How to Grill Round Steak

Co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano

Last Updated: September 9, 2022 References

Round steaks are cheap, but they are also known for being chewy and lacking flavor. It takes some work to make a round steak tender and more flavorful, but with some effort you can grill a smokey, delicious steak. Round steak simply take more preparation before grilling than more prestigious cuts of meat. If you are willing to tenderize, season, and slowly cook your steak, though, you can end up with a delicious meal.

Ingredients

Servings Size: 4 oz (112g)

Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
Rosemary
Thyme
Oregano
Onion powder
Garlic cloves
Pickled onions
Chopped shallots
Sprigs of fresh herbs to garnish

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing the Meat

1
Trim off edge fat and silver skin in thin layers. Trimming off edge fat and silver skin will help your steak cook evenly and get rid of hard-to-chew bits. Gently slide the blade of a short, sharp knife under the unwanted pieces and slide the blade down to remove the fat in thin layers. Trim fat carefully and in thin layers. Trimming too quickly could end up taking chunks of meat off, too.^{[1]
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- Steak is marbled with fat, which helps keep it moist and tender. Trim away large chunks of fat around the edges, but don’t worry about trying to pick out small veins of fat in the center of the steak. Those will render down as you grill the steak.
2
Tenderize the meat to make it easier to eat. Round steak is a notoriously tough cut of meat, and tenderizing it can help cook it evenly and make it easier to chew. Use a meat tenderizer to pound your steaks until they look ragged but still together. The meat should be roughly 0.5 in (1.27 cm) thick once you’re done.^{[2]
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- Tenderizing isn’t strictly necessary, but it will help make a round steak more palatable once cooked.
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3
Season the steak. There are a number of ways you can season a round steak to help enhance the flavor. The most basic way is to sprinkle a liberal pinch of kosher salt on each side of the steak.^{[3]
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Research source} Other seasoning options include:
- Mixing an even ratio of dried oregano and onion powder along with a pinch of salt and a clove of finely chopped garlic. The amount you need will depend on the amount of steak you have, and how much of the seasoning flavor you want to maintain. Experiment with different blends to find the right option for you.^{[4]
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- Combining a quarter cup (59 ml) of olive oil, a pinch of salt, a sprig of fresh rosemary, a sprig of fresh thyme, and 2 halved garlic cloves together in a plastic bag as a marinade.^{[5]
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4
Rest your steak in the fridge for at least 1 hour. After you have seasoned your steak, place it in a zipper lock bag and compress out as much air as possible. If you’d prefer, you could also vacuum-seal it or cover it with cling-wrap. Then, place your steak in the refrigerator and allow it to rest for at least 1 hour.^{[6]
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- Depending upon your seasoning or marinade, you can leave your steak to rest up to overnight to get the best flavor. Twelve hours is the sweet spot!^{[7]
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- This works especially well with flavorful dry-rubs.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Cooking the Steak

1
Establish 2 heat levels on your grill. Make warmer and cooler sides to your grill to cook a round steak. If you are using a charcoal grill, rake all your coals over to one side. On a propane grill, simply set a single burner to a medium flame. The area next to but not directly over the burner serves as the cooler side. Once you establish your heat zones, allow your grill to warm up fully. This will take 5-10 minutes.^{[8]
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2
Wipe away any large chunks from your marinade. You want your seasonings and salt to stay on the steak. However, larger bits like pieces of garlic cloves or full sprigs of herbs can burn and cause an acrid taste. Remove any large chunks of herbs or veggies from your steak prior to grilling, and drain off the excess liquid.^{[9]
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- Do not reuse your marinade to baste the steak while you cook.
3
Sear your steak over high heat for 60-90 seconds on each side. Place your steak directly over the high heat area of your grill and allow it to cook for 60-90 seconds. Then, flip it with tongs and sear it on the other side. Repeat this process until a crusty brown layer forms on each side of the steak.^{[10]
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4
Move your steak over to the cool side of the grill to cook the interior. Once your steak has a good sear on the outside, move it over to the cooler side of your grill and cover it to allow it to cook on the inside. Depending on how thick your steak is, this could take 5-10 minutes. Check it occasionally to make sure it is not burning or overcooking.^{[11]
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- Flip your steak once about half-way through the cooking time, when the internal temperature reads about 100° F (37.7° C).
5
Check for an internal temperature of 120° F (48.9°C). Since round steak is naturally tough, it is recommended that you cook it to no more than medium rare. This keeps the steak from getting a rubbery texture. Use a meat thermometer stuck about half-way into the steak to check the internal temperature. It should be around 120-125° F (48.9-51.6°C).^{[12]
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- Remember that the ideal temperature range is around 130° F (54.4° C). Your steak will still cook a little while it rests, though, so you don’t want bring it all the way up to the medium rare temperature on the grill.
- If you do want to cook your round steak to a medium temperature, bring it up to 145° F (62.8° C) before removing it from the grill. This will result in a steak that is cooked medium to medium well. Well done steaks should be cooked to 160° F (71.1° C), but this may result in a very leathery or chewy texture.
6
Remove your steaks from the grill and allow them to rest for 10 minutes. Once your steak is at the right temperature, promptly transfer it from the grill to a cutting board. Allow it to rest there for 7-10 minutes. To help keep it warm, tent it with aluminum foil while it rests.^{[13]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Cutting and Serving

1
Cut the steak into thin slices going against the grain. Look at the run of the muscle fibers in your steak. The direction those fibers travel is called the grain. Use a sharp knife to cut against the grain of your steak. Slice the steak up into several thin slices to keep it tender.^{[14]
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- This means that if your grain is running from left-to-right, you should cut your steak from top to bottom.
- Slicing against the grain keeps the fibers in each bite short so that your steak doesn’t become overly chewy and hard-to-swallow.
2
Plate your steak with garnish and/or sauce. Once your steak is cut, it’s ready to go on the plate. You can serve it as-is, or opt to add some sauce and/or a fresh vegetable garnish. Grilled or pickled onions and bell peppers, or chopped shallots and herbs both make excellent toppers. Some sauce options include:
- Chimichurri^{[15]
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- Mango salsa^{[16]
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- A flavored butter^{[17]
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- A red wine reduction^{[18]
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3
Serve the steak while it’s still hot. You want to serve the steak while it’s still warm. Allowing a round steak to cool too much can compromise the flavor and texture. Serve the steak right after it is done resting for the best possible taste and presentation.
- You can store leftovers in an air-tight container placed in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. However, repeatedly heating and cooling the steak will dry it out and make it tougher.