Before Slapping A Frozen Steak On The Grill Keep This In Mind

How long does it take to thaw a steak? Too long. Sure, you could thaw meat in the microwave, but is that really the way you want to cook protein? Another option is to cook the steak while it's still frozen. This may not work for all cuts, however. According to Vivian Villa, an entrepreneur who sells a plant-based spread called Unbutter, certain types of steak lend themselves better than others to grilling in a frozen state.

"Steaks of a higher quality (ribeye, T-bone) grill best from frozen as they don't require as long a cook time as a less tender cut (such as skirt steak) due to the marbling," she explained. Bear in mind, too, that skirt steak, flat iron, sirloin, and tri-tip are cuts that should always be marinated before grilling, a step that typically involves thawing. (Should you go this route, check out our easy-peasy three-ingredient marinade recipe.) Villa also observed, "Thicker cuts of steak will fare better in the transition from sear to finish than thinner cuts using the frozen-to-grill method."

If your steak is frozen when you start grilling it, it's important to use the two-zone method. Heat zones, that is. If you have a gas grill, turn on half of the burners (this is your hot zone) and keep the other half off. With a charcoal grill, pile the hot briquettes on one side and leave the other side empty. As Villa advised, "Steak cooked from frozen should be seasoned and seared on high heat, then moved over to indirect heat to finish the cook."

Villa also likes to add something extra to her grill when she cooks steak. She slices open a bulb of garlic, rubs it with oil and sprinkles it with salt, then positions it on the grill grates with the cut side facing down. "Grilling garlic alongside the steak ... will pick up the flavors of the steak as the fats drip down, making it a delicious accompaniment," she opined.

When the grilled garlic cools, you can mix it into a tasty compound butter. As you enjoy your dinner, take a moment to marvel at how well your steak turned out, even if you didn't remember to take it out of the freezer until the last minute.