How to Grill Strip Steak Perfectly
Updated Aug 25, 2025
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Master the art of grilling New York Strip Steaks – get a mouthwatering, caramelized crust and a rosy, juicy inside every time using these simple but effective grilling techniques. From choosing the right thickness to resting the cooked steak, this beginner-friendly guide helps you grill steaks like a pro.
If you’ve ever wanted to master the art of grilling New York Strip steak, this is your moment. A strip steak (sometimes called a shell steak or Kansas City steak) is prized for its balance of tenderness and bold, beefy flavor. The secret to getting it just right? Start with a thick-cut steak, season it simply with salt and pepper, and grill it hot and fast until it develops a beautifully caramelized crust with a juicy, rosy center. With a few smart techniques – using high heat, flipping at the right time, and checking with a meat thermometer if you have one – you’ll be pulling off restaurant-quality strip steaks in your own backyard.
For a delicious grilled dinner in summer, serve your New York strip steaks with Steakhouse Tomato Salad, Grilled Vegetable Kabobs, Bulgur Wheat Salad, and Grilled Corn.
What's In This Post?
- How to Buy NY Strip Steaks
- How to Grill NY Strip Steak
- The Perfect Thickness for Grilling NY Strip Steaks
- How Long to Grill NY Strip Steaks
- Grilled Strip Steak Know-How
- Grilled New York Strip Steak Recipe
- Steak Doneness Guide
- Steak Portions
- Storage and Leftovers
- What to Serve With New York Strip Steak
- More NY Strip Steak Recipes
How to Buy NY Strip Steaks
If you have a choice and can discuss it with the butcher (and in a perfect world, you should buy freshly cut steaks from a butcher — in the ultimate world, you will develop a relationship with that butcher, who might give you the best cuts, and some good steak cooking tips!), try to get a strip steak from the rib end of the tenderloin.
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Buy the best grade of beef you can afford. USDA Prime is the top of the range, with only about 2% of the beef in this country earning that label. Prime beef has nice fat marbling throughout, giving beef steaks their incredible flavor, not to mention tenderness. USDA Choice comes after that. Within Choice, there are different levels, so once again, ask your butcher what is best behind the meat counter that day. The grade Select is below Choice, and will be leaner still.
A freshly cut NY strip steak should be a pretty bright red color and have no dark spots. It will turn a more brownish red as it ages, which doesn’t mean it’s bad, just that it was not cut as recently, and exposure to oxygen causes the meat to darken. Steer clear of any steak with an odor that is slightly sour or anything but fresh.
Other Names for Strip Steak
New York Strip may be called different things, depending on where you are having your steak discussion. You may see it labeled as Kansas City Strip, Omaha Strip, Club Steak, Strip Loin Steak, shell steak, or Top Loin Steak.
How to Grill NY Strip Steak
- Preheat the grill to high. Carefully oil the grill rack.
- Grill the steaks. See the cooking time chart below. Turn once about halfway through the cooking time for simple grill marks on each side. Or, turn the steaks every 2 minutes or so three times so that you achieve cross-hatch grill marks (turn the steaks 90 degrees as you flip them).
- Remove the steaks from the grill to a cutting board. Let sit for a few minutes before slicing or serving them.
The Perfect Thickness for Grilling NY Strip Steaks
You can grill a NY Strip steak of any thickness successfully, but there is a sweet spot of thickness. Here are tips for grilling steaks of varying thicknesses:
I think a 1 1/2-inch thick steak is the perfect thickness for grilling and the most forgiving. You will have the best chance of getting the interior cooked to whatever rosy pink level of doneness you are after (see chart below) and a beautifully caramelized exterior.
If you have NY strip steaks that are thicker than 1 1/2 inches, don’t let the grill heat get too high, or the outside of the meat might get too charred before the inside is cooked to your liking. You can also flip these steaks a total of three times as you cook them, turning the steak a quarter turn with every flip. This will result in those tempting cross-hatched grill marks.
If you are cooking thinner steaks on the grill, 1-inch or less, only flip them once. This allows the outside to sear up before the steaks overcook. Keep the heat fairly high so the outside has a chance to sear before the inside gets too well done.
How Long to Grill NY Strip Steaks
You want to grill the steaks over direct high heat and, ideally, use an instant-read thermometer to check the temp. These times and internal temperatures take into account the resting time: the temperature of the meat will continue to climb by several degrees once the steak is removed from the heat to a cutting board. You can read my comprehensive guide to using the touch method to determine the doneness of your steaks.
| Thickness | Doneness | Time on each side |
| 1/2 inch thick | Rare (125 F) | 1-2 minutes per side |
| 1/2 inch thick | Medium-Rare (130 F) | 2-3 minutes per side |
| 1/2 inch thick | Medium (135 F) | 3-4 minutes per side |
| 1 inch thick | Rare (125 F) | 3-4 minutes per side |
| 1 inch thick | Medium-Rare (130 F) | 4-6 minutes per side |
| 1 inch thick | Medium (135 F) | 6-8 minutes per side |
| 1 1/2 inches thick | Rare (125 F) | 5-6 minutes per side |
| 1 1/2 inches thick | Medium-Rare (130 F) | 6-8 minutes per side |
| 1 1/2 inches thick | Medium (135 F) | 8-9 minutes per side |
Grilled Strip Steak Know-How
A New York strip steak that’s about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick is the sweet spot. Thin steaks cook too quickly and can dry out before you get that gorgeous crust. Thicker cuts give you time to control the doneness and nail that rosy center, while developing a crusty exterior.
Start with the lid open for the initial sear (high heat, quick browning). For rare to medium-rare, you should keep the lid open the whole time. For medium to medium-well, you’ll want to close it for the last few minutes of grilling time.
Nope! Strip steak is tender and flavorful on its own. A simple salt and pepper rub is classic. If you love a marinade, make it a quick soak – you don’t want to overpower the natural flavor of the beef. Try Marinated and Grilled Strip steaks if you want to go in that direction.
Resting a steak allows the juices to redistribute in the steak instead of spilling onto your cutting board. That means a juicier bit every time. Read all about resting steaks in this comprehensive guide to getting perfect grill marks, and the why letting your steaks rest matters
Yes, use a cast-iron skillet or a grill pan over high heat. You won’t get the same smoky flavor as charcoal or gas grilling, but you will get a beautiful crust.
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Grilled New York Strip Steak
Equipment
Ingredients
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 2 (1 1/2-inch thick) New York strip steaks (about 10 ounces each)
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to high. Carefully oil the grill rack.
- Season the steaks generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill the steaks, turning once after 5 minutes, and cooking for about another 5 minutes for medium-rare to get simple grill marks on each side. Or, turn the steaks three times in total so that you achieve cross-hatch grill marks (turn the steaks 90 degrees as you flip them), until the steaks are done to your liking. For thinner steaks, reduce the grilling time; for thicker steaks, increase the time and consider using indirect heat to avoid burning the outside before the inside is done.This should take about 12 minutes total for rare (125 F internal temperature when you remove them from the grill), 14 minutes for medium-rare (130 F internal temperature), and 16 minutes (135 F for medium). The temperature will continue to rise as the steaks rest after you pull them from the heat, which will get you to the intended level of doneness.
- Remove the steaks from the grill to a cutting board. Let sit for 5 minutes before cutting into them or serving them. You can also leave the steaks on the cutting board for 5 minutes, then slice and serve the steak sliced.
Notes
Steak Doneness Guide
- Rare: 125 F
- Medium-rare: 130–135 F
- Medium: 140–145 F
- Medium-well: 150–155 F
- Well-done: 160 F
Steak Portions
You should plan on about 5 to 6 ounces of steak per person. Grill up extra if you know you have big eaters or hungry steak lovers! And leftover steak is excellent sliced and added to Greek Salad, Caesar Salad, grain bowls, and steak and cheese quesadillas, so better to make a little too much. A typical 10-ounce strip steak can comfortably serve two people, especially when sliced and served with sides. Adjust the number of steaks based on your guests’ appetites and the size of the steaks you have.Storage and Leftovers
- You can keep an uncooked strip steak wrapped in its original packaging in the refrigerator for 4 or 5 days if you’ve purchased it from a place with high turnover and fresh meat (which, of course, you should always do!).
- If you plan to freeze the steaks, remove them from their packaging the day you buy them, then wrap them well in plastic wrap and slide the wrapped steaks into freezer-proof zipper top bags. Press out any excess air, then seal and freeze for up to 9 months. Make sure to label the package with the name and date.
- Leftover cooked steak can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days, as long as it was cooked when it was quite fresh. You can slice the steak and add it to various salads and bowls, or warm it up on the grill, in the microwave, or in the oven, just until warm.
Nutrition
What to Serve With New York Strip Steak
Besides pairing the steaks with the perfect sides, you can also think about topping them with a flavored or compound butter, as pictured above and below! Try the thyme-garlic butter from this ribeye steak recipe or the tarragon-caper compound butter from this beef tenderloin recipe.
Katie, reference your comment to rotate the steaks 90 degrees to get a diamond pattern of grill marks on the steak, I take objection to. If you rotate the steak 90 degrees, you’ll get a crisscross square pattern where the grill mark lines are at 90 degrees to each other. I recommend a 45-60 degree rotation for the best presentation.