Seared Steak With Pan Sauce

Let me tell you about a magical little thing called searing. You heat a little bit of oil on high heat until it starts smoking, then you place the meat in. Once you do this, the meat will stick to the pan. Just wait for it. Wait. When it's done searing on that side - and this is so magical, I want to kill myself - it will naturally "unstick" itself from the pan. It's the food's way of saying, "I'm ready for you to turn me. Please turn me. Please, will you? I love you."
If that's not enough, there's another magical something called a pan sauce. When meat is done cooking, it needs to rest to allow the juices to redistribute, otherwise the moisture will just run out of it when you cut through it. This resting time is the perfect amount of time to make a sauce in the pan the meat just cooked in, and guess what? After searing the meat, some brown bits of caramelized meat - called fond - remain stuck to the pan. When you turn the heat up to high and throw a healthy portion of red wine into the pan, the brown bits will allow themselves to absorb into the sauce. All you have to do is scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, and the sauce has now become an obvious compliment to the meat. Sauce, meet steak.
A few things about searing, however: The meat must be completely and totally dry. Find a cut of meat that you can get by without a marinade with. Next, the oil must be incredibly hot. Olive oil has a wonderful flavor, but will not get hot enough before it starts smoking. I suggest to mix it with canola oil for searing, because canola oil will get much hotter before it starts to smoke. Lastly, when you set the meat in the pan, you must commit to it being there. Don't try to move or touch it until it lets you know that it's done. If you like your steak medium or well-done, place the pan in a preheated oven to finish cooking.
Ingredients:
4 (1) inch thick bone-in rib steaks or boneless rib-eye steaks
1 Tbsp. blended oil - 1/2 olive oil, 1/2 canola oil (you may use just canola oil, but do not use just olive oil)
1/2 Pound cremini mushrooms, sliced thin
1 shallot, minced
1 Clove garlic, minced
1/2 Tbsp. sage, minced
1/2 Tbsp flour, more if needed
1 1/2 Cups dry red wine
1 Cup beef stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. chilled butter
Directions:
Allow the steak to come to room temperature.
On the fat side of the meat, cut two slits through the fat about an inch apart to prevent the meat from curling in the pan. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
Heat a 12-inch stainless steel skillet (do not use cast iron as it will react and be ruined by the acidity of the red wine, and do not use non-stick as the steak won't produce any fond for your sauce) over high heat until incredibly hot. Pour the oil in and shake the pan gently to distribute evenly over the bottom of the pan. When the oil starts exuding smoke, place the steaks in but do not allow the steaks to touch - otherwise they will just steam. Allow to cook without disturbing for about 3-4 minutes until the steak naturally "unsticks" itself from the pan. Flip the steaks. They should be incredibly brown and caramelized and delicious looking. Cook for another 2-3 minutes and remove from heat. Allow to rest.
While resting, throw the mushrooms in and allow them to boil in the liquid they exude. Once their liquid has evaporated, pour a little oil into the pan and add the shallots, garlic, and sage. Cook for about 45 seconds longer until fragrant. Add the flour and a little more oil if needed. Stir together to incorporate. Allow to cook for about a minute to rid the flour of its raw taste. Add the wine and de-glaze the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan. Reduce to about half and add the beef stock. Boil quickly and reduce until thick. Season with salt and pepper. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and pour over the steaks.

Read More

Grilled Steak Recipes for Your Next Cookout

There's nothing quite like getting a rip-roaring fire going to grill up some steaks that brings out your inner caveman. With these grilled steak recipes, you will be able to make easy, healthy, and delicious dinners at any time.
Steak Is Healthy!
First off, I want to allay your fears. I used to feel bad about eating steak because I thought that all red meat was inherently bad. With all the cholesterol and fat, it just had to be unhealthy, right?
Well, it turns out that fat isn't bad for you. From the French to the coconut-devouring Tokelauans, many cultures have thrived on high fat diets without the high rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other maladies that we suffer from today, so that can't be it.
Additionally, cholesterol shouldn't be a concern of yours either. Your body will produce cholesterol to make up for any that you cut out of your diet, and besides, half of heart attack patients have been found to have normal cholesterol levels.
My point is that steak is actually a health food. So get some red meat and fire up the grill!
The Ingredients

• Steak of your choice
• Salt and pepper

The Recipe

1. Set up your grill for high direct heat. You want to be able to put your hand over the grate and need to pull it away after 2-3 seconds.
2. Rinse and pat dry the steak. Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides.
3. Throw the steak on the grill, turning once. Here's a guide for how long each side should be:

• 1" thick steak: 6-9 min first side, 3-6 min second side.
• 1 1/2" thick steak: 7-11 min first side, 4-8 min second side.
• 2" thick steak: 9-13 min first side, 6-10 min second side.

The VariationsI always urge people to learn the basic recipes first, so that they can improvise to add new things to it and come up with literally hundreds of new recipes. Here's some things you may want to try with your steaks:

• Marinate the steak overnight in the refrigerator in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar, salt, pepper, and herbs.
• Cover the steaks in a dry rub before grilling. You can use a pre-made variety or simply make your own with the dried spices you have on hand.
• Top off the steak with olive oil and lemon juice or a compound butter by mixing softened butter, parsley, and garlic.

With these grilled steak recipes, you will be able to make the most out of your grilling time before the snow starts to fall.

Read More

Grilled Garlic-Stuffed Top Sirloin Steak Recipe

The garlic used in this sirloin steak recipe calms down during the two stages grilling, adding a nice richness to the top sirloin. Top sirloin is a more tender and leaner cut than bottom sirloin.
This sirloin recipe works best grilled over charcoal and mesquite chips. It can also be cooked inside in the oven, although you will not get the same smoky flavor.
1 3-pound boneless top sirloin steak (about 2 inches thick)
salt and ground black pepper to taste
Garlic Filling:
1 medium garlic head (baked in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped scallions
On an outdoor grill, get enough charcoal lit to have a single layer coals below the meat. At the same time, soak a few handfuls of mesquite chips in water.
In making the filling, break the garlic head apart, then squeeze each soft garlic clove from its skin. In a small skillet or frying pan, heat one tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the garlic, and mash it into the oil with a fork until you form a rough paste.
Stir in the scallions, and cook for a minute or two, until the onions are soft. Remove the pan from the stove top, and let the filling mixture cool while you get the meat ready.
Trim off any fat from the sirloin, and cut a horizontal slit along the length of the steak to make a pocket. Be sure not to cut through to the other side. Spread the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil thinly over the sirloin.
After allowing the charcoal to become gray, spread the soaked mesquite chips on top of the coals. Lay the steak on the grill over the coals. Cover the meat with the grill lid, or make a foil tent to lay over the sirloin.
Grill the meat on one side for about 15 minutes, then turn it. Grill for another 10 to 15 minutes, until reaching your desired doneness. Serve immediately.

Read More