You’re grilling steaks at a neighbor’s house.

He’s pressing down on the steaks, letting all the juice run off the steaks and into the coals.

You’re cringing and squelching the desire to grab the spatula out of his hands and do those steaks right.

But you resist. He’s a neighbor, after all. And you’ve gotta live near him.

Grilling steak is your “thing” and everybody knows it. Someone needs a rockin’ steak recipe and they come to you because you know what you’re doing.

You just might be a “steak enthusiast.”

So what is a steak enthusiast? Here’s a check list that just might describe you:

1. You care about your steaks.
2. You study the best methods of cooking steak.
3. You choose quality meat.
4. You know the difference between a filet mignon and a ribeye.
5. You know which cooking method works best for each cut.
6. You DO NOT press down on the steaks with your spatula.
7. You understand seasoning.
8. You know to let your steaks rest before serving.
9. People talk about your steaks.
10. You daydream about the next time you’re going to cook some steaks.

So, do you think you’re a steak enthusiast?

You’re reading this blog, aren’t you? I’d say that’s an excellent start!!!

What are the most popular steaks?

Depends on who you ask.

There are all types of steak rankings, but American food expert John Mitzewich puts them in this order:

1. Ribeye
2. Kansas City Strip Steak
3. Filet Mignon
4. T-bone Steak
5. Porterhouse Steak
6. Flank Steak
7. Top Sirloin Steak

And no matter what order you rank them in, it’s pretty likely each one of these cuts will make the list.

My favorite has always been the ribeye for its extremely flavorful taste. Bone-in or out, it’s a winner in my book.

Filet mignon seems to be popular with the ladies. It’s delicate, tender and if you buy the right quality you can cut it with a fork. It’s the #1 customer favorite at The Kansas City Steak Company – so much so that they’ve designated August as Filet Mignon Month.

KC strips are perfect for grilling, along with T-bones and Porterhouse. And Top Sirloin is the way to go when you’re making steak sandwiches.

Flank steak is delicious for Mexican dishes like fajitas, tacos and more.

So what are the steaks that are most popular with YOU? Because, really, the best cut of steak is the one you enjoy.

When grilling steak, you’ve got to master the art of using direct heat AND indirect heat. A combination of the two is best when you’re cooking steak.

Direct heat is just that – placing the meat directly above the heat source (the flame on a grill). The lid is open and this method is best used to first sear the steaks. Yum!

After the searing over direct heat is done, you can move to indirect heat. That’s when you use the reflected heat to cook the meat with the lid closed. Use the area of the grill set up for this – many times the center of the cooking grate. The meat is not directly over a flame but is getting cooked good and juicy.

But the more you open the lid the longer it takes when using indirect heat. Keep that in mind.

Really great steaks require both direct and indirect heat to make them truly special. And the extra time it takes makes all the difference in your final product.

So get out there and use that direct and indirect heat to your advantage this grilling season!