Steak

perhaps they don't want to spend a ton of money on dinner. Taste of Texas and Saltgrass are not bad places. Wouldn't call them high end steak houses obviously, but it's not as if they make crap food.

I prefer Flemings and Pappa's, but there was a time when it was way too expensive

 

wow.

that's weak man.

 

I agree. Not setting a good precedent for that relationship

 

Kosher Salt, Pepper, Minced Garlic

Cooked over Nautral Lump Charcoal (I'll never use the other stuff again)

Pat of butter on each side with initial searning.

mmmm mmmm good.

 

yeah, so what, we're poor...

I'd like to try Ruth's Chris one day, i've always heard they were good.

 

May I suggest a place called Brenner's on I-10 East right before Beltway 8? Absolutely my favorite steakhouse in Houston.

The two specials they were running when I went Tuesday nite were spectacular. He got the 24oz. bone-in ribeye (huge) and I got the peppercorn filet.

We accompanied them with salads, steamed brocolli, and green beans with pecans and camelized onions.

My favorite entre on the menu (which happens to be the cheapest) is the $20 fried chicken. Yeah, I said fried chicken. It comes with some of the tastiest mashed potatoes I've ever had. Try it.

 

I like sirloins myself.

Marinade:
Liberally apply Montreal Steak Seasoning and fresh crushed garlic to both sides, and stab it into the meat with a wide-toothed fork. Marinate for as long as possible (at least a few hours) in Wishbone Robusto Italian salad dressing and Tiger Sauce.

On a hot fire, grill for 3.5-4.5 minutes on each side for medium rare. When you flip the steak, pour the rest of the marinade on top of the steak. I use a gas grill....sue me, its all I have....so your time may vary depending on your grill and whether its gas or charcoal.

 

How much do you spend at Saltgrass? $30/per person?

Do yourself a favor. Go to Vic & Anthony's. Both of y'all get a steak, split a side, and get a tea. It'll run you close to $30/per person that way. Maybe $35.

 

He's giving up meat to give meat.

 

peter freaking luger.
different cuts call for different treatments. the hanger steak, or as non new yorkers would call it, skirt steak, takes very well to dry or wet marinades. there is no cut of meat better for fajitas. on the other hand, i went to some dumb mexican restaurant in brooklyn the other day and i ordered their chicken fried steak. <yeah, i know. anyhow, they used skirt steak and the first couple of bites were interesting but ultimately, no thank you. anyway, the goal is to not screw a good steak up. as for me, i am going to rub a little salt pepper and olive oil into some porterhouses and wrap them in cellophane with garlic and fresh rosemary for about 30 minutes before i grill them tonight. <this, more or less, is called bistecca ala fiorentina. yum.



^why is my post only partially showing up?

 

I use a marinade with Italian dressing, red wine vinegar, worcestershire sauce, a little garlic, pepper, a little salt, and brown sugar which is optional. Makes a really juicy steak.

 

I second this. Though I haven't been there in about 4 years.

V&A, Pappas, etc. don't hold a candle to Americas or Marks.

 

good cut of beef, i like a thick ribeye
season w/ olive oil, kosher/sea salt, fresh black pepper... let them sit out for awhile to reach room temp
sear on a very hot cast iron skillet or grill for 3-5 mins. per side
after searing, finish off in a 300-350 degree oven for 5-8 mins for medium rare (depending on thickness of course)

and please, please, please:
a. dont cook past medium
b. let the steaks sit for 5-10 mins. after they're done cooking so the juices dont bleed out the second you cut into them

 

excuse me, hanger steak and skirt steak are NOT the same cut, as a trip to your friendly neighborhood citarella would tell you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanger_steak



[rquoter]A hanger steak is a tender cut of beef steak which is said to "hang" from the diaphragm of the steer. (The diaphragm itself is a tougher muscle, comprising the outer skirt steak.) The hanger is attached to the last rib and the kidney. It resembles flank steak, but is a vaguely V-shaped pair of muscles with a long, inedible membrane down the middle. The hanger steak is very tender, but has an intense flavor, and is best marinated and cooked quickly over high heat (grilled or broiled) and served rare or medium-rare, to avoid toughness. Chefs with experience preparing beef kidneys report that the hanger steak's aroma preserves a trace of kidney.

There is only one hanger steak per animal, and the entire cut typically weighs about 1 to 1.5 lbs (450 to 675g). It is prized for its tenderness and flavor, and was sometimes known as "butcher's steak" because butchers would often keep it for themselves rather than offer it for sale.

The hanger steak has traditionally been most popular in Europe. In French, it is known as the onglet, in Italian the lombatello, and in Spanish the solomillo de pulmon. In the United States, it has only recently become popular; formerly, it was not separated as an individual cut.

It is also known as the "hanging tender", and occasionally is seen on menus as a "bistro steak".[/rquoter]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flank_steak

[rquoter]The skirt steak is a cut of beef steak from the plate (belly) primal cut. It is a long, flat cut that is flavorful, but tougher than most other steak cuts. It is the cut of choice for making fajitas ("little belts" or "sashes" in Spanish) and Cornish pasties. Skirt steaks are usually marinated or braised over low heat. Because of its toughness, skirt steak should be sliced across the grain for serving.[/rquoter]

and they're right about the aroma and taste- it's particularly pungent, almost primal. it tastes like meat...and victory. sorry if that make you uncomfortable Sammy.

 

We split a $25 porterhouse at Saltgrass. So, more like $15 each.

 

marinade:
1/4 cup ketchup (or tomato sauce if you don't like ketchup)
1 tsp soy sauce
a dash of oregano
black pepper to taste
cayenne/red pepper to taste


add juice from 1/2 lime or lemon right before cooking.
fry it in a skillet over medium heat with garlic and olive oil,
add portabello mushroom slices and caramelized onions.
cilantro garnish.

 

sounds yummy, but if anybody did this to a filet or ribeye they should have their manhood taken away from them.

 

semi-salt curing before you grill.

15 mins to about an hour before you grill,
coat the steak with a layer of salt on each side. pat it on so it sticks.
let sit. (garlic, rosemary, pepper, minced chili peppers, etc optional)

now, i know what you're thinking, "noooo- salt will dry out the steak"... don't worry. some salt will draw out the moisture, but if you leave it long enough, the fluids will go back in and bring salty juice back inside. the salt seems to tenderize the meat.

after waiting 15 mins minimum, rinse off all the excess salt. pat dry, real dry. oil the meat up with safflower/canola (unless you like the taste of acrid, burned olive oil...), grill on high. as everyone said, flip only once with tongs, never use the bbq fork, never press down on the steak.

and the finale, LET IT REST on a plate for at least 5 mins. voila! restaurant-style steak. use whatever cut you want, so long as it's decently thick. make cheap eats into good meats!

a bit o warning, the salt might be too much for some...