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This grilled t-bone steak recipe delivers bursts of juicy flavor from the marbled fat and simple seasonings that allow the greatness of the meat to come through. Flame grilling gives this steak a gorgeous crust and juicy pink center.
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Ingredients
Don't overdo the seasonings on a good cut of beef. This T bone steak recipe is seasoned perfectly to enhance the natural flavor of the meat.
- T-Bone Steak
- Sea Salt (course)
- Black Pepper (Freshly Cracked)
- Garlic Powder
- Smoked Paprika
Seasoning the steak
Take the t-bone steak out of the fridge and allow to warm to room temperature covered on the kitchen counter for 30-60 minutes.
This allows the inside of the meat to heat up and prevents your finished steak from being overcooked on the outside and undercooked on the inside. You want the t-bone to cook as evenly as possible.
Apply the seasoning
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl or add separately to the steak. It doesn't matter which one you do. Use equal parts of each ingredient to liberally cover BOTH sides of the steak.
Grilling the t-bone
I'm grilling this t-bone steak recipe, one of my favorite cuts of meat, on my Weber Genesis Gas Grill (affiliate link). You can use a charcoal grill or a pellet grill if that's what you have at the house.
Grilling or smoking steak is the BEST method when cooking. Whether you are grilling a tomahawk steak or smoking prime rib, make sure to use a good grill or smoker. Do NOT use an oven or stove; it will just not have the same great fire/wood smoke flavor.
Pre-heat & Clean with Onion
Pre-heat the grill to 450-500°F, we want to grill at high heat when cooking steak. Once at temperature, clean the grill grates with an onion cut in half.
- Cut an onion in half (doesn't matter what color onion)
- Rub the onion, cut side down, on the hot grill grates cleaning off dirt and grease
- Discard the onion
This is the best natural way to clean dirt and grime from the grates with the acidic juices of the onion. The antibacterial juices will also sanitize the grill.
Cooking Hot & Fast
When learning how to cook a t-bone steak on a grill, cooking at a high temperature gives the outside of the beef a nice sear that keeps the juices inside this t-bone producing a nice juicy finish.
T-bones have less fat than a ribeye steak, so there is less of a chance of flare up from fat melting down into the flames. So that 450-500 degree fahrenheit is the perfect cooking temp.
Place the seasoned steak on the grill grate directly over the heat source. Close the lid and allow to cook 4-6 minutes a side for a medium-rare finish. The time will depend on the thickness of the t-bone steak.
After the initial 5-6 minutes; flip the steak, close the grill lid, and cook another 4-6 minutes on the other side.
When to Finish Cooking
Determine what doneness you want your steak, this will determine when you pull the steak off the grill.
Choose what doneness you want and pull the steak off the grill 10-15°F BEFORE the steak reaches that temperature on the grill when tested with a meat thermometer (affiliate link).
Example - If you want a medium steak, pull the steak off the grill when the internal temperature reaches 130-135°F.
Resting the Steak
This is an important step in cooking a steak, even though it's technically after you have finished cooking. Simply leave the steaks on a plate on the kitchen counter lightly tented with aluminum foil for 5-10 minutes.
Resting the steak at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat keeping it nice & juicy!
Video - How to Grill a T-bone to Perfection (step-by-step)
Serving & Side Dishes
There are a couple of ways to present this steak to your guests. Either way, the steak will have that beautiful smokey wood flavor that brings out the simple seasoning to perfection.
Presentation
- The first is to NOT slice into the steak and present it in its entirety on a plate with some delicious sides.
- The second is the slice the t-bone on both sides of the center bone into separate pieces. This is definitely more appealing, but very time consuming.
Side Dishes
- Smoked Baked Potatoes - Jerkyholic
- Roasted Asparagus - Pamela Salzman
- Wedge Salad - The suburban Soapbox
- Smoked Beans - Jerkyholic
FAQ
Hot & fast is best. 450-500°F is the best temperature for grilling t-bone steak.
It takes 4-6 minutes a side to grill a t-bone to a nice medium-rare. This depends on the thickness and starting temperature of the steak.
It's best to rest a steak for 5-10 minutes at room temperature to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. This makes the meat for juicy and tender.
Top Grilled/Smoked Recipes to Try!
Ingredients
Steak
- 16 oz t-bone steak
Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Remove steak from refrigerator and allow to warm at room temperature on kitchen counter for 30-60 minutes.
- Season steak on both sides with dry ingredients.
- Pre-heat grill to 450-500°F and clean the grill with a brush and raw onion.
- Place the steak on grill grate over direct heat, close grill lid, and cook for 4-6 minutes. Flip the steak and cook another 4-6 minutes on the other side with the lid closed.
- Check the internal temperature of the steak with a meat thermometer and continue cooking until the steak reaches 10°F LESS than your finished desired temperature.
- Check my image in the post above for finished temperatures to desired steak doneness.
- Remove the steak from the grill 10°F LESS than your finished temp and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Make this recipe?! Please leave a comment and rating. Thank you!
Video
Pro Tips
- Clean the grill with a raw onion cut in half to prevent past grilled residue from sticking to the steak.
- Check propane levels before starting grilling if using a propane grill so you don't run out. I hate when that happens...
- Use an instant-read thermometer to tell when the steak is finished cooking. Cook to temperature, NOT a specific time.
- Allow to rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute within the meat before serving.
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