Learning how to grill NY strip steak is easier than you might think; and it’s one of the best steaks to throw over live fire. This guide breaks it down step-by-step so anyone can do it, whether you’re just getting into backyard grilling or looking to level up your steak game. I’ll also show you why a simple compound herb butter takes this cut to the next level, and how it compares to grilling the perfect ribeye.
How to Grill NY Strip Steak Step-by-Step
Step 1: Choose the right steak
Pick a thicker-cut NY strip with good marbling, USDA Prime or Certified Angus Beef is ideal. Thicker steaks are easier to grill evenly, so a cut that’s 1¼” thick is ideal.
Step 2: Pat it dry and season with salt
Use a paper towel to dry the surface of any moisture. Season generously with kosher salt. Skip the black pepper for now—it can burn over high heat and get bitter. Add it after grilling for a better result, unless you enjoy the slight bitterness (many do).
Step 3: Grill over direct heat, flipping often
Preheat your grill for direct, high heat. Place the steak directly over the flame and flip it every 30 seconds. This method builds a crust without overcooking the outside. It also helps cook the steak more evenly from edge to edge.
Step 4: Monitor internal temperature
Use a reliable instant-read thermometer. For medium-rare, pull at 120°F. For medium, go to 125°F. Let tented carryover cooking do the rest.
Step 5: Rest and add butter
Rest the steak for 5–10 minutes to keep the juices locked in. Place the steaks on top of compound herb butter for extra richness.
Step 6: Slice and serve
Slice against the grain, sprinkle on pepper if desired, and serve while it’s still warm and juicy.
Tips for Grilling the Perfect NY Strip Steak
Know Your Steak’s Temperature: Grilling the perfect steak with consistency is impossible without using a reliable meat thermometer. Trust me, this is the one tool I talk about most, and it’s a must-have for anyone who cooks.
Be Careful: We are cooking at extremely high temperatures on this one so use a long set of tongs to flip your New York steak.
Be Patient: Because of the extremely high temperatures used for grilling this steak, the meat will be very tight coming off the grill. The rest period is a must; you’ll lose all the meat’s juices if you slice it too early.
Keep It Moving: Every time you flip the steak, place it on a different spot on the grill grate. This helps with the char.
NY Strip vs Ribeye, Filet, and Other Steaks: How It Compares
First, the NY Strip steak is uniform in shape. Similar to this incredible bourbon basted London broil, but unlike a skirt steak, for example. It’s nearly impossible to cook a skirt steak or flap steak to a uniform doneness because of the shape and inconsistent thickness of the cut.
Second, the strip steak isn’t typically cut too thick, like a filet mignon, for example. The thickness of the filet mignon makes it difficult to cook evenly throughout unless you’re using some of the more advanced cooking techniques.
Finally, the strip steak doesn’t consist of more than one muscle, like the ribeye for instance.
The ribeye cap cooks much faster than the eye of the ribeye, so it’s challenging (but not impossible) to get a consistent doneness on that cut as well.
Why I Don’t Reverse Sear NY Strip Steak (and What I Do Instead)
We won’t be using the reverse-sear method that I am such a fan of on this New York strip steak. A typical strip steak isn’t cut thick enough to take advantage of that technique.
Instead, we will use the multi-flip technique. There’s an old myth floating around that you should only flip a steak one time once you place it on the grill.
That’s not great advice—in fact it’s horrible advice—and it often results in a steak that’s overcooked on the outside and raw in the center, like the steak below.
The multi-flip technique is as simple as it sounds. We are simply flipping the steak often (every 30 seconds or so) and continually placing it on a different spot on the grill grate.
Grilling New York strip steak with this technique, which is great for cuts less than 1.5 inches thick, will result in even doneness from edge to edge of the steak, like the steak below. It’s also great if you’re applying a marinade or sauce to a steak, like this bourbon molasses steak.
Best steaks I’ve ever grilled myself!
I love hearing this, thanks for sharing.
-M
Kalamazoo grill, huh… you boujee…
I sure wish I could say it was mine! lol
-M
I’m not sure what went wrong?? I followed everything exactly and removed them at 115° tented for 5min. They were more rare than medium rare and very tough. I used a gas grill that preheated to 500° and even used my timer for 20sec. Should the grill be left open? I usually grill whole tenderloin and it’s always perfect. My wife bought these NY strips with a couple of T-bone on sale?? The T-bones always turn out perfect but not on continuous high heat.
Hey David, sorry to hear you didn’t get the results you want. There are a couple things at play, including thickness of the steaks, quick read thermometer (some are way better than others) and grill lid. You definitely don’t want to close the lid between flips. I promise this method works well, feel free to shoot me an email with any other questions and lets get to the bottom of this!
-M
Wow!! You made me a believer. I was always a proponent of the 45 degree angle cross-hatch routine, leaving them in place 3-4 minutes. I just tried you method with two prime NY Strips. Blew me away!! Cooked perfectly end to end. Without a doubt the BEST steaks I’ve ever grilled at home. Thanks for the tip.
Thanks for the kind words Jim, so glad you loved them!
-M
Worked great, even though as seniors we skipped the butter.
Hey Tom – I’m so happy it worked out for you!
-M
I’m trying this tonight minus the herbs, because I forgot them at the store!!
Worked perfectly.
Never done the multi-flip as you describe for these, but it turns out that it was a big hit with the family.
I am going to try this method on a 45 year old Weber charcoal grill tonight. I have 6 VERY prime NY steaks. My husband is a butcher at the local grocery store and received some beautiful steaks today so he brought them home. I will let everyone know how they turned out. 😉
I hope you loved them!
-M
I closed the lid between the flips and still got grate results (see what I did there?). We had some grass fed beef and usually they don’t like that high heat as it seems to toughen them up but this time things turned out perfectly. Well worth the effort. My wife and kids were really pleased. Thank you!
Really glad it worked out for you Dan, that’s awesome. Thanks for letting me know!
-M
Been grilling steaks for years and know my way around the grill. I’m not to proud to say, I’m 56 years old and I learned a few things from reading this. Great article
Thanks Al, I sure appreciate you checking this out and the kind words.
-M
Best steaks I’ve ever cooked right here.
Thank you for checking this out Jason, so glad you enjoyed the steaks.
-M
Absolute perfect steaks!
This was exactly what I needed before cooking steaks for my father in law over the weekend. Best steaks I’ve made.
Thanks for checking it out Ronald – impressing the FIL is always a shining moment. lol
-M