Whether it’s Memorial Day weekend or a regular weekend. You’ve likely wondered how do you cook steak on a Pit Boss pellet grill? Well, look no further, I’ll share how to cook the perfect steak that will make your guests mouth water from the juicy smoke flavor.
Smoking Steak On A Pit Boss Pellet Grill
To grill the perfect steak on the Pit boss pellet grill, you need the following:
- Proper tools
- The right cooking technique
- Seasoning or marinades
- Instant read thermometer to check doneness
- The right P-setting
- Rest the steak
- Slice against the grain and serve
This all sounds complicated, especially, if it’s your first time grilling a steak on the Pit Boss. Don’t worry, I’ll cover each step in more detail below.
When you’re done reading this guide, you’ll understand how to cook a steak on a pellet grill. When you’re ready to cook hamburgers on the Pit Boss, I’ve written a step-by-step guide on it for you as well.
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What Spices Go Well With Steak?
When cooking beef, opt for spices and herbs that have a strong flavor on their own, and will complement the strong flavor of beef.
Every cut of steak is different, but many of the herbs that go well with steak are:
- Thyme
- Onion
- Garlic
- Basil
- Cayenne
- Oregano
- Sage
- Yellow mustard powder
If you’re not sure what to season your beef with, then stick with plain ole kosher salt, olive oil, and black pepper.
It’s what I always use whenever I cook my steaks.
Should You Marinate Steaks?
It’s not required to marinate a steak. But most cuts of beef can benefit from the marinating process.
A good marinade will add make the steak more flavorful. Plus a good marinate can help tenderize the meat if you have a tough cut.
I recommend marinating your steak for a minimum of one hour and no more than 24 hours.
Remove From Fridge, and Allow It To Get to Room Temperature
While it’s perfectly fine to throw a steak on the grill while it’s cold. I’ve personally found that it’s best to let the steak reach room temperature, so it doesn’t take that long to start cooking.
You’ll also find it easier for a warmer steak to get that crust (bark) on the outside and the proper internal temperature than a cold steak.
How Do You Cook Steak on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill?
Now that you know how to season or marinate your steak, let’s look at the process of grilling it on the Pit Boss.
Watch the video below to see how I cooked my first ribeye steak on the Pit Boss.
What’s the Best Way to Cook Steak on a Pit Boss Grill?
One of the great things about using a pellet grill for steaks, is you have several different options to cook it.
The option you’ll use will depend on the cut of steak.
Sear
Basically, you cook the grill on high heat on each side, until it reaches the desired internal temperature. A medium-rare steak will take about 3.5 minutes on each side.
Reverse Sear
This technique is for people who want to infuse the inside of the meat with an added smoke flavor. You smoke the meat at around 180°F – 225°F for about 45-60 minutes.
Remove the steak from the grill and increase the temperature to the highest setting 500°F. Once the grill reaches the desired temperature, you finish cooking the steak to your desired internal temperature.
Grilling
You can grill the steak at your desired temperature and close the lid. Ste your timer for 2-3 minutes, depending on the thickness of your steak.
What Temperature Do You Cook Steaks on a Pellet Grill?
Pit Boss recommends cooking your steaks at 400°F/204°C. It’s best to cook steaks on high heat because they cook faster.
This will produce a tender, moist steak that tastes great.
The longer steaks stay on the grill on low heat, it will become tough, and chewy.
Below is a table of the different cuts and sizes and the temperature to cook it on.
| Beef Cut | Size | Heat |
| Ribeye | 3/4″ / 1.9 cm | High |
| New York Porter House | 1″ / 2.5 cm | High |
| Sirloin | 1.5″ / 3.8 cm | High |
| T-Bone | 2″ / 5 cm | High |
What P-Setting to Use for Cooking Steaks on a Pit Boss?
I personally use the P4 factory default setting for most of the foods I grill. If you’re looking for more smoke during the cook, you can play around with the P-setting.
That said, the steak won’t be on the grill long enough to adjust the P-setting. Keep it on the factory default setting and see how it works for you.
Best Pellets for Grilling Steak
As mentioned above, steak is flavorful meat, so you’ll want to use Pecan, Competition Blend, maple, Mesquite, or Hickory.
Put The Steak On The Grill
Once the grill has preheated to the desired cooking temperature, you can put the steaks on it. If the porcelain grates are still in good condition, you don’t have to worry about spraying with oil.
The high heat will prevent the steaks from sticking to the cooking surface.
Use The Meat Probes or Thermometer
Most people will find it easier to use an instant-read handheld thermometer to check the doneness.
They are very easy to read and can be purchased anywhere.
CLICK HERE to see the best selling Meat Thermometers on AmazonDon’t have a thermometer or maybe you want to use a different method to test your steak?
The other day, I cooked some steaks on the grill and couldn’t find my thermometer. I came across this video that teaches you how to use the hand firmness test.
It’s a one-minute-long video and it can save you from overcooking or undercooking your next steak.
How Long Do You Cook Steak on a Pit Boss?
A one-inch steak will take about 5-8 minutes on high heat to cook. While a 2-inch steak will take about 10-12 minutes to be cooked at medium-rare.
Below is a table of the different doneness level and when to remove it from the grill.
| Doneness | Based on a 1″ Steak | Cooking Time |
| Blue Rare | 115-120°F | 2 Minutes |
| Rare | 125-130°F | 7 Minutes |
| Medium-Rare | 130-140°F | 8 Minutes |
| Medium | 140-150°F | 9 Minutes |
| Medium Well Done | 150-156°F | 10 Minutes |
| Well Done | 160-210°F | 12 Minutes |
That said, you should always use the meat probe or thermometer to ensure the meat cooks to your desired internal temperature.
As every Pit Boss grill is different and some will cook faster than others.
Do You Flip Steaks on a Pellet Grill?
There’s a huge debate online as to whether you should flip your steaks or not.
Personally, I flip my steaks after about 6-8 minutes on each side. This allows the steak to get those sear marks everyone loves.
Of course, grill marks aren’t as important as ensuring your steak has good crusting going on. The nice brown caramelized protein crust is what I’m always looking for whenever I grill my steaks.
It’s taken me a while to learn how to get that caramelized protein crust.
I recommend flipping the steaks once. Unlike when grilling chicken, I don’t think it matters how many times you flip a steak.
Resting Period
Once the steak has reached the desired temperature, use tongs to remove it from the grill.
Put the steak on a plate and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. The resting period allows the steak to be as juicy as possible when you cut into it.
According to Spruce Eats, a steak should be allowed to rest for 5 minutes for every inch of thickness.
If you have a two-inch steak, it needs to rest for 10 minutes.
Slice Against The Grain
When the steak has cooled, it’s time to slice and serve. Slicing against the grain cuts through the fibers and shortens them, which makes the steak easier to chew.
What to Serve With Steak?
Many side dishes pair great with steak. You can cook some potatoes, cheesy scalloped potatoes, garlic butter mushrooms, cauliflower, roasted Brussel sprouts, etc.
If you’re enjoying the steak at home and are looking for a good wine to go with steak, consider Cabernets, Syrah, Zinfandel, or a good Malbec.
Final Word
Hopefully, this in-depth guide has taught you how smoke a steak on the Pit Boss grill. The cooking method you use will depend on the type of steak you have and your cooking abilities.
If this is the first time you’ve heard of reverse searing, then just start out by grilling the steak.
Your first steak may not come out the way you want it. That’s okay, keep practicing and before you know it, you’ll be a pro at cooking steaks.
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