Bringin' the Heat

• Classic grilling technique calls for a moderately high temperature of about 400 degrees Fahrenheit. If you're using charcoal rather than gas, it'll take about 30 minutes for your coals to get that hot. A grill thermometer is the surest way to know when you’ve hit 400 F, but for a ballpark measurement, you should be able to comfortably hover your hand over the grill for 4 to 6 seconds before snatching it away.

A Thin Rib-Eye

• Supermarket rib-eyes are often cut relatively thin, about 3/4 inch thick. That's a quick-cooking steak that will usually be ready in as little as 6 to 8 minutes depending on your preferred doneness, or just 3 to 4 minutes per side. For a prettier-looking steak, grill the first side slightly longer so it's deeply browned.

A Thicker Rib Eye

• Rib-eyes of 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick take longer, from 11 to 16 minutes. It's sometimes helpful with thick steaks to keep one side of the grill at a lower temperature. That way, if your steak browns too rapidly, you can finish it on the cooler side.

Forego the Guesswork

• The exact thickness of your steak, its degree of marbling and the temperature of your grill will all play a part in determining doneness, so estimated cook times are only a rough guide. To nail a perfect medium-rare – or your desired doneness -- every time, insert an instant-read thermometer horizontally into the middle of your steak and check its temperature.