Level Up Your Grilling Game

Prep your grill like a pro
Whether you're cooking with charcoal or gas, your aim is the same: keep part of the grill hot, for cooking over direct heat, and part unheated. "There's a macho-type desire to get everything raging hot and cook everything fast, but cooking things on the cool side lets the fats render in your meat," Levitt says. With gas, turn one burner off and set the other to high; with charcoal, bank your coals on one side.

Use an alternate cut of beef
Instead of rib eye, try chuck eye. "It comes from the same muscle as the rib eye but is more economical and still really satisfying," says Levitt. Cook it the same way: Let it sit on the cool portion of the grill for three to five minutes per side until the interior hits about 115 degrees (for medium rare).

Instead of skirt steak, try a bavette. "If you're having lots of people over, the bavette is thicker, longer, and basically a giant skirt steak," says Levitt. Char the meat on the hot side of the grill, let it sit, and, when done, slice it against the grain.

Read the rest of Rob's grilling tips in Chicago Magazine.