How to grill the perfect sirloin steak

While Chef Elias uses a gas grill in this video to demonstrate how to grill a steak, you can get the same results using charcoal by keeping the grill temperature consistent and covered when grilling steaks.

Before Grilling Steaks

1. Purchase a sirloin steak that is at least 1-inch to 1-1/2 inches thick, with bright red color and abundant marbling.
2. Bring steak to room temperature—removing from the refrigerator at least 2 hours prior to cooking. This will prevent over-charring.
3. Season the steak with salt and pepper or seasoning to preference.

1. Preheat the gas grill on high (500 –600 degrees). It's very important to have the temperature right to grill a steak properly.
2. Place steaks on very hot grill and close lid. This will help the sirloin cook from all angles and sear in the juices.
3. Grill the steak with lid down for 4-5 minutes depending on thickness. When grilling steaks, you need to resist the urge to open the lid and look.
4. Flip steaks after 5 minutes using grilling tongs. Do not use a fork as it will let out all of the juices you are trying to keep in.
5. Close lid and grill the steaks for remaining time until preferred doneness: About 3–4 more minutes for medium rare and about 5–6 minutes for medium
6. Use the “hand trick” to determine doneness of the grilled sirloin steaks:

• Medium rare: should feel like the base of your thumb—spongy with a little bounce
• Medium: should feel like the middle of your palm—firmer with less bounce

Gas Grill (preferably w/ thermostat)

Grilling Tongs

Grilling tongs

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Gas grill

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Hi. I'm Elias Iglesias, executive chef of Morton's Steakhouse, and today I'm going to show you how to grill the perfect sirloin steak. In order to pick the perfect sirloin steak, you want to choose one that's at least an inch to an inch and a half in thickness, one has a bright red color and abundant marble. The marbling is all the specks of fat that run through the steak, and that's going to give you flavor and tenderness.

Before cooking the steak, you want to make sure to pull it out at least two hours prior, leave it at room temperature. That will keep the steak from over-charring once you start cooking. To season the steak, you could use a seasoning salt, or just salt and pepper, whatever's your preference. And make sure that grill is nice and hot, at least 500 to 600 degrees. It's very important to sear in all those flavors with a nice crust, and the only way you're going to get to do that is making sure that it's really super hot.

Once you have that steak on the grill, one common mistake is keeping the top open. Keep that top closed. You want all the heat to stay in and around that steak in order to help it cook quicker and just sear it from all angles. One thing to remember is resist the urge of opening up the grill. Don't flip the steak too many times, either. The one we have in here that's at least an inch and a half thick should take approximately five minutes before it's even ready to flip.

Once you flip it, you'll see that it has that nice crust, and that's what's going to keep those flavors inside. Once you flip the steak, it should take another three to four minutes to reach medium rare, and five to six minutes to reach medium.

And the easiest way to tell when the steak is cooked is with a simple hand trick. For a medium rare steak, you want it to feel spongy with a little bit of bounce, kind of like the feeling at the base of your thumb. For a medium steak, you want it to feel more like the center of your palm, with slightly less bounce and a little bit more tense. A medium rare steak should have a warm red center. And that's how you grill a perfect sirloin steak. Enjoy.