Grill Steaks For A Crowd Perfectly With This Pat LaFrieda Tip

Grilling even one steak can seem like a daunting task, as there are many mistakes you can make if you haven't already earned your pit-master card (and don't get too comfortable if you have; even experts can mess up). But grilling steaks for a crowd is a lot to manage, especially if one person wants a rare hunk of meat and others prefer it on the medium side. But, according to meat maestro Pat LaFrieda, who is the CEO of Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyor and a featured chef at the upcoming U.S. Open's Flavors of the Open, there's a simple technique that can make this complicated task a breeze.

His advice? "Put meat on in stages so that a variety of wellnesses are produced but all come out at the same time," LaFrieda said. This means starting with steaks that need to be cooked longer (although we're in your corner if you refuse to cook a steak well-done), and gradually adding the others, ensuring that everything hits the table at the same time.

To make sure each steak is cooked to perfection, stagger the cooking times according to thickness and doneness. More well-done steaks should go on first. Continue adding them in intervals in the order of doneness and thickness (thinner steaks won't take as long to cook). Not only will this ensure everything's done at the same time, but it's also better for managing your grill space so you don't overcrowd the grates and risk anything cooking unevenly.

Things can get even trickier if we're talking about cooking steaks for a bigger crowd. Handling six steaks at different temperatures is one thing, but if your dinner party is larger, you'll need to think out a strategy to avoid getting "in the weeds" in your own kitchen. The easiest way to cook for a crowd is prep. Get everything ready as much as possible before firing up the grill. For example, if you're planning on serving the steaks with a peppercorn steak sauce using whole peppercorns, you don't want to be digging around in your pantry and rushing to find the peppercorns while the steaks are getting cold.

Aside from organization and preparation, choosing the right sides can make a big difference. Some sides, like a big pan of scalloped potatoes or mashed potatoes, easily feed a crowd and can be pre-baked ahead of time and reheated before dinner. Other sides, like skewered veggies, corn on the cob, asparagus, and garlic bread can also be made on the grill while the steaks are resting. You already fired it up, so why not use it for your sides, as well?

All in all, grilling steaks (and cooking in general) for a crowd doesn't have to be a headache if you put time into prep, planning, and strategy. Once you pull off a perfectly delicious steak dinner for a group, you can go ahead and buy that "grill master" apron with confidence.