Grilled Steak with Peaches and Onions
This grilled steak with peaches and onions is topped with a dash of basil pesto and a drizzle of balsamic reduction for a delicious take on summertime grilling. For this recipe we do all the work on the grill. Not only do we get excellent results, but we also keep that hot summer heat out of the kitchen. One large (1.5 – 2 lb) steak should feed a family of four. This means less work for you and more time for enjoying your summer celebrations together.
Thanks to Safeway for sponsoring today’s post. All opinions are 100% mine.
When the heat of summer turns on so does my grill, so I’m back with another great recipe for summertime grilling. As we expand our grilling expertise past the basics, a perfectly grilled steak is essential. With all the flavors of summer packed into this one, it’s an ideal addition. For more summer grilling suggestions, check out my grilled rockfish taco recipe and greek lemon chicken kebobs.
It’s got a perfectly seared medium-rare steak, grilled fresh peaches, and grilled sweet onions. That’s right! We do all of the cooking outside, keeping the heat out of the kitchen. To serve, thinly slice the steak against the grain and drizzle on a balsamic reduction and a bit of basil pesto. So good, you’ll keep coming back to it all summer long.
And if you have some steak leftover (unlikely but anything is possible), cut it up and toss it in a California steak salad to turn it into steak taco meat for lunch the next day.
What You’ll Need for This Cookout
This is one of those recipes where there are few ingredients and their natural flavor does all the heavy lifting. Focusing on larger cuts of steak, a steak weighing in between one and a half to two pounds should feed a family of four. You will also need some salt and pepper handy to season the steak before grilling.
You’ll also need peaches, sweet onions, balsamic glaze, and basil pesto. For the peaches, look for fresh peaches that have ripened just enough to begin to soften. If they are too ripe, they will fall apart on the grill! And I recommend using sweet summer onions like Walla Walla or Vidalia.
Grilled Steak – Which Cut Is Best?
When it comes to choosing the best cut of steak, your first stop should always be the butcher counter. The people behind that counter know their steak and, if they are like my local Safeway employees, they are more than happy to geek out about their favorite cuts. With any luck, they will also throw in a little bit of education for good measure.
When I began seeking out the perfect cut of steak for this recipe I wanted something lean, that would cook quickly, and taste great at medium-rare. It had to be a large cut that can be sliced and served family style, while also looking pretty on the plate. Afterall, what good is a recipe post about summertime grilling if I can’t make it look pretty?
A quick chat with my butcher helped me narrow down my choices to top round, skirt steak, or flank steak. Each of these tend to have a largish, squarish shape, which means they cook fairly evenly. They also are best when thinly sliced against the grain prior to serving.
Directions to Prepare Your Grilled Steak with Peaches and Onions:
Grilled Steak – How to Cook It
Start by seasoning your steak liberally with salt and pepper. Nothing fancy, but make sure to do this at least 15 minutes before you grill to allow the salt time to melt and be absorbed by the meat.
Grill the steak over direct medium-high heat. With most of these steak cuts, the surface area increases with the weight, but the thickness stays roughly the same. The thickness of the steak is what determines the grill time. A one inch thick steak will cook fairly quickly no matter how much it weighs.
It takes about 3 – 4 minutes per side for a one inch thick steak to reach 130º. This is my ideal for a rare to medium-rare steak after it rests. For true medium-rare remove the steak from the grill once it reaches 135º. The temperature will raise to about 140º – 145º after resting.
Yes, you should use a meat thermometer. Practice makes perfect when it comes to grilling steak, but you won’t know what your perfect temperature is until you’ve measured what you’ve practiced. Once you know your ideal temperature, you can always get it right for you and your family.
Grilled Peaches on the Grill
If you’ve never tasted the sweet and smoky flavor of a grilled peach, then you are in for a treat!
Cut them into halves, removing the stone. Freestone peaches are easier to work with because the stone easily detaches, but with a little extra knife work cling peaches work too.
The peaches should be brushed with oil on both (all) sides prior to grilling. Start them over direct medium-high heat with the flesh side down. Grill them for about 4 minutes.
When grilling the skin side be aware that the skins are delicate and will char quickly. You’ll want the skin sides grilled over indirect heat, or in a cooler section of your grill. The skin side takes about 2 minutes to cook.
Grilled Onions on the Grill
Everyone who loves a good steak knows that grilled onions make a delicious addition to your meal. However, this often means that while the steak is grilled outside, the onions are left to cook inside. Not with this recipe!
The solution is a cast iron pan. Cast iron can withstand the intense heat of the grill and give great results that bring out the natural sweetness in the onions. At my home, my cast iron griddle practically lives on the grill all summer long.
As the onions cook, they will reduce in volume to about half or one third of what you started with. This isn’t bad, but before you start cooking it looks like a lot of onions. By the time you are ready to serve it, it’s not so much.
For safety reasons and to prevent grill flare-ups, toss the sliced onions in a large bowl with cooking oil, salt, and pepper before putting them onto the grill. Use an oil that is good for high heat cooking. My current favorite is avocado oil, but grapeseed, refined coconut, or canola oil are also good choices.
Don’t slice them too thinly and make sure to stir them occasionally to prevent burning. The onions will take the longest to cook. I usually give them a 10 minute head start on the steak and peaches. If they are done more quickly than anticipated, you can always throw them back on to warm up while the steak is resting.
Grilled Steak with Peaches and Onions
Ingredients
- 1.5 – 2 lbs steak – flank (skirt, or top round)
- 4 medium peaches – about 1.5 lbs
- 2 medium sweet onions – about .75 lbs
- 1/4 cup basil pesto
- 2 TBSP balsamic reduction
- 2 – 4 TBSP avocado oil – or other high heat cooking oil
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper at least of 15 minutes prior to grilling.
- Slice onions, place in a bowl and toss with avocado oil, salt and pepper to coat.
- Halve peaches and brush with avocado oil.
- Place cast iron skillet or griddle top in the grill. Preheat grill and griddle for medium-high direct heat.
- Once hot, cook the onions on the griddle for 12 – 15 minutes, stirring every three minutes or so to prevent burning.
- About 5 minutes later add the steak to the grill. Cook about 3 – 5 minutes per side for medium rare. Confirm temperature at 125º with a meat thermometer. Cover and rest for 5 minutes, the temperature will continue to rise until it hits about 130º.
- Next add the peaches, flesh side down. Cook for 4 minutes, then flip and cook an additional 2 minutes.
- Once the steak is rested, thinly slice it against the grain. Plate the steak, peaches, and onions together then top with the basil pesto and balsamic reduction.
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Nutrition
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