Oh, yes. Steak for Thanksgiving.

Why not? If the pilgrims had had access to a juicy ribeye you can bet your bottom dollar (or gold coin or whatever their currency was) that they would’ve jammed out on a nice, big steak.

Alas, turkey was the meat of the day. And although I do enjoy good turkey, must we always be followers?

I liked this discussion thread I read over at Chowhound.com. And if you’re considering steak for YOUR Thanksgiving meal this year, read on!

Steak for Thanksgiving

We’re going non-traditional this year with grilled rib eye; nice, fat, corn-fed, dry-aged, 1lb. steaks per person, grilled over mesquite. What do you suggest for side dishes? Only requirement is that they pair well with a big red wine. Thanks!

Reply

First off: what’s steak without potatoes? ?Baked potatoes are easy and can be left to their own designs, but they’re fairly uninteresting – although smearing them with butter, kosher salt, and cracked black pepper and then wrapping them in foil to bake sure helps. ?Smashed red potatoes with herbs and a dash of citrus zest are great; smashed gold potatoes with gobs of butter and cracked black pepper are also great; and you can’t go wrong with whipped Idahoes. ?Oven fries are good, too, roasted golden brown and covered in salt and herbs, but that might be difficult for a large group.?Corn:?A bit of a southwest twist never hurt corn. Saute some red onion and garlic on medium-ish heat until they start to soften, add in some chopped red bell pepper, throw the corn in once the pepper starts to cook through, and then pull it after a couple minutes. Toss it all in a big bowl with some salt & pepper, lime juice, a bit of cumin, and some chopped fresh cilantro. ?Sweet potatoes:?Another southwest suggestion: rather than traditional candied yams, make a hash of these with red onion, red bell pepper, some chili powder (I prefer chipotle or ancho for the smoky flavor, but guajillo is good too), cumin, and coriander, and salt and pepper. ?Green beans:?I see no reason to mess with tradition here – slow cooked with some bacon works well.?Asparagus:?As long as you’ve got the grill lit up, no reason not to toss some asparagus on. It’s easy and fast to cook, and you can gussy it up with some lemon juice and fresh grated Parmesan.?Salad:?Something bold with a strong vinaigrette is probably a good idea. I’d look for pears and red onion with red wine vinegar if you lean southwest on the above sides, or if you want something that’s a bit sweeter, head for balsamic with walnuts and feta. ?Hope some of that helps — most of it is stuff I make on a regular basis and I can vouch for pairing it with steak. 😀

Discussion thread courtesy of Chowhound.com.

Photo courtesy of Hardrock.com.

Want to try something spicy this weekend?

TV host Sara Gore gives us her take on a tasty, tasty chimichurri sauce for a tender strip steak.

Uh, yum. Double yum.

Give it a whirl!

Grilled New York Strip Steak with Kickin’ Chimichurri

Sara Gore

INGREDIENTS

Steaks

• 4 New York strip steaks, patted dry

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

• Olive oil for pan

Kickin’ chimichurri sauce

• 2 shallots

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2 jalapenos

• 3 tablespoons lime juice

• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

• 2 cups parsley

• 1 cup cilantro

• 1 cup mint

• 3/4 cup olive oil

• Salt and pepper

Guaca “maiz”

• 4 ears of corn (parboiled, drained, ice bathed, and removed from cob)

• 2 avocados, medium dice

• 1 jalapeno, minced

• 1 clove garlic, mashed into paste with pinch of salt

• 1 tomato, medium dice

• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

• 1/3 cup red onion, small dice

• 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste

• Juice of 1/2 lime

DIRECTIONS

Steaks
Mix together spices in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over strip steaks. Heat oil in a heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add steaks and cook 4-5 minutes per side or until desired doneness (120 degrees for rare and 125 degrees for medium rare, using an instant-read thermometer). Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil.food processor, slowly adding oil in at the end. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Kickin’ Chimichurri Sauce
Pulse first three ingredients until well combined. Wipe down sides. Add remaining ingredients in.

Guaca “Maiz“ — A Corn and Guacamole Salsa
Gently fold all ingredients together in a bowl, keeping the avocado intact. Season to taste.

Plating options: Slice the steaks across the grain and fan out on plate. Spoon chimichurri over the steaks. Use a metal round or tuna can with both sides removed with can opener, and fill with guaca “maiz.” Remove metal round. Top with a piece of cilantro. Enjoy!

Recipe and photo courtesy of today.msnbc.com.

Adored by millions, loved by all who come into contact with it, it’s incredible that the steak sandwich has not lost its humble essence.

And that’s what we love about it.

It may start out as a snooty filet mignon, but slap it between 2 slices of bread and slather it with mayo and it becomes a simple steak sandwich — the filet’s more casual, unshaven cousin. You know the type. He’ll make inappropriate jokes about your sister and eat way too many pork rinds but he’d give the shirt off his back to you. And you inexplicably always want him around.

That’s the steak sandwich. Unassuming, jovial — awesome at Wii golf.

See what I mean? What’s not to like?

Check out PoorGirlEatsWell.com for a rockin’ steak sandwich recipe . . . plus a walk down memory lane filled with sack lunches and first grade angst.

Mmmmmmm.

Photo courtesy of PoorGirlEatsWell.com.