Steak Enthusiast

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So, Labor Day weekend is upon us. That means you’d better have all your weekend vittles marinating and defrosting.

And get that grill ready cuz it is time to use it!

After this, much of the country will start to get colder in the coming weeks so you’d better make the most of this precious time we have right now. And get outside! Your grill is calling.

What’s it calling for, you may ask?

I think you know.

Really? You don’t know?

Steak.

Are you new here?

If so — welcome! We’ll help you figure out what Labor Day is calling for. Is it T-bones? Steakburgers?

Click on the “Recipes” tab up at the top. That’s a great place to start.

And check out this article from today on abcnews.com. It’s got lots of ideas for this weekend.

Enjoy your time off and revel in the deliciosity that is steak. I know I will be. I’ll post photos of what I’ll be eating next week.

You can bet beef will be involved. Oh, yeah.

Have a great Labor Day, everybody!

Like a good steak sauce? Don’t want to break down and buy the kind the store carries?

Make your own!

Here, Chef John shares his secret steak sauce recipe with us.

There’s a video of the process and a link to the ingredients. So, check it out here!

Photo and link courtesy of foodwishes.blogspot.com.

I’ve unscientifically tried to place people into categories according to the steak they prefer.

Well, our friends over at It’sOnTheTable.co.uk have taken it one step further. They’ve put people you’re dating (or already married to) in categories according to their steak of choice.

I like to think of it as a Love-O-Meter.

Check it out and see if it’s accurate!!

Click here . . . if you dare!!!!

Here’s the scenario:  You’ve grilled up a beautiful T-bone. It’s cooked just right — it’s juicy in all the right places, it’s seared in all the right places and the grill marks are outta sight.

What could possibly be good enough complement that? Or (gasp!) to sit on the same plate?

You’d better have a killer side, baby. That’s all I’ve got to say.

Psst. Yeah, you. Come here . . . closer . . .

Closer.

I’m gonna let you in on a little secret.

Try this . . .
Avocado Salad with Lemon and Olive Oil
Serves 6

2 cups finely chopped onion
¾ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
3 T finely chopped seeded jalapeno pepper
3 T extra virgin olive oil
3 T white wine vinegar
2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
¾ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 large garlic clove, minced
1½ cups chopped peeled avocado (about 2)
1 (8 oz) pkg. mixed greens (about 8 cups)
1½ cups grape tomatoes
2 T chopped fresh cilantro, optional
¼ tsp hot pepper sauce, optional

Combine first 10 ingredients in a large bowl; toss mixture gently. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours. Stir in avocado just before serving. Divide greens and tomatoes among 6 salad plates. Top greens with avocado mixture and garnish with cilantro if desired.

For our part of the world, school starts back today. And now that we’re back in the swing of things, nighttime gets a little hectic with homework, soccer practice, dinner and bedtime.

So here’s a great time-saving school night dinner to keep you going. Enjoy!

Steak with Garlic Sauce Dinner

Steak with garlic sauce is paired with sesame pea pods and rosemary bread for a memorable dinner. Great for any night of the week since it’s ready in 15 minutes.

How to Do it in 15 Minutes:
Put up water for the pea pods
Broil the steak
Make the garlic sauce while the steak’s cooking
Make the pea pods
Prep the bread
When the steak is finished, toast the bread

Four ingredients never tasted so good (not including oil, salt, and pepper.) You’ll find yourself using the garlic sauce for just about anything - short of drinking it straight from the pan.
Ingredients
1½ pound flank steak
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
2 cloves of garlic, minced
pinch of ground black pepper
½ teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
Cooking Instructions
Heat broiler. Season steak with salt and pepper.
Broil steak about 6-inches from heating element, turning once, about 8 to 10 mintues, or until medium rare.

Sauce: In small saucepan over medium heat melt butter. Add garlic, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and any accumulated steak juices.
Make it Faster
Two teaspoons bottled crushed garlic can be used in place of 2 minced garlic cloves
Tips & Tricks
Smash garlic cloves with the flat side of a large knife to easily remove the cloves’ skin
Nutrition Facts
Servings per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving: 6 ounces Flank Steak and 1 tablespoon Garlic Sauce
Preparation Time: 2 minutes
Cooking Time: About 10 minutes
Ready In: 12 minutes
Servings: 4

Photo courtesy of recipes.kaboose.com.

Check out the entire article here.

Well, I’m excited (and I hope you’ve noticed) that www.steak-enthusiast.com has a new look!

Along with groovy new graphics, there are lots of cool buttons and better site functionality. I hope it’s easier for you to use so you can get down the the REAL business of reading about, talking about, sharing about . . . STEAK!

Let me know what you think of the changes. And keep sharing your comments about recipes, experiences and more!

Happy Friday!

I’ve briefly mentioned my puzzlement at this issue before when I showed you this picture of the soft play area at our local mall.

See that little dollop of ketchup/catsup? I don’t get it.

Who puts ketchup on their steak? I wondered.

Well, I had a little chat with a neighbor down the street who I’ll call “Joanne.”

Now I know.

Joanne’s ENTIRE FAMILY puts ketchup on their steaks.

I had so many questions for her I didn’t know where to begin.

Me:  Why?

Joanne:  Why not?

Me:  Well . . .

Joanne:  Look, it brings out the flavor of the steak. And we like our steaks well done so without the ketchup it’s too dry.

Me:  My kids put ketchup on everything so I can understand the kids doing that. . . but you and Hector?

Joanne:  Are you implying that the ketchup is not good enough for the steak?

Me:  Uh, ah, um . . .

Joanne:  Well, missy, what do you put on your steaks?  A-1?  Huh?  How’s that better?

Me:  Well, I don’t, but my husband . . .

Joanne:  Yeah, I thought so.  Your kind makes me sick.  You’re all judgemental with your fancy sauces and such.

Me:  But, Joanne, I just want to understand . . .

Joanne:  Understand??!!  Understand??!!  Until you’ve lived in my house and walked in my shoes you will never UNDERSTAND why we do what we do.

Me:  Uh. . .

Joanne:  So why don’t you go back to your little sheltered, closed-minded kitchen and whip you up something that’s “acceptable by society,” okay? 

(She used actual air quotes here.  Then she stomped off.)

I really wasn’t sure what happened out there on the street. But I had a feeling it had nothing to do with ketchup. Someone has a chip on her shoulder the size of Mount Rushmore.

And I was not any closer to understanding the ketchup-smeared-all-over-steak thing.

So I did go back to my little kitchen, got out my Teriyaki sauce and took a big swig — right out of the bottle.

Stay classy, Joanne, I thought. Stay classy.

Who knew steak could be macho or undeniably feminine?

Well, um, I guess I did cuz in previous posts I’ve mentioned how the filet seems to be a girlie selection while T-bones and Porterhouses are the choice for the man who likes being a man.

But . . . perhaps it’s not the cut of meat that makes a steak macho. Perhaps it’s what you put on it. Or in it.

This recipe calls for KC Strips – a respectable cut for either of the sexes. But you gotta check out some of the ingredients. Jalapeños, garlic, beef broth.

What’s that sound Tim Allen used to make on “Home Improvement?”

Yeah, that one.

That’s the sound that comes to mind when I see this recipe. It makes me feel like a macho man — even though I assure you I am not.

Check it out.

Macho Steak
This recipe is adapted from Mmmiami - Tempting Tropical Tastes for Home Cooks Everywhere to be published by Henry Holt, Fall 1998.

• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 cup dry white or red wine
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 8-ounce, 1″-thick KC strip steaks
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Stir the jalapeños, garlic and cumin together in a small bowl and set aside. Set the wine, broth, tomato and a large platter nearby, too; leave the cut butter in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels to ensure even browning; season with salt and pepper.

Put 2 steaks in the skillet and cook to the desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer the steaks to a platter and cover loosely with foil to keep them warm. Cook the remaining steaks in the same way.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of drippings and reduce heat to low. Add the jalapeños, garlic and cumin; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Increase heat to high, stir in the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Boil, stirring constantly, until liquid is reduced to 2 tablespoons.

Add the broth, return it to a boil and cook until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low, stir in tomato and simmer 1 minute. Pour in any juices that have accumulated around the steaks and simmer 1 minute more. Add the butter, 2 pieces at a time, swirling the pan until it melts.

Remove pan from heat. Stir in the cilantro, and add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the steaks to dinner plates and spoon on the sauce. Serves 4.

You can see this recipe and others like it here.

We had a trip planned for April to visit Hawaii. I’ve never been, but my husband has. We wanted to see it together to celebrate our 10th anniversary.

Then, life happened. My youngest had a hospital stay and our lives were turned upside down.

Hawaii is again in the distant future for me. And that’s okay. My little guy needs me.

But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the goodness and flavors of the island while I wait to get there.

Check out this recipe from homeparents.about.com using pineapple and soy sauce. It doesn’t get much Hawaiian-er than that.

(Yeah, I know that’s not a real word.)

Plus, I just like the word “bits.” It makes it sound really cute.

1 cup ketchup

1 one standard can of pineapple bits with the juice

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

1 small carrot, sliced

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except steak in a bowl or dish. Add steak. Allow to marinate overnight, then drain off the marinade and save it. Cook in a pan until the meat is done, then add the reserved marinade plus one cup water with a tablespoon of cornstarch added. Cook until the sauce is thick. Serve with rice.

For a picnic version, don’t add the veggies and serve with tooth picks. I’ve made 10 pounds for a picnic and not had one bit left to take home!

Here’s a link to the recipe. Enjoy!

The following is a recipe for steak and potatoes out in the wilderness. If you’re going camping, of course you never want to forget your steak and potato.

I’m just glad that it is a possibility. I, personally, always thought that beef jerky and lots of canned things were on the menu at a campsite.

Shows you how much I know.

I’m assuming this could also work for power outages during a hurricane/tornado/national emergency/end of the world or just in your own backyard.

Enjoy. 

1 good, well marbled ribeye steak

2 - 3 Tbsp McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning

2 small cans of green chilies

1 c soy sauce

1 potato

“I Cant Believe its not Butter

2 tsp garlic salt or powder

The night before your trip: rub steak with seasoning, both sides, pressing seasoning into meat, place rubbed steak in Ziplock bag. Sprinkle 1 of the cans of green chile on both sides of steak once in bag, add soy sauce, seal bag and: a. freeze steak (this only works for eating steak your first night out) or b. place steak in fridge, transfer to cooler next morning.

Spray potato with butter spray, sprinkle garlic salt/powder on coated potato, wrap in foil and refrigerate.

NEXT MORNING: Pack steak and potato in backpack or saddle bag (or cooler if you have such a luxury) and go have fun on your first day. When you get to camp, make a good campfire that yields coals, unfold or unroll piece of screen or mesh and place four rocks in the coals of your campfire. Spread mesh over four rocks and place four more rocks on top of the first four to hold mesh on place (you only need a cooking surface large enough for the steak). Make sure the rocks are large enough to keep the mesh approximately 6-10 inches above the coals.

Place potato at the very edge of coals, rotate a quarter turn every 5-10 minutes for 45 minutes. You can also place the potato close to the fire while you are waiting for the coals to develop, you can’t overcook it unless you really really try.

If you froze the steak, it should be thawed out by now. If it’s been in a cooler, then it’s all good. Take steak out of plastic bag, discard the marinade (including the green chiles). Place steak on mesh and cook for 8-10 minutes per side, depending on preference (I like mine medium rare, so 8-10 per side works depending on the heat of the coals; if you can hold your hand above the mesh for 6-7 seconds before it’s too hot, then the temp is perfect). If you want, and you remembered to pack it, open the second can of green chiles and cover the top of the steak with the chiles after you have turned it (you can scrape them off once the steak is done, or not, the chiles keep it moist and add more spice. It’s up to you).

If you timed the steak with the potato, it all comes off and out of the fire at the same time. The result is an awesome steak and potato in the wilderness.

Submitted by: Alan Tipps

Click here to go to the KOA Web site for more on this awesome idea!