The Ultimate Summer Grilling Guide: Best Cuts to Throw on the Fire This Season
When the weather warms up and the charcoal starts smoking, outdoor cooking becomes the center of gravity for weekends, holidays, and weeknight date nights. But let’s be honest: standard supermarket trays and mass-produced burgers just don't cut it when you are looking for an extraordinary meal.
If you want to turn a standard cookout into a steakhouse-level experience, everything starts with sourcing. At Meat N' Bone, we believe in bringing master-butcher standards to your doorstep through premium meat delivery, connecting home cooks with pasture-raised, ethically sourced proteins with exceptional marbling and deep, honest flavor.
Whether you are hosting a crowd or treating yourself on the patio, here is your definitive guide to the best cuts for grilling this summer.
1. The Heavyweight Champion: Bone-In Ribeye
If you ask any butcher what cut defines the ultimate steakhouse experience, the answer is almost always the ribeye. For summer grilling, the bone-in ribeye is king.
Why It Shines on the Grill
The ribeye is famous for its rich intramuscular fat (marbling) and the prized spinalis dorsi (ribeye cap). When fat renders over hot coals, it drips down, creating those irresistible flare-ups and smoky, charred aromas that define true backyard grilling. The bone acts as a natural insulator, keeping the meat juicy near the center while adding incredible depth of flavor as it heats.
How to Grill It Like a Pro
- Dry Brine: Salt your thick-cut bone-in ribeye with coarse sea salt 12 to 24 hours in advance and leave it uncovered in the fridge. This seasons the meat all the way through and dries out the surface for an elite crust.
- The Method: For thick steaks (over 1.5 inches), use a two-zone setup or reverse sear. Bring it up to temp over indirect heat, then finish with a blazing-hot direct sear over charcoal or gas.
- Resting: Give it a solid 8 to 10 minutes to rest before slicing. Cutting too early leaves your juices on the board instead of on your plate.
2. The Brazilian Showstopper: Picanha (Sirloin Cap)
Picanha is a staple of Brazilian churrasco and has quickly become a favorite for American grill masters who know their meat. Located at the top of the rump, it features a thick, beautiful cap of fat that bastes the steak as it cooks over the flame.
Why It Belongs on Your Grill
Picanha combines the deep, robust beef flavor of a rump cut with the buttery tenderness of a sirloin. Because of its distinct shape and fat cap, it handles high heat exceptionally well.
How to Grill It Like a Pro
- Keep the Fat Cap Intact: Never trim the fat cap before grilling: that is where 80% of the flavor and juiciness lives. Score the fat in a diamond pattern so the salt penetrates and the fat renders evenly.
- Cut and Skewer: You can roast the whole picanha on a rotisserie or thick skewer curved in a "C" shape, slicing off the outer crust as it cooks. Alternatively, slice it into 1.5-inch thick steaks across the grain, fold them into horseshoes on the grill grates, and sear to a gorgeous medium-rare.
3. The Flavor Bomb: Skirt Steak (Entraña)
If your summer grilling menu calls for tacos, fajitas, or simply slicing up a vibrant steak for a backyard dinner party, skirt steak is your best friend.
Why It Belongs on Your Grill
Skirt steak is a thinner, heavily worked muscle packed with intense, beefy flavor. It has an open, coarse grain that acts like a sponge for marinades, chimichurri, and smoke.
How to Grill It Like a Pro
- High Heat, Fast Cook: Skirt steak cooks in minutes. Get your grill screaming hot: let the coals turn white-hot or crank your gas burners to maximum.
- Don't Overcook: Aim for rare to medium-rare (around 130°F internal). Anything past medium will make skirt steak tough.
- Slice Against the Grain: This is non-negotiable. Look at the direction the muscle fibers run and slice perpendicular to them. Shortening those fibers makes every bite tender and effortless.
4. The Ultimate Upgrade: Wagyu Burgers
Summer grilling season without burgers is incomplete. But instead of standard grocery-store patties that shrink on the grill and dry out, step up to a true artisan burger.
Why Wagyu Burgers Change Everything
Wagyu beef features high levels of fine intramuscular fat that melts at a lower temperature than conventional beef. When formed into patties, this translates to an extraordinarily juicy, rich burger that practically melts in your mouth.
How to Grill It Like a Pro
- Keep Them Cold: Handle Wagyu patties as little as possible and keep them refrigerated until they hit the grates. Warm fat will render prematurely in your hands.
- Control Flare-Ups: Because Wagyu is so rich in fat, it will drip onto hot coals and cause flare-ups. Set up a two-zone fire so you can move the burgers if the flames get too aggressive.
- Keep Toppings Simple: Let the beef be the star. A toasted brioche bun, a slice of sharp cheddar, and a pinch of flaky salt are all a world-class Wagyu burger needs.
Tips for Backyard Grilling Success
To pull off a memorable cookout this season, keep these golden rules in mind:
- Tempering: Take your steaks out of the refrigerator 30 to 45 minutes before cooking. Putting ice-cold meat on a hot grill results in an overcooked exterior and a cold center.
- Invest in a Digital Thermometer: Stop guessing by touch. Pull your steaks 5 degrees below your target temperature (around 125°F for medium-rare) and let carryover cooking do the rest.
- Rest Your Meats: We cannot emphasize this enough. Resting allows muscle fibers to relax and reabsorb delicious juices.
Ready to Elevate Your Grill Game?
Great grilling starts long before the fire is lit: it starts with pasture-raised cattle, expert hand-cutting, and uncompromising quality. Skip the guesswork at the supermarket counter and explore our curated selection of best for grilling collections designed for backyard chefs who appreciate real food.
Fire up the grill, pour a great drink, and enjoy the best meal of your summer.