There are 3 basic types of beef steak:
PREMIUM CUT(s): This is for excellent, highly flavorful & fatty cuts (Rib Eye, NY Strip, Porterhouse/T-Bone, Skirt), where the meat needs very little help. If it's a bit went and sloppy from being in plastic or cryovac, pat it dry, and let it rest overnight, unwrapped, in the fridge, on some paper towels ... that should help to firm it up a bit. For thick cuts, let the meat come up to temperature for 30-60 mins before grilling - this will enable you to maintain a nice wide zone of pink without having to overcook the exterior. Pat dry, sprinkle with garlic salt, rub (or spray) with olive oil, and season with black pepper. Grill over the high heat to form a crust, then open the lid and finish over low-med heat until desired doneness. Let rest several minutes (longer for thick cuts) before carving/serving.
INTERMEDIATE CUT(s): For good, but lean cuts (Flank Steak), where the meat needs only modest help. Use an unsweetened salty & acidic marinade, that adds flavor, but not so much that it competes with the meat. If the meat is very lean, you will need to wipe it dry after marinating and then oil it generously before grilling. For flank steak, you'll need to grill it fast over the highest possible heat (closed grill) in order to get a decent crust without overcooking it.
Here's a personal recipe:
ECONOMY CUT(s): For thicker/tougher/leaner cuts (London Broil) that need extra flavor & tenderizing enzyme action, and a sugar component for better crust formation. You can use a simple pre-bottled steak marinade, and let marinate (in a sealed ziplock bag) for 4-48 hours (the longer, the better). Drain the marinade off the meat, and boil the excess marinade for several minutes until sterilized, reduced and thickened into a BBQ glaze - while the steak comes up to temperature. Slap the steak onto a pre-heated and well oiled grill. Grill over HIGH heat, closing the lid if necessary, to aid crust formation. After turning, brush the grilled sides with the glaze, and turn several more times, brushing each time, until the meat reaches desired doneness and a savory crust has formed. Turn the heat down if the glaze begins to scorch. Remove from heat and let rest for 5-10 mins until luke warm, then slice on bias and use the leftover glaze as steak or dipping sauce.Brad's Bourbon-Terriaki Flank Steak
· One Flank Steak (roughly 1.75 - 2 lbs)
· ½ fl oz Kentucky Bourbon
· ¼ cup Terriaki Sauce (use slightly less for multiple steaks)
· ½ Lime, fresh juice of
· ½ tsp Garlic Paste
1. MEAT: Peel membrane off flank steak (marinate penetrates better), along w/any remaining 'silver skin' (prevents curling), trim off excess fat (prevents flareups), and pat dry. If you have the time, and if the meat seems overly soggy (too long in supermarket plastic), air-dry it for a few hours in the fridge, to firm up a bit.
2. MARINATE: Rub meat with a light coating of bourbon (which adds flavor as well as being a bacterial inhibitor), then mix the rest of the marinade together. Add steak to a plastic bag (if doing multiple steaks, use a hotel pan), and add marinade. Massage gently, to ensure good contact between marinade & meat. Once coated, excess marinade can be decanted and discarded, to prevent the steak from getting too waterlogged (you want the steaks well dampened with the marinade - not swimming in it). Let rest in fridge for several hours, but not overnight (prolonged contact with lime juice can discolor and partially cook the surface of the meat). Remove from fridge 30-60 mins before grilling, to allow the meat to come up towards room temperature - this allows you to cook it faster and hotter to the correct doneness, while retaining a wider zone of pink ... which is important since flank steaks are thin and somewhat easy to overcook.
3. GRILL: Drain steaks, rub lightly with olive oil, let come up to temperature for 30 mins, and cook roughly 3-5 mins per side over HIGH heat on a well-oiled CLOSED grill, until the thick end is rare or med-rare (the thinner end will range from medium to med-well, and the tips will be well). Let rest on a trencher board for 10 mins before slicing. Placing a few slices of bead (or extra buns) downhill from the meat will absorb juices shed during resting & carving - the juice soaked bread is a fought over item.
4. CARVE: When the steak is warm (but no longer hot and running with juices), begin carving. If necessary, stabilize the cutting board by putting either a dish towel or a dampened paper towel underneath it ... then dress your carving knife. Start at the thinnest end, slice thinly across grain, on a 30-40 degree vertical bias (wider slices = less carving). Arrange on serving tray, with the most well-done meat at one end, and getting progressively rarer at the other. A slice of bread at one end will prevent juices from pooling.
5. SERVE: Serve in hotdog buns, with whatever condiments you desire (I like a little ketchup, some people like HP steak sauce). Traditional side dishes are corn on the cob (with clarified butter), diced garden tomatoes, and macaroni salad.
If you prefer to make your own steak marinade, here's a simple, but imprecise recipe. It's basically cupboard & refrigerator pot luck:
Mix all of the following in whatever ratio suits you:
* A1, or whatever steak sauce you have handy (Hoisin is fine too)
* Soy (or Teriyaki) Sauce
* Coarse Dijon Mustard w/w.wine
* Ketchup (or Tomato puree/sauce/juice)
* Balsamic Vinegar
* Fresh Garlic Paste
* Salt & Cracked Pepper
Follow the directions above for marinating and grilling.
but if you're gonna eat a steak, you should eat the best, or so I think), which need little or no help, and do much as you do: rub 'em with olive oil (or whatever vegetable oil I happen to have handy) and lay on the black pepper. Typically, it turns out wonderfully. 
