Having the bone in the steak lends a bit of sweetness to the meat.

USDA Choice graded meat is usually the best choice. USDA Prime is awesome when you can get it, but a lot of that fine, intramuscular fat that you are paying top dollar for may cause flame-up on the grill, so save the Prime for indoor cooking and use Choice on the barbecue.

Managing the Heat

When grilling steaks, the thing to bear in mind is this: hot is good, whether it’s charcoal or gas. Burning meat is not a real danger – in fact you want some char on it, so get your grill really hot.

With a dedicated rag, oil your grill with a little vegetable oil and put your seasoned steak down over the heat. Allow it to cook unmolested for three minutes, then with a spatula, pick it up, turn it ninety degrees, and put it down for three more minutes. Do the same on side two, finishing it to 125° Fahrenheit (F) for medium rare. Then wrap it in aluminum foil and let the carry-over raise its temperature to the medium rare temperature of 130° to 135° F. If you pull your steaks much past 125° F, they will be well on their way to medium before they are finished resting.

Remember, choose the right meat and manage your heat correctly, and you will have terrific steaks off your summer barbecue every single time!