Just when you thought you’d mastered the art of the perfect steak, a self-inflicted disaster strikes. Moments after grilling that 24-ounce ribeye you’ve been craving, the temperature stalls, the center refuses to budge, and you start to worry that your $25-a-pound piece of heaven is about to be ruined. What went wrong with this barbecue behemoth—and how can you make sure it never happens to you?
The answer lies in one deceptively simple step that many overlook—even seasoned pitmasters.
When it comes to grilling a perfect steak, few steps are as underestimated—or as essential—as making sure your meat is fully thawed before it hits the grill. According to barbecue expert Benjamin Kendrick of Kendrick BBQ, skipping this step can turn even the finest cut—like the 38.6-pound steak he recently posted about on social media—into a near disaster. But as the premier pitmaster explained, even the most catastrophic culinary calamity can be salvaged with patience and creativity.
Recently, Kendrick recounted his experience with that massive 38-pound steak. Despite two days of thawing, the center remained frozen. He seasoned and prepped it as usual, then set it on the smoker for what should have been an eight-hour cook. However, because the meat’s core was still frozen, it stubbornly refused to rise above the desired temperature of 105°F, even after hours of slow cooking. The result? While the steak’s exterior appeared crisp and well-cooked, the center remained woefully underdone.
“There’s no reason why this steak should have gone for eight hours,” he explains, “but being that it wasn’t fully thawed just tells you—make sure your meat is thawed before you go and cook it.”
This mishap highlights a crucial lesson: Proper thawing, according to Kendrick, is about both safety and flavor no matter if you’re cooking on the grill or by reverse sear method. When meat isn’t fully thawed, heat doesn’t penetrate evenly, leading to raw or undercooked sections. Worse yet, such conditions can leave you vulnerable to harmful bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella, which only die off when the entire cut reaches safe internal temperatures. The USDA recommends cooking beef steaks to at least 145°F (63°C) with a three-minute rest for safety—though some prefer a rarer steak—this still requires the whole piece to come up to temperature.
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Smart Pitmaster Tips When Things Go Wrong
Professional pitmasters echo this commitment to temperature precision. Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue pulls steaks off the grill at 125–130°F for a juicy medium-rare, letting carryover heat do its work, while briskets finish at a tender 203°F. Myron Mixon aims for 135°F for perfectly pink steaks and emphasizes the importance of letting the steak “rest” before slicing so that juices redistribute evenly. Barbecue legend Steven Raichlen stresses cooking poultry to 165°F and pork to at least 145°F; he also recommends the reverse-sear method for thick steaks—cooking low and slow before a final high-heat sear—for even, mouthwatering doneness.
All of these experts agree: one of the keys to a properly cooked steak is investing in a dependable meat thermometer and closely monitoring internal temperatures—this is the real secret to grilling perfection.
To make sure dinner doesn’t go awry, the best advice is to plan ahead. Depending on the size of your cut, large pieces of meat may need several days in the refrigerator to thaw completely—so give your protein enough time. For a quick fix, use cold water thawing, making sure to change the water every 30 minutes—but never thaw meat on the counter.
If you discover your steak is undercooked after grilling—just like Kendrick did—don’t panic. Simply slice the meat and return it to the heat, or repurpose it for recipes like tacos or stir-fry, ensuring all pieces reach the proper internal temperature. Compound butters or flavorful sauces can help enhance the finished product.
The bottom line: Give thawing the time and attention it deserves, and you’ll ensure every cut is both safe and delicious. Don’t let impatience sabotage your steak—a little preparation goes a long way toward grilling glory.
And if things don’t go according to plan, don’t fret—there’s always a backup: “The meat doesn’t go to waste,” Kendrick says. “Plenty of tacos are coming.”