There are so many ways one can cook steaks on a pellet grill. You can get it done completely on the grill, or use a combination method where you start off on the grill and sear on the pan and vice versa.

Grill masters on Reddit swear by so many methods for the best steak on pellet grill. You can mix and match a recipe of your own that suits best to your tastes.

When we talk about How long to cook steak on pellet grill? We usually use the term “steak doneness.” Steak doneness describes the degree to which we have cooked the steak and it will eventually affect the taste, color, and appearance of the steak. For medium-rare steak cook it for 3.30 minutes per side at 400° on a pellet grill.

Just remember to cook till desired internal temperature of 145 Fahrenheit according to USDA, with the help of a grill steak temperature chart.

How to cook steak on pellet grill?

1. You can smoke your steak on a pellet grill, remove and crank up the heat to 400 F and then sear the steak on the grill again. You can use a cast iron skillet on a grill as well.
2. You can even start on your pellet grill but finish searing on a high-heat pan. You can sear it on the stovetop to reach a medium level of doneness.
3. Smoke on a pellet grill and finish searing on a gas grill!
4. You can finish searing in a broiler which I believe does not provide the best texture but is worth trying once.
5. After smoking on the grill, I tried searing one with a flame torch. Now although extremely tasty, this was too time consuming for a large crowd.
6. You can even finish searing on a charcoal grill with charcoal on top of the steak. I found that to be the best pellet grill steak.

How long to cook steak on pellet grill at 400 F?

This chart shows how long to cook steak on a pellet grill at 400 C.

Steak Doneness	Internal Temp	Grill Temp	Mins per side	Color in Center
Rare	120 F -130 F	400 F	2:30	Red
Medium Rare	130 F -135 F	400 F	3:30	Warm Red
Medium	135 F – 145 F	400 F	4:30	Some Pink with brown surrounds
Medium Well	145 F – 155 F	400 F	5:30	Sliver of light pink
Well Done	155 F – 165 F	400 F	6:30	Mostly brown
Disaster!	165 F plus	400 F	8 – 10 mins	Overall brown

Factors that affect cooking Pellet Grill Steak

To know how to cook steak on pellet grill, you need to understand the variables that affect your steak when and how you cook it. Let’s go through these, one by one:

1. Kind of steak (cut, thickness, fat content)

Ensuring your steak is of higher quality ensures a flavorful and tender dish. A thick steak is preferable over a thin one as the latter cooks and loses flavor swiftly.

Go for more than 1 and half inch thickness. Cuts with bone-in give a meatier flavor, and those with more fat content give a juicier flavor.

Best Cuts: T-bone steak, ribeye steak, sirloin, New York strip.

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Note: If by chance, you have a thinner cut at hand, you can still get the flavorful outcome through the process of tenderizing. This can be done either by:

• Pounding the meat with a mallet
• Salting it an hour or so before cooking
• Marinating it for several days, or,
• By cooking it slowly.

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2. Seasoning

Smoking steaks on a pellet grill is no easy feat. Seasoning can be a game changer in this process. Salt & pepper are your best friends for the best steak on a pellet grill.

Now if you are a steak pro, you can up your game with a basic marinade as well. It not only helps in tenderizing the meat but also brings an extra oomph to your final dish.

Best Seasonings: Olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic

Note: Red meats can soak up strong flavors so go strong!

3. Drying your steak

Always remember to bring your pellet grill steak temp down to room temp and dry it with a paper towel thoroughly for the best steak on pellet grill.

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4. Pre-heating the grill

As I shared my reddit-inspired steak grilling options with you at the start, on a pellet grill you can exercise all those options with ease. Remember to preheat the grill according to your favorite method. This will give you an evenly smoked steak on pellet grill.

5. Searing process

This is the step where you have to be exceptionally patient. Remember some golden rules!

• Be patient!
• Turn the steak only once during searing. Turning it too often will make its juices run dry and give a very uneven sear. Also, never flip for the first minute or so of cooking.
• Thermometers are your go-to for finding the correct pellet grill steak temp. Invest in an internal meat probe to find out about internal steak doneness. Always keep in mind that we cook steaks to internal temp and not to outward appearance or timings.

Note: Keep the lid down while searing or heat will escape from your pellet grill.

Grill Steak Temperature Chart for various steak cooking methods:

1. Direct heat method:

Go high for this method! The best pellet grill steak temperature is 400 C and cook it evenly on both sides. (Remember to pre-heat your pellet grill!)

2. Pellet Grill Steak Reverse Sear method:

This method is best for thicker pieces of steaks on pellet grill. Pre-heat your pellet grill to 225 F and cook for 40 minutes up to an hour to reach your required steak doneness.

Keep checking the internal temperature with a meat probe after the first 15 minutes.

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Then crank it up to 400 F (high) and sear for 2 to 3 minutes on each side for a crusty and best steak on pellet grill but make sure to not burn them from outside.

Important Note for Reverse Sear: Make sure the first phase of low and slow cooking gets you a steak that is 5 – 10 degrees less than the internally done temperature shown in the previous grill steak temperature chart.

So, you can bring it to the optimum internal temp through the reverse sear method. Again, thermometers and probes are your best friends in this process.

How Long to Cook Steak On Pellet Grill at 350? Grill times for various types of steak at 350 F

To know how to cook steak on pellet grill at 350, you need to know what level of internal doneness you or your guests require and go from there.

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1. Ribeye Steak On Pellet Grill

For this approximately 1 inch and ¼ thick piece, grill for eight minutes on each side at 350 F or until the internal steak temp reaches 140 F for a medium rare cook.

A medium done ribeye will need to be cooked to an internal temp of 155 F and cooked for around 10 minutes on each side at 350 F. This piece of meat takes longer to cook due to its thickness.

2. Filet Mignon On Pellet Grill

If it’s one inch thick, cook it to an internal temp of 140 F for medium rare doneness and cook for 4 minutes on each side at 350 F.

To reach a medium level of doneness, cook for 7 minutes per side at 350 F till internal temp reaches 155 F.

3. New York Strip On Pellet Grill

If it’s one inch thick, cook it to an internal temp of 140 F for medium rare doneness and cook for 7 minutes on each side at 350 F.

To reach a medium level of doneness, add another 3 minutes to each side at 350 F till the internal temp reaches 155 F.

4. Sirloin Steak On Pellet Grill

These are thick like ribeye steaks. Cook it to an internal temp of 140 F for medium rare doneness and cook for 8 minutes on each side at 350 F.

To reach a medium level of doneness, cook an extra 2 minutes on each side at 350 F till the internal temp reaches 155 F.

I leave you with this reminder.

REMINDER: WE COOK STEAKS ON PELLET GRILL TO AN INTERNAL DONE TEMPERATURE AND NOT TO THE LOOK, FEEL, OR COOKING TIME OF THE STEAK.