Perfect Grill Marks
There’s no denying that, they just make food look fantastic.
You can make grill marks easily by following some specific patterns and positioning, and ensuring the heat is in the proper range.
It comes down to heat, timing, and positioning.
When you dress up your meats with grill marks, it tells everyone “This person knows how to grill.”
It allows you to put that thought into someone’s head before they’re even served.
Now let’s learn the different types, then how to make them on every grill variant out there.
Marks On Meat
Steakhouses always advertise their steaks with diamond grill marks, as they branded them on their—there’s laser precision accuracy to make absolutely glorious diamonds on the exterior of the meat.
This is done by positioning your meat at ten and four, just like on a clock.
The meat goes across the grates this way, and then it goes across the grates at two and eight, pressed firmly to a hot 500° F grate for about 1-2 minutes at a time.
Line Sear Grill Mark On Meat
This seems like you just have to ignore the meat on the grill, but there’s actually more to it than that.
Just like with diamond grill marks, you need a seriously hot grate around 500° F or more, so you can hold it down for 1-2 minutes.
This imprints the sear mark across it pretty well. Just take it off now if you’re not going for a diamond mark pattern.
Griddle Marks
These are a little broader, and not quite as dark as the line sear marks.
With a griddle that you would find on an electric grill, crank the heat up to its maximum.
This is usually around 400° F, rarely exceeding 450° F.
Once it’s screaming hot, press the meat to the peaks on the grooves and hold it there.
Because this heat is lower than most other grill types, you might have to sustain this for 2-3 minutes.
Once it’s done, you can choose to go for the diamond marks or keep it as is.
Griddles are larger than the grates on charcoal grills, so your marks will appear more spaced, and without that contrasting black streak that charcoal and gas grills give.
How to Make Grill Marks on a Gas Grill
Heat up your gas grill to about 500° F.
Keep in mind that closing your grill until the built-in thermometer gauge reads 500° F isn’t good enough; the grates need to be your focus. Use a powerful thermometer to test the grate temperature.
Take your cooked meat and firmly press it to the grate. Do not move it around or slide it down the grate at any point, whether you’re going for a diamond mark or simple sear marks.
This will just leave burn marks; you just want the heat from the one section of the grate that your food fits on.
Wait between 1-2 minutes for ¼” thick meats. 1.5-2.5 minutes for ½” thick meats.
Flip over to the other side, but on a different section of the grate so you can utilize all that heat for similar marks on the other side.
Repeat the steps for that side, then set to rest until serving.
How to Make Grill Marks on a Charcoal Grill
Cover your charcoal grill so the heat can build. The grates don’t hold onto as much heat as you think; they tend to ventilate between them, and we need a hot grate to do this.
Remove the lid after about ten minutes and place your meat down on the grate. Use your spatula to press the meat to the grate.
If you’re going for a diamond mark texture, hold your meat to the grate for 45 seconds.
Turn the meat 45° and press for another 45 seconds.
Flip over and repeat step 3. Your meat will have spent a total of 3 minutes getting marks.
Leave to rest, serve, and enjoy.
