Naples chef shares the secrets to grilling the perfect steak

Jeff Mitchell

Founder/Owner/Executive Chef

The Local, Naples

Nothing says late-summer cookout quite like the sizzle and aroma of steaks on a grill, and Naples chef and restaurateur Jeff Mitchell just might have cracked the code to backyard grilling perfection.

Mitchell founded The Local on Pine Ridge Road in Naples 13 years ago, with a focus on locally sourced meats, seafood, produce and other ingredients. The restaurant, with a staff of about 25 to 35 depending on the season, has remained in the same location and continues to put a premium on sustainability and supporting local and regional farmers and seafood producers.

That commitment to sustainability continues at home, where Mitchell and his wife, Cary, often cook with their sons, Luke, Tristan and Conor, and host backyard gatherings for family and friends.

Hospitality is second nature to Mitchell. His grandparents owned an Italian restaurant in Detroit for 45 years, and his mother, who grew up in the restaurant business, passed her love of cooking and entertaining along to her son.

When steaks are on the menu for summer barbecues, Mitchell said he likes to source locally raised, grass-fed beef, and he leans toward skirt steak when selecting a cut.

“A quality skirt steak is one of the most flavorful and versatile cuts you can put on the grill, making it perfect for a relaxed backyard barbecue,” he says. “It’s a great cut for the grill.”

While meat selection is important, Mitchell views grilling equipment as the real secret to cookout success.

“I think the most important part about grilling, quite frankly, is not even the meat selection; it’s having the proper equipment,” he says. “I replace the parts on my grill at home all the time, because if it’s not working properly, it just does not do a good job searing.

“The right side of my grill gets screaming hot, like 600 degrees, and then the other side of the grill is more for finishing. Honestly, if I don’t have that grill it doesn’t really turn out right.”

Preparation is also key, Mitchell said, noting that the meat should be at room temperature before grilling.

“You can’t put an ice-cold steak on a screaming-hot grill,” he emphasizes. “It’s going to seize up, it’s going to toughen, and it’s really going to change the texture of the final product of the steak.”

Also important, Mitchell said, is allowing the steak to rest after reaching the desired temperature so the juices don’t escape while the meat is still hot.

“One of the most important parts of cooking a steak is resting a steak,” he says. “If you don’t rest it, all of the juices are going to go out everywhere. You need to let it rest so that everything kind of comes down to temperature.”

Chef Mitchell’s Cowboy Steak with Coffee Spice Rub and Fire-Roasted Salsa

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Intermediate

Prep & cook time: Coffee Spice Rub, 5 minutes; Cowboy Salsa, 20 minutes; steaks, according to preference

Ingredients

• 2 pounds skirt steak, preferably grass-fed

Method

Begin by trimming any excess fat or connective tissue from the steak. Allow the meat to come to room temperature before grilling, which helps ensure even cooking. While the steak rests, preheat the grill to high heat and prepare the seasoning rub.

Coffee Spice Rub

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup ground coffee

• 1/4 cup kosher salt

• 1/4 cup granulated garlic

• 2 tablespoons black pepper

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper

• 1 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Combine all ingredients and set aside. Wait until just before grilling to season the steak, allowing the rub to adhere while preserving its bold flavors.

Cowboy Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 quart whole tomatoes

• 1 white onion, sliced

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 jalapeño

• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Place the tomatoes, onion, garlic and jalapeño directly on the grill and cook until lightly charred and softened.

Transfer the vegetables to a food processor, add the cilantro and olive oil and pulse until a chunky salsa forms. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Grilling the Steak

Once the vegetables have come off the grill, clean the grates thoroughly and season the steak generously with the coffee rub. When the grill is at its hottest, nearly smoking, place the steak on the grill at the 10 o’clock position. Mitchell says this technique “helps create the crosshatch grill marks that every grill master loves to see.”

For a medium-rare to medium skirt steak, grill for approximately two minutes before rotating the steak to the 2 o’clock position on a fresh, hot section of the grill. Cook for another two minutes, then flip and repeat the process on the opposite side. In total, the steak will cook for about eight minutes.

Remove the steak from the grill and allow it to rest on a wire rack set over a sheet pan. “Resting is essential, as it allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat,” Mitchell says.

Temperature Matters

The most reliable way to achieve the perfect doneness is with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the steak.

• 130°F: Medium-rare

• 135°F: Medium

Because skirt steak naturally varies in thickness, the thinner portions will cook slightly more, offering a range of doneness to satisfy different preferences around the table.

Suggested Side Dishes

Perfect sides include:

• Grilled corn on the cob

• Calico beans

• Potato salad

• Crisp kettle-cooked potato chips

“I also like to serve a simple arugula salad lightly dressed with fresh lime juice and olive oil,” Mitchell adds. “The peppery greens provide a bright contrast to the rich steak and smoky salsa.”

Wine Pairings

• Michel Gassier, Embruns de Viognier, Rhône Valley, FR (2024)

• Martinelli, Zinfandel, Vigneto di Evo, Russian River Valley, CA (2022)

Beer Pairing

Helpful Grilling Tips

• Preheat the grill fully before the steak goes on so the meat sears quickly instead of sticking and steaming.

• Keep one section of the grill slightly cooler in case of flare-ups, which makes it easier to move the steak without interrupting the cooking process.

• Oil the grill grates lightly once they are hot to help prevent sticking and make turning the steak easier.

• Use tongs instead of a fork when flipping so as not to pierce the meat and lose flavorful juices.

• Let the steak cook undisturbed for the first side so it develops a proper crust and triggers the browning process, which creates deeper savory flavor and better color before turning it.

• If the steak sticks when trying to flip it, wait another 20 to 30 seconds. It will usually release naturally once it has seared.

• Avoid pressing down on the steak with tongs or a spatula, since that forces out juices and can dry the meat.