With the renaissance of heartier fare, Strictly Steak is perfectly timed, with techniques and recipes for steaks of all kinds, from beef rib-eyes to venison -- on the grill, in the skillet, over the campfire, under the branding-iron, and more. Also covering cuts of meat and how to select them, "go-withs" (wines, breads, salads, baked potatoes, etc.), as well as steak sauces, marinades, and condiments, it's the ultimate book for the steak-lover in all of us!
Chapter One
STEAKS ON
THE GRILL
GRILLING MEAT OVER wood coals doesn't merely satisfy some
atavistic urge to cook outside the cave. There's more to it than that.
It's a hands-on kind of cooking, bringing into play the smells of
wood smoke and cooking meat, the sizzle on the turn, the color of
the meat. The eating is excellent, too, if the cook does his job, and a
perfectly grilled porterhouse, thick and juicy, is a gustatory joy
indeed.
There are, it's true, thousands of recipes for grilled steaks. But
the method and technique are much more important than marinades
and bastes. Attention to small detail means more—much more—than
a long ingredients list. A little salt and freshly ground black pepper are
all you need to grill wonderful steaks. Add anything else at your culinary
peril. (Well, maybe that statement is a little too strong. Let's just
say that too many herbs and spices, or too much balsamic vinegar, can
be culinary distractions, if you like the flavor of beef.)
I should add here that I consider grilled steaks to be cooked on
a grid of some sort directly over the heat source. Hardwood coals
make the ideal heat, and, being products of an open fire, they best fulfill
the mystique of the grill. Although I appreciate the practicality
and convenience of using charcoal, gas heat, or electric heating elements,
I see these not as advances in technology (which they are) but
as setbacks from a purely culinary standpoint. Necessary, at times, and
almost always more convenient than a wood fire—but nevertheless a
step away from the real thing.
Other opinions are strongly held. Some people maintain that
lava rocks heated by bottled propane gas and surrounded by water-soaked
mesquite purchased from the store cook the best steaks.
Others champion briquettes, pressed and glued to shape. Purists insist
on real charcoal of irregular shape. Even hard coal has been championed.
And, yes, all these methods can produce excellent steaks. So, use
what you have.
I'm not going to write a text here on how to build a fire, but I
personally try to avoid chemical starters, especially the squirt-bottle
type. But I would be lying if l said I never used them. For convenience
in starting, the electric or gas-heated grills are hard to beat.
Anyhow, here is my take on fuels, listed by order of my personal
preference, with a note tacked on at the end about wood chips for
smoking.
Hardwood Fires. "Hardwood coals" might be a more accurate
heading, but the term is too easily confused with "charcoal," and I
want no mistake here. The best steaks I have ever eaten were quickly
cooked over very hot coals. In spite of hotly defended regional and
individual preferences, it really doesn't make much difference which
kind of wood is used, provided that it is hardwood such as oak or
hickory or apple. Some woods do burn hotter than others, but the
technique here is much more important than subtle differences. I do,
however, prefer green freshly cut hardwood to dry wood. It's true
that dry wood is easier to start and burns better, but green wood
makes a hotter coal and much more smoke.
Because hardwood coal gets so hot, it is important to have a
heavy-duty cast-iron grate on which to cook. This grate might be fitted
to a cast-iron fire box, as in the small Hibachi grills, or it might
be simply placed over hot coals on the ground or in a fireplace. The
fire can be built inside some large, heavy-duty grill boxes, but thin
ones will quickly burn out.
I have a clever outdoor cooking tool called Big Food, which
can be raised or lowered easily and which can be swung out and
away from the fire. There are several other such grills available in
patio grilling shops and outdoor cooking catalogs. Or you can rig
your own simply by putting a grate over four bricks stood on end.
Build a hardwood fire away from the cooking area, then shovel hot
coals between the bricks and put the grate in place. It's best to position
the steaks about 4 inches above the hot coals, but a rig that is
adjustable in height is ideal. Thin steaks go close to the heat; larger
steaks, farther away.
Grilling over wood coals can be a little tricky because of the
intense heat. They really do get hotter than briquettes. So, watch
what you are doing, especially if you are drinking beer and talking
while grilling the steaks. If you don't, you'll likely burn or overcook
your steaks. I recommend using a buzzer timer with a neck
strap. Set it for 3 minutes per side, then make adjustments as needed.
Of course, much depends on the exact setup, heat, and thickness
of the steak. But a timer will keep you in the ballpark and can
save the day.
See also the chapter on campfire cooking. In it I've described a
raised platform to hold wood coals, which minimizes a lot of squatting.
Charcoal. Real charcoal is irregular in shape and has not been
compressed in a mold. Its fire is not as hot as wood coals, but it's a
good deal hotter than briquettes. I like charcoal very much, but it's
not as easy to find as briquettes. Try retail stores that traffic in grills
and patio cookery.
Charcoal Briquettes. These are made of powdered and compressed
charcoal, held together with a binder or glue of some sort.
Sometimes briquettes contain quick-start additives. Although they
stack neatly, the fire from briquettes simply doesn't get as hot as wood
coals or real charcoal. Availability is their big advantage. You can buy
'em these days in supermarkets, convenience stores, department
stores—even drugstores.
Electric Heat. I like to cook over electric heat from time to time,
and I am especially fond of the modern stoves with built-in grills,
featuring a powerful down-draft fan that pulls the smoke out of the
house. In my experience, however, most of the electric units, indoor
or out, don't produce quite enough heat for direct grilling. They will
work, sure, but not quite perfectly.
Gas Heat. I am aware of the popularity of these units. They will do
a good job, especially when used with plenty of lava rocks. They will
get hot enough, in most cases, and are very easy to light. I don't, however,
like to cook directly over gas fumes. Some people tell me this is
in my head, but, nonetheless, I don't like the idea. Yet, I'll have to
allow that I've eaten some very good steaks cooked over gas.
The best gas grills are large and have a hood, making indirect
cooking easy. These are fueled by relatively large propane tanks. It's
always best to have two tanks—one full standby tank, and one in use.
For some of us who tend to procrastinate, maintenance can be
a problem with gas grills, and the burner elements are often in need
of replacement. If some of the small holes in the burner elements
clog with grease and others burn out (making large holes), your
beautiful sirloin might turn out rare on one end and burnt on the
other, or with holes in the middle.
Hard Coal. This excellent fuel is hard to find these days in most
areas. It does, however, make a very hot fire, and the coals burn for a
long time. If hard coal were more readily available in reasonably small
quantities, I would move it up higher on this list of grilling fuels.
Wood Chips. These are added to the heat to produce smoke. They
are not a primary source of heat, and are, in fact, often soaked in
water to prevent them from burning up. The best chips are from
freshly cut green wood, and don't have to be soaked. The size of the
chips varies, and some are billed as "chunks." Even wood sawdust is
used to produce smoke. All these are good for indirect cooking and
smoking, but don't work as well for direct grilling, partly because the
cooking time is quite short. Also, in my opinion, smoke, like tomato-based
barbecue sauces, doesn't really enhance the flavor of beef very
much and goes better with pork. I'll get some arguments on that one.
In any case, most of the recipes below can be cooked successfully
with any of the various heats and with almost any grill. The only
requirement is that the metal rack be close to the heat source, allowing
quick cooking, and it should be adjustable to cook thick or thin
steaks. In most of the recipes I recommend that the steaks be grilled
uncovered. Exceptions are noted in the individual recipes.
A. D.'S WOOD-FIRE STEAK
Build a good hardwood fire. While waiting for the fire to burn down
to hot coals, brush the steaks lightly on each side with a mixture of
Myron's 20-Gauge wild game sauce (see chapter 12) and a little olive
oil. Stack the steaks one atop the other and leave them out, letting
them reach room temperature. When you have plenty of coals, rake
some away from the main fire. Position a cast-iron grill (or rack)
about 3 inches over the coals. Using tongs, lay the steaks on the grill.
Cook for 3 minutes. Turn and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Turn, sprinkle
with salt (lightly) and pepper, and add a pat or two of butter.
Cook until the steaks are medium rare. Serve hot.
COWBELLES' T-BONES FOR TWO
I adapted this recipe from Beef Cookbook, published by the Alabama
CowBelles and Alabama Cattlemen's Association a few years back.
Mrs. E. H.Wilson of Montgomery, past president of the CowBelles,
said that the recipe yields a meal "that pleases the man in your life—and
didn't he have fun cooking the steak!" That's the spirit!
2 T-bones
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
sauce
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
Rig for grilling. Melt the butter and stir in the Worcestershire, salt,
and pepper. Brush the mixture over the steaks, front and back. Grill
over hot coals for a few minutes on each side, until the steaks are rare
or medium rare. Serve the steaks on a heated plate, along with a
baked potato and a sprig of parsley. Serve also a large salad bowl,
overflowing with lettuce, tomatoes, and other fresh vegetables and
fruits. End the meal with a small piece of cherry pie and a cup of coffee,
Mrs. Wilson says.
EASY TENDERLOINS
Here's an excellent way to cook small tenderloins on the grill. If
you've got snooty company, call 'em filet mignon.
beef tenderloins, cut 1½
inches thick
thin-sliced bacon
salt and freshly ground
black pepper
Rig for grilling over charcoal, placing the rack about 4 inches over
the heat. Sprinkle the tenderloins with salt and pepper. Wrap each
one with a strip of bacon, cutting the bacon to fit with ½-inch overlap.
Pin with small skewers or round toothpicks. Grill, turning from
time to time with tongs, until the bacon is cooked the way you like
it. Serve hot.
Be warned that the bacon will drip and cause serious fires. It's
best to stand by the grill while cooking, tongs in hand, and move the
tenderloins about to avoid scorching the meat.
FRENCH PROVENÇAL HERBED STEAKS
I like this recipe because it gives me control of the herbs after the
steaks have been cooked. I don't care for much herb flavor on medium-rare
beef, but I realize that others do. If the steak is marinated for
hours with herbs in the mix, it is difficult to control the flavor if it
be too much or too little. In any case, this recipe has been adapted
from French Farm House Cookbook, by Susan Herrmann Loomis. The
ingredients list calls for ¼ cup of mixed fresh herbs. These can include
summer savory, thyme, and rosemary, or you can add your own
choice—and there are dozens of suitable herbs, including half a
dozen basils, for those who think they can tell the difference in the
finished steaks. The recipe calls for sea salt, of which I heartily
approve, and there are several sorts available today. If you have a
coarse salt (as well you should), grind it in a mill, like peppercorns,
or crush it in a mortar and pestle.
4 T-bones
½ cup chopped fresh herbs
(see note above)
2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
and minced
sea salt and freshly
ground black pepper
Rig for grilling over charcoal or wood coals. When the coals are
quite hot, brush the steaks on both sides with about half the olive
oil. Grill the steaks for 4 or 5 minutes on both sides until medium
rare, or done to your liking. When you turn the steaks, sprinkle them
with salt and pepper. While they finish cooking, mix the herbs, garlic,
and the rest of the olive oil, along with a little salt. Place the
steaks on heated plates and spread each with part of the herb mixture.
Serve hot.
KOREAN STEAK
Most Asian recipes call for cutting the steaks into thin strips, as in a
stir-fry. Here's a different way. I enjoy it for a change, served as a
lunch or a light dinner. Note that these steaks are quite thin and difficult
to slice without special equipment. You might ask your butcher
to slice them for you. The recipe calls for two prepared pastes, both
of which can be purchased in Korean food stores. The gouchu jang
paste, a standard seasoning in Korean cooking, is made with rice, fermented
soybean cake, hot chili, and other ingredients. The denjang
paste, also standard in Korean cooking, is made from fermented soybeans.
According to The Korean Kitchen, by Copeland Marks, denjang
matures like old wine and can be kept for as long as 30 years. Good
stuff. The sesame oil used in the recipe is made from burnt seeds and
is used as a flavoring. Do not use the sesame cooking oil.
THE MEAT AND WRAPPER
8 thin ribeye steaks
(¼ inch thick)
8 large lettuce leaves,
romaine or Boston
2 tablespoons denjang
paste
1 tablespoon gouchu jang
paste
THE MARINADE
2 green onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine
or dry vermouth
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
(Asian-style)
½ teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper
Mix the marinade ingredients in a nonmetallic container. Add the
steaks, tossing about to coat all sides of the meat. Marinate for 2 to 4
hours. Rig for grilling over hot charcoal or wood coals. Make a sauce
by combining the denjang and gouchu jang pastes; set aside at room
temperature. When the coals are very hot, broil the steaks about 4
inches from the heat for about 1 minute on each side, or until done
medium rare. Do not overtook. Lay out the lettuce leaves, smearing
each one to taste with the prepared hot sauce. Place a steak on each
leaf, roll with the lettuce on the outside, and eat out of hand.
TERIYAKI RIBEYES
These steaks are best cooked whole, then sliced before serving. But I
like to serve whole ribeyes, letting each diner carve his own. With
some cuts, however, it may be best to carve before serving. The marinade
ingredients make enough to soak four ribeyes. Adjust the measures
for more or less meat, but exact measures aren't critical.
4 ribeyes
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup peanut oil
¼ cup sake or perhaps
dry red wine
2 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon freshly grated
gingerroot
2 cloves garlic, minced
freshly ground black pepper
Mix all the marinade ingredients in a nonmetallic container. Add the
steaks, turning about to coat all sides, and marinate for about 5 hours
at room temperature, or longer in the refrigerator. Rig for grilling
over hot charcoal, wood, gas, or electric heat, putting the meat 4
inches from the heat. Grill for 6 or 7 minutes, or until done to your
liking, turning several times. Serve hot.
20-GAUGE RIBEYES
One of my favorite steak dinners came about without a plan.
Upon learning that I had to feed two of my teenage sons, I sent
them to the grocery store, a few blocks away, for steaks and mushrooms.
I also told them to pick up a bag of mixed salad at the
produce counter, looking closely for fresh lettuce without any
brown spots. They returned with four juicy ribeyes—not three. For
balance, they got four huge portabellos. All the ribeyes, they said,
were packaged two up, and it never occurred to them to ask the
butcher for three. The salad they forgot, they said. Anyhow, I
cooked the steaks and mushrooms on a built-in stovetop electric
grill, and they turned out to be memorable. The boys split the
extra steak and portabello. Here's my "recipe." For information on
the 20-Gauge sauce, see chapter 12.
ribeye steaks (with an
extra one or two)
Myron's 20-Gauge
wild game sauce
portabellos, whole
huge potatoes (cooked separately)
no salad
butter
salt and freshly ground
black pepper
Grind some peppercorns over the steaks, setting the mill on coarse,
or use some freshly cracked pepper. Rub the pepper into the steaks
with the palm of your hand. Brush the steaks on both sides with 20-
Gauge. Stack the steaks and set aside for 30 minutes or so, while the
potatoes are cooking. Heat the grill and grease the rack. Mix and
heat a basting sauce, using half butter and half 20-Gauge. Cook the
steaks and portabellos for 4 or 5 minutes on each side, until medium
rare, basting several times.
Copyright © 2000 A. D. Livingston.
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 1-58080-048-3
Livingston, food columnist for Gray's Sporting Journal and author of half a dozen other cookbooks, including Cast-Iron Cooking, likes big steaks with lots of taste, served with maybe a salad and some good bread not, as he puts it, "a little dab of meat surrounded by a few sprigs of green stuff." His recipes are primarily arranged by cooking technique and, in addition to beef, include venison, pork, lamb, and even ostrich, emu, and bear. William Rice's Steak Lover's Cookbook (LJ 12/97) offers more recipes, and Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly's excellent Complete Meat Cookbook (LJ 12/98) includes some good steak recipes, but larger collections may want to add Livingston's as well especially since meat seems to be making a comeback on dinner tables as "fear of fat" recedes. Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.
For those who think a meal without meat is just a collection of side dishes, this opinionated guide to cooking steak will prove a boon companion. Livingston (Sausage, Cast-Iron Cooking, etc.), who admits he'd rather not sit down with anyone eating a steak cooked well-done, evinces traditional tastes (he firmly believes the best accompaniment to meat is potato), and his gruff manner and primal recipes will prove a challenge for readers with more delicate palates. How to keep Ground Elkburger Steaks moist? Fold a few small oysters into the patties. What's a speedy way to cook a campfire rib eye? Set a log on some hot coals, then set it fiery-side up and throw the meat right on top; turn the meat every 30 seconds for two minutes, brush off the ash, and it's done. The text is about as organized as a bachelor's closet, but there is plenty of useful information and creative cooking for those willing to sort through the chapters. Cuts of all sorts pork, lamb, venison and emu, to name a few get chopped, creamed and battered into dishes such as Mafia Steak Florentine with Mushrooms, which uses cognac, chives and garlic "sliced thinly with a single-edged razor blade," and Flamed Pepper Steak, which gets torched in brandy. There's ample discussion on the art of grilling, cast-iron skillets, open fires, branding irons and, of all things, the George Foreman Grilling Machine. Also amid the flames are a list of sauces (which includes some strange selections, e.g., Wyoming Catsup made from the pulp of the wild buffalo berry), a chart and glossaries of useful beef terminology, as well as a nod to salads, sides and desserts, elements deemed necessary only if there's room left on the plate after the T-bone touches down. (June) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.
