Grilled Strip Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Happy Memorial Day my friends!!!

I hope you are celebrating our country’s warriors with your closest friends and family and truly remembering what today stands for.

And while you are contemplating all the sacrifices our servicemen and women have made, you should also have some beers and fire up your grill.

If you haven’t nailed down what you should grub on for the holiday, here is a great beginning of the summer option.

You will need…

4 10-ounce strip steaks

2 tablespoons finely ground dark-roast coffee beans

2 tablespoons chile powder

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon paprika

1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon kosher salt

Chimichurri sauce

In a small bowl, combine the ground coffee, chile pwder, brown sugar, paprika, cumin and salt.

Rub the steaks all over with the dry rub and let them stand for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Preheat the grill to a medium high heat.

Grill the steaks, turning once until they are charred on the outside and medium rare on the inside. 

About 12 minutes.  Transfer to a platter, cover with aluminum and let rest for 10 minutes.

After the meat has rested, slice against the grain into slices about ½ inch thick.

Drizzle with Chimichurri sauce and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Grilled Strip Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

4 10-ounce strip steaks

2 tablespoons finely ground dark-roast coffee beans

2 tablespoons chile powder

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon paprika

1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon kosher salt

Chimichurri sauce

In a small bowl, combine the ground coffee, chile pwder, brown sugar, paprika, cumin and salt.

Rub the steaks all over with the dry rub and let them stand for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Preheat the grill to a medium high heat.

Grill the steaks, turning once until they are charred on the outside and medium rare on the inside. About 12 minutes.  Transfer to a platter, cover with aluminum and let rest for 10 minutes.

After the meat has rested, slice against the grain into slices about ½ inch thick.

Drizzle with Chimichurri sauce and serve hot.

New York Strip Steak with Balsamic Syrup

I think it might be a slight understatement to say that Wes has weathered a storm on the blog lately.

More like a hurricane.

He had to meet my parents. Then he broke our house. Then he almost killed our cat.

And while these things make for great stories, I’m sure he cringes when he has to relive the events in writing.

I know I do.

So, for a change I thought I’d talk about something absolutely wonderful about Wesley.

His family.

If you couldn’t tell by the three month rule post, I’ve had quite of few gentleman callers.

And if you date someone long enough, meeting the family is kind of part of the deal.

Most of them were warm and wonderful and willing to welcome me into their homes.

Some were not so awesome, but that is another REALLY long story.

But no family has ever made me feel more special, or more like I belonged than Wesley’s. They are just a bunch of gems.

I haven’t met everyone yet (I’m meeting mom, younger sister and brother on Thursday) but those that I have met are freaking awesome.

Especially his sister Mindy, brother-in-law John and two kids who we have been spending a lot of time with lately.

Mindy and I were meant to be friends. We have the same karaoke song. Totally fate.

Oh, and John just so happens to be in the meat business.

Yes, the meat business.

Which means we suddenly have a lot more meat in our lives. Which means you all have a lot more meat dishes in your lives.

Including the two different ones I made this week.

You will need…

1 1-pound New York strip steak (about 1-inch thick)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar

Start by boiling the balsamic vinegar and sugar in a heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/3 cup, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes.

Make sure not to keep the syrup cooking for too long or it will burn.

In addition, make sure to type this perfectly with your meat being done, as the syrup will start to harden after removed from the heat.

In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium high heat until it is nice and hot.

Season the meat on both sides generously and add it to the hot oil.

Sear the steak until it is deep brown on one side, about 4 to 5 minutes and flip it.

Cook the other side until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the met registers 120 degrees F for medium-rare, about 3 to 4 more minutes.

Transfer the meat to a cutting board, cover it with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes.

When the meat has rested, place it on a serving dish and drizzle it with the balsamic syrup.

Serve hot and enjoy.

If you have a restaurant and need a meat guy, let me know. I’ve got just the man for the job.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Peppercorn Steak

My parents have always been really great about exposing my brothers and me to delicious food. Obviously, we didn’t start too fancy because the three of us together could be tyrants. But, when we were old enough to not beat each other up at the table, they took us to all kinds of delicious restaurants. The first fancy restaurant I can remember was a French place where I had the first steak I really enjoyed. It was a perfectly cooked filet with an amazing peppercorn sauce. It was heaven. So, on French night, I decided to do my own peppercorn steak.

The peppercorn steak marked some major kitchen firsts for me. It was the first time I put a pan in the oven (I have no idea why I was nervous to do this), the first time I successfully reduced something and it was the first (and only) time I ground an entire container of peppercorns.

This recipe tells you to grind them yourselves. Don’t. Just use regular pepper! It will save you time and energy.

Also, don’t be a dumb dumb like me and remember that the pan handle is hot when it comes out of the oven.

Burnt fingers are so not sexy.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Peppercorn Steak

2 tablespoons green peppercorn

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard plus 2 teaspoons

4 (12 to 14-ounce) New York strip steaks, trimmed of excess fat

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons minced shallots

1 tablespoon black pepper

Big splash Cognac

1 package beef demi-glace (you can buy delicious beef demi-glace at nicer grocery stores)

1/4 cup cream

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat sautepan to medium-high, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush 2 tablespoons of the mustard on the steaks, and season liberally with salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet with the oil over medium high heat until the oil is VERY hot and sear steaks until well browned and crisp on 1 side, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Flip steaks and put the skillet in the oven for about 5 to 7 minutes, for medium-rare.

Remove steaks from the oven. Place steaks on a dish and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Place the skillet over medium heat. Place a towel over the handle so you don't burn yourself like I do every time.

Add the shallots and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the green peppercorns, then the Cognac and cook until almost all the liquor has evaporated.

Whisk in the remaining 2 teaspoons of mustard and veal stock and bring to a simmer.

Whisk in the cream.

Spoon the sauce over the steaks and serve immediately.