All I really want for Christmas is a great steak
| December 9, 2009 | Posted by admin under Uncategorized |
Executive Chef, Bryan Moscatello
OK the above statement probably isn’t true because I’ve had my eye on a pair of excellent Prada winter boots. Since the boots most likely won’t be under my tree I’m hoping to at least enjoy a great steak. So what qualifies as a great steak? Good question and I think the answer varies depending upon who you ask. But either way there need to be certain requirements that get met. As far as I’m concerned the primary factor in a great steak is the steak itself, so the marbling must be magnificent, and by that I mean I want to see thick veins of white. The marbling or fat will break down during the cooking process and not only flavor the steak but it will keep it very moist and tender. My next factor is on the bone or off the bone? For this one I prefer on the bone. Then there is the matter of thickness. I feel that the great ones are always at least 1 ½ inches thick.
Now that we have taken care of our three primary requirements for our steak the obvious question is what cut is it? My great steak will be a shell steak, bone in New York strip. I go with the shell steak because I am not the biggest fan of the tenderloin, even though I have had some excellent ones in the past, which rules out the T-bone or Porterhouse. I really enjoy the way it cooks on the bone; just a little less cooked right next to the bone and on the opposite side the fat is charred and crisp. That leaves the meat slightly out of the elements tucked nicely between the bone and the fat.
When cooking the meat nothing beats a hard wood fired grill for this task. So a very liberal sprinkling of salt and pepper then a brush of oil and onto the grill. I am lucky enough to have someone who is a slave to his craft and will undoubtedly be basting this meat throughout the cooking process with herb infused butter. So bring it to a perfect medium rare and let it rest before it gets placed in the center of Bernardaud Square Tonga Plate with nothing more than a Norwegian Smoked Sea Salt, Sel Gris and some of that browned basting butter. Oh Yeah and I should be sitting directly in front of a picture window that frames the Grand Teton in Jackson Wyoming.
A couple bottles of Gaja would only add to the enjoyment
