Step 1

Prep. Salt the meat about 1 hour before cooking and put it in the fridge. Called dry brining, the salt can diffuse deep down into the muscle so you get salt into the meat, not just on top of the meat. It also alters the protein so it can hold onto moisture longer.

Step 2

Before the meat goes on the grill, coarsely chop the sage, thyme, garlic, jalapeño, and black pepper, and put it in a coffee cup. Mince or press the garlic and dump it in. Drizzle the oil on the pile and let it sit while you cook so the oil can draw out some of the flavor.

Step 3

Fire up. Prepare a grill for 2-zone cooking by placing pre-heated charcoal briquets on one side of the grill's charcoal grate in order to create direct and indirect cooking zones. You want one side scorching hot (a.k.a. warp and the other side at about 225°F. Add 2 to 3 chunks of your favorite smoking wood to the charcoal for flavor. On a gas grill, adjust the knobs so that one side is as hot as possible and the other side is about 225°F.

Step 4

Cook. Grill the steaks until dark on the outside and medium rare in the center. Try not to go beyond 130°F in the center of the steaks so there are juices running when you cut the meat. For steaks under 1-inch thick, place them on the direct heat side of the grill with the lid open, turning frequently until they reach an internal temperature of 130°F. For thicker steaks, place them on the indirect side with the lid down until they hit about 120°F, and then move them to the hot side to sear them, flipping frequently until a nice brown crust has formed and they have reached an internal temperature of 130°F. This is called the reverse sear and it produces the most even colored interiors.

Step 5

When the steaks are almost ready, pour the herb and oil mix onto the cutting board. Make sure it is level or it will spill over onto the table. A board with routed out channels is best to hold it all in.

Step 6

Serve. Place the steaks on the oiled herbs and coat both sides. Do not let the meat rest to reabsorb the juices, start cutting immediately. Let the juices run! Cut slices of tender meats about 1/2" thick across the grain, and tougher meats like flank steak, about 1/8" across the grain. Roll the meat in the board dressing so everybody gets a light coat just before serving.