Instructions

1. Take a look at how thick your steaks are. The thickness is one of the deciding factors of cooking time. Common measurements are 3/4 inch, one inch, one and a half inch and two inches thick.

2. Grill thicker steaks on a lower temperature; the thicker the steak, the lower the heat you'll use. Turning the heat up too high can cause the outside of the steak to crisp while the middle is still rare. High heat is recommended for steaks less than two inches thick; whereas medium heat is recommended for a thickness two inches or greater.

3. Figure out how you want your steak cooked. If you're hosting guests, get their preferences as well. Options include rare, medium rare, medium, medium well and well. Many people prefer their steaks cooked to medium rare or medium.

4. Cook a medium rare steak (one inch) on high heat for four minutes, and then flip it over. Cook it for another three and a half to four minutes. Add one to two minutes per side to go up a "step" (a medium rare steak to a medium one). Likewise, increase cooking time by one to two minutes per side for each half-inch of additional thickness.

5. Use a thermometer to check temperature. Medium rare steak is cooked to 150 degrees. Add or subtract 10 degrees to go up or down a step.