How to Grill a Ribeye

Start by lighting Kingsford® Charcoal, either in a chimney or a free-standing mound of 100 briquets. We recommend Kingsford® Professional for its higher top temperature and consistent burn. To achieve a great sear, be sure to get your grill’s heat as high as possible, around 425ºF for an electric grill.

For a thick ribeye, you’ll want to arrange your coals into a two-zone fire. Replace the top grate, allow it to heat up — all vents should be fully open — then pour cooking oil on a folded paper towel and oil the grate using long-handled tongs.

Remove your ribeye steaks from the refrigerator and let them reach room temperature — around 30 minutes. Trim excess fat to avoid flare-ups and vertically slash the thin piece of fat around the outside of the steaks to prevent curling. Liberally apply coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Flip the steaks and repeat the process.

Place your ribeye steaks directly above the coals and sear for two to three minutes per side. To ensure perfect grill marks, resist the urge to move the steak while cooking. Close the lid to prevent flare-ups.

Once your ribeye steaks are properly seared, move them to the cooler side of the grate. This gives the marbled fat in your steaks a chance to properly render as the meat cooks through. Close the lid until done.

Using a digital instant-read meat thermometer, check the internal temperature of your steaks while they’re still on the grill. For ribeye steaks, the ideal internal temperature is 130°F for medium-rare, 135°F medium, 145°F medium well and 150°F for well done. Keep in mind that meat will continue to rise a few degrees once it’s off the grill.

Pull your ribeye steaks from the grill, place onto a cutting board, loosely cover with aluminum foil and allow them to rest for five minutes.