What temperature should a grill be for steak?

High-heat searing zone: 450-550°F (230-290°C) direct heat for crust. Medium zone: 350-400°F (175-205°C) for finishing thick cuts. Reverse-sear: 225-275°F low + 500°F+ sear. Steakhouse grills: 700-1500°F infrared for hard crust.

The full answer

Grilling steak is fundamentally about temperature control across two zones: a hot zone for Maillard crust and a moderate zone for finishing without burning. The "perfect" grilled steak requires understanding which method matches the cut thickness — thin steaks burn before they cook through at high heat; thick steaks burn outside before warming inside.

**The two-zone setup (gold standard):**

- **Direct hot zone:** 450-550°F (230-290°C) — coals/burners directly under steak - **Indirect cool zone:** 250-350°F (120-175°C) — no direct heat, lid down for convection

Most home grills can hit the direct zone but struggle with sustained 600°F+. Steakhouse infrared broilers (Aaron Franklin / Peter Luger style) reach 1500°F+ for instant char.

**Grill temperature by method:**

**High-heat sear (thin steaks ≤1 inch):** - **500-550°F** direct heat - Sear 2-3 min per side - Total: 4-6 min - Suits: skirt, flank, flat iron, hanger, ribeye ≤1"

**Two-zone method (thick steaks 1.5-2 inch):** - **Sear:** 500°F direct, 90 sec per side - **Move to indirect:** 350°F, lid closed, until internal 125-130°F - Total: 8-15 min - Suits: NY strip, ribeye, sirloin

**Reverse-sear (thick steaks 1.5+ inch, recommended):** - **Step 1:** 225-275°F indirect heat until internal 110-115°F (45-60 min) - **Step 2:** crank to 500°F+ direct, sear 60-90 sec per side - **Step 3:** rest 5-10 min - Result: edge-to-edge pink with crust - Best method for premium steaks

**Tomahawk / bone-in ribeye / porterhouse (2+ inch):** - Reverse-sear at 225°F indirect for 60-90 min - Pull at internal 115°F - Sear 90 sec per side at 600°F+ - Total: ~90-120 min

**Sirloin / flat iron / flank (lean, fast-cook):** - 500°F direct heat - 3-4 min per side - Total: 6-8 min - Don't overcook; slice against grain

**Hanger / skirt (very thin, hot+fast):** - 600°F+ direct heat (cast iron grate ideal) - 90 sec per side - Pull at medium-rare 130°F - Rest 5 min

**By grill type:**

**Gas grill (typical home):** - Max temp: **500-600°F** with all burners on high - Best zones: 2-zone using burner placement - Preheat: 10-15 min with lid closed - Note: most gas grills can't sustain >550°F long-term

**Charcoal grill:** - Max temp: **700-900°F** with full chimney + lid open - Best for two-zone (coals on one side) - Preheat: 25-30 min after lighting - Note: cleanest sear comes from charcoal

**Pellet grill:** - Max sear temp: **450-500°F** (Traeger, Pit Boss) - Best for low-and-slow + finishing - Sear modes via dedicated grate or "sear ring" - Note: not ideal for direct high-heat sear

**Kamado (Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe):** - Max temp: **800-1000°F+** (with lower vents fully open) - Best of both worlds: low+slow OR sear - Preheat: 20-30 min for high-heat sear - Note: ceramic retains heat exceptionally

**Infrared / propane sear burners:** - Temperature: **900-1500°F+** - Steakhouse-style instant char - Sear time: 30-60 sec per side - Note: separate dedicated burner; not your main grill

**Internal target temperatures (regardless of grill type):**

| Doneness | Pull temp | Final after rest | |---|---|---| | Rare | 120°F | 125°F | | Medium-rare | 128°F | 132°F | | Medium | 135°F | 140°F | | Medium-well | 145°F | 150°F | | Well | 155°F | 160°F |

Always pull 5°F before target due to carryover. Rest 5-10 min for thinner cuts; 10-15 min for thick steaks.

**The crust formula (Maillard browning):**

For optimal sear (deep brown, not gray): - Grate temperature: 600°F+ surface (regardless of ambient) - Steak surface dry (pat with paper towel) - Salt at least 45 min before OR right before cooking (avoid 5-30 min window — that draws out moisture) - Oil the steak, not the grate - Don't move steak for first 2-3 min (let crust set)

**Tools that improve grilling:**

- **Cast iron grates (or grate inserts):** 200°F hotter surface vs. tubular grates - **Thermometer (Thermapen, Thermoworks):** essential for thick steaks - **Infrared thermometer:** measures grate surface temp (different from ambient) - **Lump charcoal vs briquettes:** lump = higher heat, less ash, more flavor - **Heat-resistant gloves:** for managing two-zone setup - **Chimney starter:** consistent coal heat, no lighter fluid taste

**Don't:** - Press steak with spatula (releases juices) - Flip more than once (interrupts Maillard) - Cook cold steak directly from fridge (interior won't reach target by time exterior is done) - Skip the rest (juices haven't redistributed) - Use lighter fluid (gives kerosene flavor; use a chimney starter) - Open lid constantly (drops temp 100°F+ each time) - Grill thin steaks at low heat (cooks through before crust forms)

**Common mistakes:**

- **Too hot for too long:** burns crust before interior cooks - **Too cool, too slow:** gray steak, no crust, dry - **Constant flipping:** Maillard reaction needs sustained contact - **No salt prep:** crust suffers without salt's moisture-management - **Cold steak straight from fridge:** uneven cooking; let temper 30 min - **Not using a thermometer:** doneness is fully temperature-based, not time-based - **Forgetting carryover:** pulling at 130°F = final 135°F = medium not medium-rare

**Cross-reference:** see /pages/what-temperature-for/sous-vide-steak for sous vide approach + /pages/how-long-does/marinate-meat for prep timing + /pages/what-temperature-for/cooking-chicken for protein temperature comparisons.

Most published references (J. Kenji López-Alt "The Food Lab", Steven Raichlen "How to Grill", Meathead Goldwyn "Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue", Cook's Illustrated, Aaron Franklin "Franklin Steak") converge on two-zone or reverse-sear methods with 500°F+ sear temperatures.

Time ranges by condition

What changes the time

• Steak thickness. Under 1" needs direct heat only; 1.5"+ needs two-zone or reverse-sear
• Grill type. Gas tops at 500-600°F; charcoal/kamado can hit 800-1000°F; pellet limited to ~500°F
• Method choice. Reverse-sear best for thick premium cuts; direct sear best for thin cuts
• Surface vs ambient. Grate surface temp may be 100-200°F hotter than ambient (cast iron especially)
• Resting time. 5 min for thin; 10-15 min for thick; allows juice redistribution

Common questions

Sources

We cite primary research, expert practice, and authoritative reference. Higher-tier sources weighted heavier. See methodology.

1. T3J. Kenji López-Alt, "The Food Lab" — Reverse-sear methodology and grilling temperatures with photos
2. T2Meathead Goldwyn, "Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue" — Two-zone setup + temperature science for grilling
3. T2Aaron Franklin, "Franklin Steak" — Pro pitmaster steak grilling temperatures + crust formation
4. T2Cook's Illustrated — Tested grill temperatures with sensory + thermal ratings

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