Today I give you this because, well, it’s pretty hilarious.
That pup looks downright regal with his sirloin steak. I almost believe he could even cut it with that knife and fork.
But then I remember he has no opposable thumbs. Bummer.
If you’re not a dog lover, this may just gross you out. If so, just look away. Look away, I say! And think happy thoughts of your own sirloin steak.
Happy weekend, everybody!
Photo courtesy of DroppinLbs.com.
So, the fall season is coming to a close. I can’t believe it.
Here’s one last autumnal hurrah to rejoice in this gorgeous season of reds, oranges, browns and greens.
This fall luncheon is quick and easy — just what I like! And this steak salad is great left over also. Bonus!
Order your sirloin steak from here for best results!
And click here for the full recipe and details. Bon appetit!
Photo courtesy of EasyAndElegantLife.com.
This just simply rocks.
If you’ve ever been baffled by what cut is what, this guide is for you.
Our friends at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Cattlemen’s Beef Board put this together to make life easier for us. Wasn’t that nice?
Keep it bookmarked so you can refer to it again and again.
Have a great weekend, everybody!
Guide courtesy of BBQGuide.com.
This. Looks. So. Tender.
I want to eat this right now. This sirloin steak is browned and then put in a roasting pan with other goodies, then placed in the oven for a couple of hours.
What a perfect winter pick-me-up! This one will make your whole house smell amazing for hours. To me, this says, “Welcome home!” Even if you’ve been there all day.
Stewed Steak
Serves 4-6
3 pounds of sirloin, cross-rib or round steak (or similar cut)
1 cup flour
2 tsp ground thyme
2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg.
Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Mix together the flour, thyme and nutmeg. Dredge the steaks in the flour mixture, then brown them on both sides in a little canola oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat. No need to cook them fully, just brown the surfaces well. Drain the excess oil from the skillet and deglaze the pan with a little beef stock before adding it to the steak in the roasting pan.
Place the browned steaks in a covered roasting pan and add:
5-6 cups of good beef stock (low sodium stock if you are using sore bought)
NOTE: You can substitute 1 cup of broth with a cup of red wine for an even richer gravy.
3 cloves minced garlic
4 tbsp Worchestershire Sauce
1 tsp ground black pepper
Cover and slow cook the steaks in the oven at 300 degrees F for 2-3 hours or until the meat is very tender and begins to fall apart. The flour that was used to brown the steaks helps to thicken the gravy as it cooks. I like to skim any surface fat off the gravy before serving. Serve with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.
Recipe and photo courtesy of RockRecipes.Blogspot.com.
Okay, we’ve seen the use of coffee in flavoring a steak before. But here’s a different twist on that, PLUS a recipe for barbecue steak fries!
Holy BBQ, Batman! Enjoy . . .
Coffee and Pepper Steak
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped green onions
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup molasses
1 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee, preferably espresso roast
1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
One 1 1/2 pound sirloin steak (or flank steak)
Salt to taste
Directions:
In medium bowl, stir together onions, vinegar, oil, molasses, coffee powder, pepper and mustard until completely blended.
With a sharp knife, make parallel 1/2 inch-deep slashes, about 2 inches apart, on both sides of steak. Transfer the steak to a zippered plastic bag and add the marinade, making sure steak is completely coated. Refrigerate for six hours or overnight.
Spray your grill with non-stick coating and heat to medium-high. Season both sides of the steak with salt. Grill the steak directly over the heat four to six minutes per side for medium-rare, or longer to suit your personal taste.
Set steak on a cutting board, cover with foil and let stand for about five minutes for juices to settle, before slicing diagonally. Transfer to serving plate and serve with a crisp salad and corn on the cob or your favorite vegetable. This recipe serves about 4.
If you’d like to barbecue a nice accompaniment for your steak, try these easy steak fries on the grill.
Barbecued Steak Fries
Directions:
Cut four medium russet potatoes in half lengthwise and then cut each half into four thick wedges. Bring about 2 cups of water to boiling in a medium sauce pan and add potatoes.
Lower heat to medium and cook potatoes, covered, for about eight to 10 minutes or until they are almost tender. Drain and cool.
Place cooled potatoes in a large bowl. Mix 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon each of your favorite herbs and spices. For example, you could use salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, dried rosemary or whatever else you like. Drizzle the mixture over the potato wedges, tossing gently and being careful not to break them.
Place the potato wedges on the upper rack of the barbecue while your steak is cooking, and grill the potatoes for six to 10 minutes.
Recipe courtesy of kitsapsun.com.
Photo courtesy of KansasCitySteaks.com.
School is back in session so what better time to brush up on a lesson that is near and dear to my heart? Yes, class, it’s time for a lesson on steak.
Chef Sandy goes through the ins and outs of cuts for us here. And if you pay attention you might just get an extra recess.
I often get the question, “What kind of steak should I buy?”
Well, that kind of depends on a few factors…
-What do you want to spend?
-What sort of texture do you want?
-What is the doneness level that you prefer?
-What kind of fat percentage do you want?
-What cooking method are you planning to use?
Here is a brief overview:
Many of the cuts of beef that are used for steaks are cut from the loin portion of the beef.
Most of us are well aware that filet or beef tenderloin (and Chateaubriand) are all part of the same very expensive cut of beef. There is very little waste, very little work for the cook (little trimming is necessary) and it is appropriate for anything and anyone who likes steak, even at the fanciest meal. The texture of tenderloin is very tender, and some say that the flavor is not assertively beefy enough, but that is really a matter of choice.
Many times this cut of meat will be served with a sauce or an equally luxurious topping like a bleu cheese topping or it will be wrapped in bacon, all of which will enhance the flavor. This is the priciest cut of steak, but again, there is no waste, and not too much shrinkage, so what you buy (and pay for) is what you get to eat.
But what is the difference between a T-bone and a Porterhouse? How about a KC Strip and NY Strip?
A Porterhouse is a steak with a T-bone in the middle, and a large portion of both tenderloin and strip loin. A T-bone is the same steak, but the tenderloin portion is usually smaller than a silver dollar, or even non-existent. The bone-in nature of this steak usually yields great flavor, and oftentimes at the grocery store the T-bones actually have a large filet portion (and should therefore be labeled as the more expensive Porterhouse — shh, we won’t tell).
The difference between a KC Strip and a NY Strip is basically a marketing difference. Depends on where you are from. Either could come with a bone, but often not, and both are a generally oblong shaped steak, with not much visible marbling, but fat around the outside (non-bone side) of the meat. Depending on where you shop, and what part of the country you are from, these steaks are often in the high-middle of the price range for quick cooking steaks.
A ribeye or Delmonico steak is well marbled with fat, and because of its high fat content, can be cooked more well done and still remain juicy. This kind of steak will flame up on the grill, so it should definitely be watched carefully. One trick I have used is to first grill the steak on the grate to get grill marks (and flavor) and then put heavy duty foil on the grill and put the steaks on top to finish cooking them without incinerating them.
Sirloin steaks on the other hand, may need marinating to become juicy. They should not usually be cooked to more than medium doneness and oftentimes are sliced thinly against the grain for presentation to help ensure a tender dining experience. Flank steak and skirt steak (fajitas) are also cuts of meat which should be marinated, cooked quickly to a med-rare or medium doneness and sliced across the grain for tenderness.
Round steaks are usually too tough to use a direct cooking method, and are better suited to another preparation method like braising — think Swiss steak. Brown, then cook the steak until tender in flavor liquid (gravy) for a few hours. Many different cultures have variations on this theme, and a thin round steak can also be used as a wrapper for flavorful ingredients, with the whole bundle braised in flavorful liquid for a delicious meal. Italians call it Braciole (may also be made with flank steak) Germans have Rouladen. Long story short, braise it for great taste and tenderness.
If you are making Chicken Fried Steak, the traditional choice is a tenderized round steak. This is a piece of meat which has been put through a process which mechanically pounds the steak and breaks up the tissues with thousands of little blades. This is the only way to use this steak in a quick cooking manner, otherwise you would end up with shoeleather. I have seen Chicken Fried Ribeye and Chicken Fried Filet on some fancier menus here in Texas, and since these are more tender pieces of meat, no mechanical tenderizing is necessary. Tasty, and about as decadent as you can get…
If you have any questions about a piece of meat you are considering buying, just ask. At many grocery stores or even Web site, sometimes they have flip guides to cuts of meat and preferred cooking method, and sometimes even stickers on the actual meat packages which say “Great for the Grill” or “Best for Braising” or some similar catchy tips. Or better yet, try some new choices next time you go to your favorite steak restaurant, and make a note to yourself about what you like and the preparation methods you enjoy.
Then you can try them out at home!
Photo courtesy of acjc.edu.
Oh. My. Gosh.
How have I missed this concept???
Beef AS the wrapper — not what’s inside the wrapper!!
This is absolutely brilliant. And it comes to us from our friends over at seasaltwithfood.com.
Japanese Beef Rolls
Ingredients
8 thinly slices of Beef (sirloin)
8 stalks of Asparagus, trimmed
3 stalks of Scallions, halved
100g Enoki Mushrooms, trimmed
3 Tbsp Japanese Soy Sauce
3 Tbsp Mirin
1 Tbsp Cooking Oil
Toothpicks or small skewers
Method
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Oil a baking tray.
Prepare the basting sauce. Mix the soy and mirin. Set aside.
Lay the beef slices, place the asparagus, scallions and mushrooms. Roll them tightly, and secure with toothpicks.
Bake in the oven for 5 minutes and baste the beef rolls with the sauce. Repeat the basting every 5 minutes until the beef rolls are cooked.
Boil the remaining sauce lightly and brush the beef rolls again. To serve, remove the toothpicks. Top it with some chopped scallions! DELISH!
Photo and recipe courtesy of seasaltwithfood.com.
Here’s an idea with a little kick for the holidays.
These can be served as appetizers — or if you’re not very formal like us — they can be served as a fun meal. With company coming, these kabobs make for a great, quick, healthy option that everyone will like.
Holiday Meat and Vegetable Kabobs
Soak 3 dozen 4-inch-long wooden skewers in water overnight. In a 1-quart saucepan over high heat, bring pearl onions and enough water to cover them to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 3 minutes or until onions are tender. Drain. When cool enough to handle, peel away outer layer of skin.
In a medium bowl, combine balsamic vinegar, TABASCO® Sauce, basil, garlic and salt and mix well. Pour half of mixture into another bowl. Cut chicken and beef into 3/4-inch chunks and place in one bowl with vinegar mixture, tossing well to coat. In remaining bowl of vinegar mixture, toss cooked pearl onions, red and green peppers, and zucchini. Let stand at least 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.
Preheat broiler. Skewer one chunk of chicken or beef and one each of red pepper, green pepper, onion and zucchini onto each skewer. Broil 4 to 6 minutes or to desired doneness, turning occasionally.
Makes 3 dozen hors d’oeuvres.
Photo and recipe courtesy of Tabasco.com.
Hi! My name is Dena P., and I love steak. In fact, I’ve been on a quest for the perfect steak for a few years now.
I love experimenting with food and I like to get my family, friends and neighbors involved. They add a lot to my cooking experience by helping me perfect techniques and sharing recipes.
