New York Strip Steak: Juicy Steakhouse Recipe at Home

A New York strip steak is the steakhouse classic: firm, beefy and well marbled, with a strip of fat along one edge that crisps on the grill. This recipe shows you how to choose a good strip, salt it ahead, and grill it over two heat zones so you get a dark, crusty outside and an evenly pink center, then top it with a quick garlic herb butter that melts into every slice. It’s a simple NY strip steak recipe that tastes like a night out.

Below you’ll find what the strip steak is and how to buy one, the ingredients, step-by-step grilling instructions, a doneness chart, tips, variations and storage. The printable recipe card is at the bottom.

What Is a New York Strip Steak?

The New York strip comes from the short loin, a muscle along the back of the cow that does little work, so it’s naturally tender. It’s the larger side of a T-bone or porterhouse, cut off the bone. Depending on the store and region, you’ll see it labeled strip steak, NY strip, top loin steak, Kansas City strip (often bone-in) or strip loin steak.

• Flavor and texture: beefier and a bit firmer than ribeye, with less fat inside the meat but a clear fat cap along one side.
• Versus ribeye: ribeye is richer and more marbled; strip is leaner, more even in shape and easier to cook evenly.
• Versus filet mignon: filet is softer but milder; strip has more flavor.

How to Choose a Good Strip Steak

• Thickness: buy steaks 1¼ to 1½ inches (3 to 4 cm) thick. Thin steaks overcook before they brown.
• Marbling: look for thin white flecks of fat through the red meat. More marbling means more flavor and juiciness.
• Grade: USDA Prime has the most marbling, Choice is the most common and a great everyday pick, and Select is leaner. Learn more from the USDA’s guide to beef grade shields.
• Color: bright cherry red on the surface, with firm, white fat.
• Bone-in or boneless: both work. Bone-in takes a few minutes longer near the bone.

Ingredients for NY Strip Steak

• Boneless New York strip steaks, 2 (about 12 oz / 340 g each), 1¼ to 1½ inches thick.
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 2 teaspoons, or 1 teaspoon table salt.
• Black pepper, freshly ground, 1 teaspoon.
• Neutral oil, 1 teaspoon, such as avocado or canola, for the steaks.

Garlic herb butter

• Unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons (56 g), softened.
• Garlic, 1 small clove, finely grated.
• Fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon, finely chopped, and fresh chives or thyme, 1 teaspoon.
• Lemon zest, a pinch, and flaky salt, a pinch.

Equipment You Need

• A gas or charcoal grill. (For a stovetop method, see our cast iron skillet steak.)
• An instant-read thermometer. This matters more than anything else here.
• Long tongs and a grill brush.
• A wire rack and plate for salting ahead.

How to Grill New York Strip Steak (Step by Step)

1. Salt ahead

Pat the steaks dry and season all over with the salt. Set them on a wire rack over a plate and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 45 minutes or up to 24 hours. The salt draws out moisture, dissolves, and is absorbed back into the meat, seasoning it more deeply and drying the surface for a better crust. Short on time? Salt right before grilling.

2. Make the garlic herb butter

Mash the soft butter with the garlic, herbs, lemon zest and flaky salt. Shape it into a log in plastic wrap and chill it, or leave it soft in a small bowl.

3. Set up two heat zones

Heat the grill with one side on high (about 500°F / 260°C) and the other side on low or off. On a charcoal grill, pile the lit coals on one side. Clean and oil the grates.

4. Sear over high heat

Pat the steaks dry again, rub them lightly with oil, and season with pepper. Grill over the hot side, lid closed, for 2 to 3 minutes. For crosshatch marks, rotate the steaks 45 degrees and grill 1 to 2 minutes more. Flip and repeat on the other side. Use tongs to hold the fat edge against the grate for 30 to 60 seconds to render it. If flare-ups start, move the steak to the cooler side for a moment.

5. Finish on the cooler side

Move the steaks to the cooler side, close the lid, and cook until the thickest part is about 5°F below your target (see the chart), usually 3 to 6 minutes for medium-rare.

6. Rest, butter and slice

Move the steaks to a board, top each with a spoonful or a slice of garlic herb butter, and rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice across the grain into ½-inch slices and spoon the melted butter over.

Strip Steak Doneness Temperature Chart

The USDA recommends cooking whole beef steaks to at least 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest, per the FoodSafety.gov safe minimum temperature chart. Rare and medium-rare are popular but below that guideline, so cook to at least medium for anyone pregnant, very young, older or with a weakened immune system.

Tips for the Best Strip Steak

• Dry-brine whenever you can. Even 45 minutes of salting makes a noticeable difference in flavor and crust.
• Keep the lid closed while searing; it keeps the grill hot and the cook even.
• Don’t press the steak. Pressing squeezes out juices and causes flare-ups.
• Flip as often as you like. Flipping every minute or so after the first sear helps it cook evenly.
• Use a thermometer. Grill heat varies widely; the thermometer tells you exactly when to pull the steak.
• Slice against the grain. Strip steak’s fibers run along its length; cut across them for tender slices.

Easy Variations

• Reverse sear (for 2-inch steaks): cook on the cooler side, lid closed, until 10°F to 15°F below your target, then sear hard over high heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side.
• Pan-seared: sear in cast iron and baste with butter, garlic and thyme. See our cast iron skillet steak.
• Peppercorn sauce: serve with a creamy pan sauce like our steak au poivre.
• Rub: season with our homemade steak seasoning instead of plain pepper.
• Blue cheese butter: mash 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese into the butter instead of the herbs.
• Another cut: for a Brazilian-style cookout, try our picanha steak.

What to Serve With New York Strip

• Baked or mashed potatoes, or grilled potato wedges
• Grilled asparagus, corn on the cob or creamed spinach
• A wedge salad with blue cheese dressing
• Sautéed mushrooms and onions

Planning surf and turf? Add our 10-minute air fryer salmon. Or browse all our steak recipes.

How to Store, Freeze and Reheat

• Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days.
• Freeze cooked steak, wrapped well, for 2 to 3 months for best quality. Raw steaks keep 3 to 5 days in the fridge or 4 to 12 months in the freezer.
• Reheat slices gently in a 250°F (120°C) oven until warm, then sear them for 30 seconds per side in a hot pan. Or serve cold on salads and sandwiches.

These times follow the FoodSafety.gov cold food storage chart.

New York Strip Steak FAQs

How long do you grill a New York strip?

For a 1¼- to 1½-inch steak, about 4 to 5 minutes per side over high heat, then 3 to 6 minutes on the cooler side for medium-rare, about 10 to 14 minutes total. Always check the temperature.

Is New York strip a good steak?

Yes. It’s tender, beefy and easy to cook evenly because of its uniform shape, which makes it one of the most popular steakhouse cuts.

Is strip steak the same as sirloin?

No. Strip steak comes from the short loin; top sirloin comes from the sirloin, just behind it. Sirloin is leaner, less tender and usually cheaper.

Should I leave the fat on a strip steak?

Yes, during cooking. Render it against the grill so it crisps. You can trim it on your plate.

Why is my grilled steak tough?

It was overcooked, sliced with the grain, or not rested. Pull it at the right temperature, rest it 5 to 10 minutes, and slice across the fibers.

Can I cook a strip steak from frozen?

Yes. Sear the frozen steak over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side, then finish on the cooler side, lid closed. It takes about 50% longer, so check the temperature often. Season after the first sear, once the surface has thawed.

NY Strip Steak Recipe Card

Calories are an estimate per serving (half a steak, about 6 oz raw, with 1 tablespoon herb butter) based on USDA FoodData Central values for beef top loin steak and butter.

Chef Emma

Grilled New York Strip Steak With Garlic Herb Butter

Dry-brined New York strip steaks seared over high heat, finished over the cooler side of a two-zone grill, and topped with a garlic, parsley and lemon butter.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Dry brine (optional) 45 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 440

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Steaks

• 2 boneless New York strip steaks about 12 oz / 340 g each, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick
• 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 tsp table salt
• 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
• 1 tsp neutral oil

Garlic herb butter

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter 56 g, softened
• 1 small clove garlic finely grated
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
• 1 tsp fresh chives or thyme chopped
• lemon zest and flaky salt a pinch each

Equipment

• Gas or charcoal grill
• Instant-read thermometer
• Long tongs
• Wire rack

Method

 

1. Pat the steaks dry, season all over with the kosher salt, and refrigerate uncovered on a rack for 45 minutes to 24 hours (or salt just before grilling).
2. Mash the butter with the garlic, herbs, lemon zest and flaky salt; chill or keep soft.
3. Heat a grill with a hot side (about 500°F) and a cooler side. Clean and oil the grates.
4. Pat the steaks dry, rub with oil and season with pepper. Sear over high heat with the lid closed for 2 to 3 minutes, rotate 45 degrees for 1 to 2 minutes, then flip and repeat. Render the fat edge for 30 to 60 seconds.
5. Move to the cooler side, close the lid and cook to about 5°F below your target, usually 3 to 6 minutes for medium-rare (125°F to 130°F).
6. Top with the herb butter, rest 5 to 10 minutes, and slice across the grain.

Notes

USDA recommends 145°F with a 3-minute rest for beef steaks. For 2-inch steaks, reverse sear: cook on the cool side to 10°F to 15°F below target, then sear. Refrigerate leftovers 3 to 4 days. Calories are an estimate per serving (half a steak with 1 tablespoon butter) from USDA FoodData Central values.