Did you just buy an electric grill and you want to get cooking, but you’re not sure you’ll cook the meat to perfection? Stick to the recommended electric grilling time for steaks, no matter the type of meat and everything will be fine!
To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of meat. But I can’t say no to a nice grilled steak; it doesn’t matter if I eat it with mashed potatoes, salad, boiled peas, or something else. When I have a steak, everything else falls into second place.
A good steak could be the star of your table, regarding the occasion, if you know how to make it. The fastest and easiest way to make a steak at home is to grill it. Since the electric grill is the best option for most, it’s recommended to learn the grilling times for steaks, no matter the type you use: beef, pork, lamb or poultry. Not knowing electric grilling times can ruin your steak and the joy of sharing a meal with your friends.
How to use the electric grill
You can easily grill a steak if you take into consideration the electric grilling time. First, make sure you heat your grill before laying your meat on it. To know if your grill is ready, just hold your hand about 5 inches/13 cm from the heat source. Count the seconds you can keep your hand there comfortably without it getting too hot. If you can’t count more than 3 or 4 seconds it means that the grill is hot enough, and you can throw the steak on it.
These things are good to know, but that’s not the only secret for a perfect steak. Most of all, the electric grilling time for steaks depends on your meat. And don’t forget that electric grills are available in two types: ones with grill surfaces on both sides and ones with only one cooking surface. And, as you can imagine, their cooking times differ.
What’s the electric grilling time for steaks
Beef steaks
Let’s consider the electric grilling time for steaks that have 1-inch thickness. The required time for a 1-inch boneless sirloin steak, on a covered grill, it’s between 5 and 11 minutes, depending on how cooked you want your steak: for medium rare, it’s 5-7 minutes, for a medium it’s 7-9 minutes, and for well done 9-11 minutes. The same piece of meat cooks on an uncovered grill between 12 and 21 minutes: for medium rare – 12-15 minutes, for medium – 15-18 minutes, and for well done – 18-21 minutes. If you’re using an uncovered electric grill, make sure you turn your steak over halfway through the cooking process.
If you want, you can use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. This should be 145 degrees Fahrenheit/62 degrees Celsius for medium rare, but increases for medium (160F/71C) and well done (170F/76C), according to Pasco County Extension, an off-campus branch of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
Still, don’t panic if you don’t have a thermometer, you can still grill your meat without one. Respect the standard electric grilling time for steaks. If you want to test the cooking progress, the best way you can do it at home is to cut the steak in a spot that’s not too noticeable and peek inside.
A 1-inch thick steak of boneless rib eye, tenderloin, or top loin steak will be ready on a covered grill in 4 to 10 minutes (medium rare – 4 to 6 minutes; medium – 6 to 8 minutes, and well done – 8 to 10 minutes). If you put the steak on an uncovered grill, the times will be 8 to 18 minutes (medium rare – 8 to 12 minutes; medium – 12 to 15 minutes, and well done – 15 to 18 minutes).
Pork steaks
If you think that grilling beef, poultry, and pork is the same thing, you’re quite wrong! First of all, the steaks you buy at the butcher’s have different degrees of thickness. Also, the texture and the fat of the meat are different, and so the steak will cook differently.
For a medium 3/4-inch boneless loin chop grilled on a covered grill, you need between 6 and 10 minutes. When it comes to pork, the term ‘medium rare’ doesn’t apply, because you should always cook pork ‘well done.’ So, for medium, grill it for 6 to 8 minutes, and for well done – 8 to 10 minutes.
On an uncovered grill, cook it between 12 and 18 minutes, depending on your taste: 12-15 minutes for medium and 15-18 minutes for well done. Remember to turn your steak over when you reach half of the grilling time!
Chicken breast
When you want a low-fat steak, you can confidently go for chicken breast. Especially boneless and skinless chicken breast. Chicken is the easiest meat to grill because you don’t have to worry about making it medium or well done. Just grill it for 4 to 6 minutes if you have a covered grill, and for 12 – 15 minutes if you have an uncovered one. It’s that simple!
Lamb steaks
A medium lamb rib or loin chop (with 1-inch thickness) cooked on a covered grill needs 6 to 8 minutes to be medium done, and 8 to 10 minutes to be well done. As for using an uncovered grill, the time is, obviously, longer: 12-15 minutes for medium, and 15-18 minutes for well done.
Before you grill your steaks
Before grilling your steaks, make sure you trim the excess fat and the silver skin from your steaks. Season the meat the way you like it. It’s not necessary to grease your electric grill because the remaining steak fat will melt and will produce some grease that you’ll use instead of oiling the grill.
You should know that grilling times for steaks are always estimates because there are many other factors that affect grilling. The thickness of the steak is just one of them. The temperature of the meat before throwing it on the grill is another. If your steaks are frozen, take them out the day before you plan on cooking them and thaw them in the refrigerator.
Now you know the electric grilling time for steaks. You may also want to read: Fire Up the BBQ: Grilling Myths to Turn to Ash.
