FOOD & DRINK
THE PERFECT STEAK? By Chef Nathan Schoenfeldt Chimichurri INGREDIENTS
S ummer is here and the time-honoured tradition of combining fire, iron and meat: ground beef, chicken, pork, stemmed and marinated portobello mushrooms for our vegan friends too. But the piece de resistance, the crown jewel of summer cooking is, obviously, the steak. that means every dad across the country is going to embark on What’s important in steak cooking is simplicity and attention to detail. When I teach new cooks this skill, I use an instant-read, digital probe thermometer. These units come with a temperature scale in the packaging, and while these numbers are mostly accurate for large roasts, an inch-thick steak never gets an accurate read because it’s so thin. My first tip for you is watch the juices ; they will show you what’s happening inside your steak. The more it cooks, the more it bleeds. The more it bleeds, the dryer it gets, and the less redness will be seen on a cross- section. The next tip is resting . Do not, under any circumstances, yank the steak off the grill and hack straight into it. While the meat rests, the structure begins to relax and, like a squeezed sponge simply set in a puddle of water, it’ll drink the juices back up. This pulls the liquid from the outer edge of the steak back into the core, lifting the internal temperature by anywhere from five to 10 degrees, rising to the next stage of doneness over the next five minutes!
My third tip for steak cooking is a simple tool. Cast Iron is the best cooking surface. These pans are invincible. Preheat your pan and start with a tablespoon of butter, a whole clove of garlic, and a bundle of fresh thyme before putting the steak in it. Once you flip the meat, you can baste it with your seasoned butter and really ramp up the flavour. Let’s talk about seasoning . Salt is all you really need here. The temperatures used to sear beef are so hot that all plant-based spices and herbs are going to burn long before your steak even starts to cook. Don’t waste your money on rubs or spice combinations; all you need is a pinch of coarse kosher salt before cooking. Bone in, or bone out? For a beginner, boneless, always. But if you want a challenge, the T-bone is a perfect place to start. Rather than searing your steak on both sides and calling it a day, start by standing it up on the flat end of the T, cooking the bone so the heat radiates up through the centre and into the meat before laying it flat. Finishing Spread . If you want to really step up your game, try a finishing spread while your steak is resting. Chimichurri (see recipe) adds a bright, fresh, summertime flavour with acidity and heat augmented by olive oil. Classic garlic butter also works in a pinch, and even more so with some crumbled triple-cream blue cheese. Just slather this stuff on top of your steak while it rests and you’ll find it to be a better alternative to any spice rub on the market.
1/2 cup chopped parsley - flat-leaf parsley 4 cloves garlic - chopped 1 shallot - chopped 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 small red chili - seeded and diced (or 2 tsp red pepper flakes) 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 2/3 cup good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
METHOD
Add the chopped parsley, garlic, shallot, oregano, red chili (or crushed red pepper), red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper to the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely minced (take care not to turn it into a thick paste from over-processing). Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and pour the extra-virgin olive oil over the mixture. Gently mix to combine. Allow the Chimichurri to stand for 15 minutes, time permitting. Serve over your favorite grilled meats and vegetables or use as a marinade! Enjoy!
www.pei-living.ca SUMMER 2023
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