Grill Meat Recipe

Trim and rest

Remove meat from the refrigerator 20–30 minutes before cooking to come to near room temperature. Trim excess fat or silver skin if needed and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Dry surface promotes better sear.

Make marinade

In a medium bowl whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, lemon juice, brown sugar, smoked paprika, black pepper, kosher salt, and chopped rosemary or thyme (if using). Ensure sugar dissolves and ingredients are well combined.

Marinate

Place the meat in a shallow dish or zip-top bag. Pour marinade over the meat, turning to coat evenly. For steaks: marinate 30 minutes to 2 hours. For pork chops: marinate 30 minutes to 4 hours. Do not marinate longer than 8 hours to avoid texture changes from the acid.

Clean and oil the grill grates. Preheat a gas grill to medium-high (about 450–500°F / 230–260°C) or prepare a charcoal grill with even hot coals. If using a two-zone fire, bank coals to one side to create a hot direct-heat zone and a cooler indirect zone.

Remove meat from the marinade and let excess drip off. Pat lightly with paper towel to remove excess wet marinade (this reduces flare-ups and improves sear). Lightly brush both sides with the neutral oil.

Sear on direct heat

Place meat on the hottest part of the grill directly over the flame or coals. For 1–1¼ inch steaks: sear 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare (internal temp 125–130°F / 52–54°C), 4–5 minutes per side for medium. For pork chops of similar thickness: sear 4–5 minutes per side and cook until internal temp reaches 145°F (63°C). Resist the urge to press down on the meat.

Finish to temperature

If the exterior is done but the interior needs more time, move the meat to indirect heat (cooler side) and close the grill lid. Continue cooking, checking internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer every few minutes until desired doneness is reached (see temperatures above).

Optional butter baste

In the last 1–2 minutes of cooking, place a tablespoon of butter on each piece of meat and close the lid briefly to melt and baste. This adds richness and gloss.

Transfer meat to a clean cutting board or platter and loosely tent with foil. Rest steaks 5–10 minutes (pork chops 5–7 minutes) to allow juices to redistribute. Resting time depends on thickness—thicker pieces need more time.

Slice steaks across the grain if serving sliced. Finish with chopped parsley or herbs and serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over if desired. Adjust seasoning with a pinch of flaky sea salt and extra black pepper to taste.