DUDE, I mean, c’mon. Man+cook= steak. It’s that simple. Nothing, except maybe sex and even that is a bit more ‘evolved’ is as primal as a man cooking a steak. Truth be told many a gentleman is dettered from cooking a steak- what do I put on it, how long di I cook it etc etc etc. All good questions but they fly in the face of the simplicity and wonder that is this dish.
What encompasses a good steak, and what needs to go into it? Almost nothing. Men have a bad habit of approaching cooking like a mad-dash science experiment wherein they empty the contents of their spice-cabinets on unsuspecting food in the hopes that through that alchemy something amazing (that can never be replicated) comes out of it. But in truth, if you can make a great steak (with nearly nothing) and can make it the same every time it becomes your signature dish, your mark of distinction.
Real men cook…
The Tools:
- Fire (gas, electric, grill, wood, charcoal)
- A cast-iron skillet (for more on cast-iron skillets go here)
- Tongues
The Stuff:
- Good beef: grass-fed, sirloin-cut, 1.5” / 3.81cm (this is important, if you skimp on this then no matter what you do herein, it won’t be great).
- Great salt (not iodizes Morton’s but great salt, expensive sea salt, trust us, pays off- fleur de sel is the best)
- Cracked black peppercorns
- Determination
The process:
- If you’re making the steak on the grill- get the grill HOT. If it’s on a Iron-skillet the best thing to do is, once oiled, throw it in a 400F oven, and put your burner on Med-High.
- Take your steak out of the fridge some 15 minutes before you intend to cook it so it comes down to room temp; then dab it with a paper towel to get any excess moisture off its surface.
- Let it snow salt and pepper all over it.
- Take skillet out, put on med-high stove top and insert steak- hear the sizzle (or open grill- at this point you may need to open a window)
- Leave untouched for 4-5 minutes. Turn.
- 2-3 minutes additional on other side for rare, 4 med-rare, 5-med etc.
- Serve hot with a simple green salad, baked potatoes, fries or on its own.- ENJOY
Myths
People think Tenderloin is better but while softer and more tender (hence the name, but in fact, as a muscle that gets almost no movement and use- it actually has very little flavor. The parts with the most flavor? Those used a lot, the shanks and, especially, the cheeks- but this requires slow cooking in order to break the toughness. TGG recommends; steak? Go Sirloin.
Match
Obviously a beer always- but something more hearty- an amber ale or evena stout if the weather calls for it. I like with Red; depends what you’re in the mood for: Brunello di Montalcino (Italy), Cali or Aussie Syrah/Shiraz, A Cote Rotie (France) or a heady Argentine red. Knock yourself out.
Circa Alejandro 