How to Grill a Delmonico Steak

There is nothing like grilling a big, thick steak over charcoal.

The Delmonico steak is truly a unique cut and one every pitmaster should experience at least once.

Grilling a thick steak can be intimidating, but if you watch the temps and time and rest properly, you will be rewarded with an incredible meal. 

Grilled Delmonico Steak

Ingredients you’ll need

• Delmonico steak – For this recipe, I’m using a bone-in Delmonico from Snake River Farms.
• Kosher salt
• Pepper – black, freshly ground

Equipment you’ll need

• Charcoal grill
• Charcoal chimney starter
• Tongs
• Instant read thermometer

What is a Delmonico steak?

The Delmonico steak is cut from the loin section where the Ribeye ends and the New York Strip begins and is served as a thick cut of around 2-3″.

Only two are sourced from each cow, one from each side, making it a unique and rare cut. 

Delmonico’s restaurant in New York City made the Delmonico steak popular during the mid-19th century.

The one I cooked was almost three inches thick and had great marbling. The steak came out tender, full of flavor, and was enough to feed four starving people. 

Pros and cons of cooking a Delmonico steak:

Pros:

• Leaner than a Ribeye.
• More affordable per pound. 
• Available in thick cuts.
• Can be bone-in or boneless. 

Cons:

• Not as tender as Ribeye.
• The flavor may be too intense for some people.
• This cut can be hard to find.

Things to remember when grilling a Delmonico steak

• It’s a MUST to reverse searing – because the steak is so thick, reverse searing is really the only way you can grill a steak like a Delmonico.
  
  If you aren’t familiar with the process, reverse searing is where you cook the steak over indirect heat first and then sear it last to finish.
  
  Grilling a thick steak over direct heat is not an option, as you will burn the outside, and the inside will be undercooked. 

• Factor in a longer cook time – make sure you account for a longer cook time when grilling the Delmonico.
  
  Depending on what temperature you reverse sear will affect how long it will take. My grill was between 250-275°F, and it took 1½ hours from start to finish.
  
  It’s good to have an instant read thermometer to keep an eye on the internal temps to ensure you are on the right track, as every steak will vary in time. 
  
  
• Rest for longer – bigger and thicker steaks require a longer resting period. A thinner steak may only require 5-10 minutes, whereas a thicker cut like the Delmonico should rest for 15-20 minutes.
  
  Also, keep in mind that the internal temperature of the steak could rise as much as 10°F during the resting period, so make sure you factor that in. 

How to grill a Delmonico steak

1. Season

Season your steak generously with salt and pepper.

Let it sit and come up to room temperature.

2. Fire up the grill

For this cook, I used my PK360 with Fogo charcoal.

Set up the grill for two-zone cooking, banking the lit charcoal on one side.

Once the grill hits 275°F, adjust the vents accordingly to lock in the temperature.

Placed the Delmonico steak on the opposite side of the coals to reverse sear. 

My steak took about 1½ hours to get to 120°F. I added a small chunk of hickory wood while the steak was cooking to add a little smoke flavor.

Once the steak reaches 120°F, open the lid on the grill and let the coals get hot.

Sear the steak directly over the flames, flipping it several times to develop a nice crust. Once the steak reaches 130°F, remove it to rest. 

4. Rest

To rest, loosely tent a little foil on top and wait about 15-20 minutes. The thicker the steak, the longer the rest should be. 

During the resting process, the steak will continue cooking and rise in temperature. Once the steak has properly rested, cut along the bone to remove and cut the steak against the grain for the perfect, tender bite. 

Looking for more big pieces of meat to grill

• Smoked Prime Rib Roast
• Brisket in the Electric Smoker
• Smoked Rack of Pork
• Twice Smoked Spiral Ham
• Competition Style Pork Butt
• Smoked Whole Turkey