Which location? 2222 and 360? I used to work at the office park next to that location. I ate there a lot, but I have never tried the prime rib. I'll have to try it next time I'm there.
I actually had it at the location in Houston, but I can't imagine their being a difference. The County Line in Austin is the original. And make sure to get there at a reasonable hour. Moist people will get the med. rare pieces first, and you don't want to get stuck there when all they have left for the day are the well done ones.
yeah, it is as far as I know. He tried expanding on 183 and that didn't work so he gave up both locations, sick of the business supposedly. I thought it was the best steakhouse in Austin. I think Sullivans, Ruths Chris etc are overrated.
here's another, from a good friend via cook's illustrated: NY Strip cut in half to form 2 approx same size portions (this works better than rib-eye or filet mignon-I tried all 3) For 2 persons: 1 boneless strip steak, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inces thick (about one pound each) Kosher salt and ground black pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Pat steaks dry with paper towels. Cut in half to create approx 2 8-ounce steaks. Seas liberally with salt and pepper. Place steaks on a wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet; transfer baking sheet to oven. Cook 20-25 minutes for rare to medium-rare or 25-30 minutes for medium. 2. Heat oil in 12 inch heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat until smoking (but not too much). Place steaks in skillet and sear until well browned and crusty, 1 1/2 - 2 minutes, lifting once halfway through to distribute fat underneath each steak. (Reduce heat if fond begins to burn.) Using tongs, turn steaks and cook ntil well browned on second side, 2 - 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer to clean rack and reduce heat under pan to medium. Use tongs to stand 2 steaks on their sides. Holding steaks together, return to skillet and sear on all edges until browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. 3. Return steaks to wire rack and let rest, losely tented with foil, for about 10 minutes. If desired, cook sauce in now-empty skillet.
I ate at Ruth's Chris last night. The Rib eye was great. The lobster tail was about the size of a jumbo shrimp. Tasted pretty good, but an amazing rip off.
PorterHouse, and I may one day release my secret marinade !! Some of my favorite Austin Steakhouses 1. Flemings 2. Ruth's Chris 3. Eddie V's 4. Sullivans To name a few. DD
here's one more for Hanger Steak- such a flavorful cut of meat http://beyondsalmon.blogspot.com/2006/09/perfect-steak-at-last.html [rquoter]Slow-roasted Hanger Steak Hanger steak has a grizzle running through its center. Ask your butcher to remove it and trim all the silver skin and outside fat. You’ll end up with two cylindrical muscles (a thick one and a thin one). If you can’t find hanger steak, try this recipe with skirt steak, rib-eye, tenderloin, or pretty much any other steak. The timing will vary, so I suggest you start testing your steaks after 10 minutes in the oven per inch of thickness to be on the safe side. Serves 2 3/4 Lb trimmed hanger steak 1 tsp canola oil Salt and Pepper 1 hour and 15 minutes before serving Take the steak out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 45 minutes. This will help it cook more evenly. 25 minutes before serving Preheat the oven to 250F. Cut the steak into pieces that can fit comfortably into the skillet (about 4 inches long). Dry the steak very well on paper towels. Set a heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat until very hot, at least 3 minutes. Add canola oil. As soon as it starts to smoke, place the steaks into the skillet in one layer without crowding. Cook without moving for 1 minute. Flip and cook without moving 1 more minute. Remove the steaks to a plate and take the pan off heat. Cool the steaks and pan for 10 minutes. The steaks will release lots of juices – you can reserve them for making the sauce. Season the steaks generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Return the steaks to the skillet and place in the oven for 12 minutes (for an average hanger steak). 5 minutes before estimated cooking time, put a plate in the oven to warm up. Remove the skillet from the oven and test steaks for doneness with an instant read thermometer and/or by cutting half way down into the center of the steak. When the thermometer registers 125F, the steak is medium-rare. If you are cutting into the steak, it should look a tad more rare than your ideal doneness. If the steak is not done, return it to the oven and test every 2 minutes. Remove steaks to a warm plate, optionally top with a dollop of garlic-herb butter, and cover with foil. Let rest 3 minutes. If you want to make a simple pan sauce, you can deglaze the pan set over high heat with steak juices, red wine, broth or water. After taking this reduction off the heat, swirl in a dollop of butter. Slice the steak against the grain, fan out on the plate and serve with the juices accumulated on the plate where the steak was resting and the pan sauce. Note on alternative timing This recipe takes a bit of planning, but you can use the time lags to your advantage when making these steaks for company. Instead of bringing the steak up to room temperature before searing, sear steaks right out of the fridge, then cool, and refrigerate. When your guests arrive, remove steaks from the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for 45 minutes while serving drinks and appetizers. Then season the steaks and put them in 250F oven for 12-15 minutes. If cooking for a large crowd, you can sear steaks in batches and then finish them on a large baking sheet.[/rquoter]
interesting discussion on salting here [rquoter]Should You Salt Meat Before Cooking? Yes, If... How many times have you heard, �Salting raw meat (or poultry or fish) will draw the juices out and make it tough?� I see this statement repeated in cookbook after cookbook as if it were a fact. Yet in older cookbooks, especially the ones based on European cooking techniques, salting meat before cooking is done routinely, without loss of juices. In fact, if you do it right, meat that is salted before cooking can be much juicier and more succulent than meat that isn�t salted! So who�s right? Is it the people who say don�t salt, or the old-fashioned cooks who say you SHOULD salt? They BOTH are. The issue isn�t the salt. The issue is WHEN you should apply salt to raw foods, especially meat, poultry, and fish. The basic rule is, if you�re going to use salt, do it early. Never apply salt to meat right before you put it in the pan or on the grill. Salting at the last minute will definitely pull juices out of the meat. It will toughen and dry out the surface of the meat, without adding any extra flavor to the inside. But if you salt your meat early - even a few days before cooking - you will be pleasantly surprised at the results! Many old-fashioned cooks, especially chefs who were trained in classical French or German methods, salt their meat well in advance of cooking. They sprinkle salt evenly and lightly over the meat as soon as it comes into their kitchen. Then they wrap it carefully, and refrigerate until it's cooking time. This early salting will actually improve the texture, juiciness, and flavor of the meat. It has an almost miraculous tenderizing power, without MSG and without turning the meat to flabby mush. Salting is especially beneficial for cuts of meat that are firm or tough, like wild game, the chewier types of steak (such as skirt and flank steak), firm roasts, brisket, and pot roast. But you can also lightly salt tender steaks, poultry, and fish ahead of time. An added benefit is the salt will help keep the meat fresh and lively tasting, even after several days of refrigeration. Why does this early salting work so well? Salt reacts with the proteins inside the muscle fibers in meat. Given time, it dissolves them slightly, making the meat more tender. But what�s more important, salt encourages the movement of moisture inside the meat cells. When salt first hits the meat, it pulls moisture OUT. That�s why the meat will be dry if you salt right before cooking. But if you give salt time to penetrate the meat, the cells start to REABSORB the moisture. And because the proteins are now nice and soft, the cells absorb the salt flavor - plus any herbs or spices you may have added to the salt - deep inside the meat. So now you have happy meat that�s evenly seasoned and tenderized all the way through! If you�re skeptical about salting your meat ahead of time, don�t take my word for it. Respected food authorities like Judy Rodgers, the award-winning chef who runs San Francisco�s Zuni Cafe, has a whole section about the early salting of meat and other foods in her �Zuni Cafe Cookbook.� She goes into all the chemistry in great detail. But trust me, you don't need to understand cell osmosis to get the tenderizing benefits of salt. Simply try this early salting method just once, and you will be amazed at how much better your meat tastes. And you won�t see your guests covering their meat with salt at the table, since the meat will be gently flavored with salt all the way through. In fact, if you�re watching your salt intake, by salting lightly but early, you can often get superior flavor and even eliminate the need to add salt at the table. How much salt to use? That�s a matter of taste. Start with a very modest amount. Sprinkle on the minimum you would use if the meat were already cooked. I use about 1/4 teaspoon of salt per pound of meat, but thin cuts need less, and thick cuts like roasts might need quite a bit more. Go easy at first, and eventually you�ll get the hang of it. [/rquoter]
Basso, after that technique of salting a day or two early what is the wrap to be used? Cheesecloth? plastic wrap?
Pretty much right, for me I put on long chili on top midway in the grilling though others just serve it on the side minced (without seeds and burned outer skin).
Sorry for the muliple posts, I am going to try including butter tonight on some filets + crab legs (surf and turf)--maybe make a chili laden spice butter to use after 1st flipping of the filet and surround the filet with bacon. I'll try the semi-dry aged salt approach another time, have to use Kosher salt tonight. I'll report back how it came out.
What does Hanger steak taste like? The picture looks like flank or skirt steak, does it have a different flavor? DD
much richer, it has very pungent, earthy flavor. Skirt is close, but hanger is a thicker cut, so a richer taste, mouth feel.
Oversalted the spice butter. Steak was edible but upstaged by the crab legs and should have been a lot better. More chili, less salt, next time.
has anyone ever tried aging your own steak. i'm not really interesting it trying that on an expensive cut, but i am interesting in trying it on a full brisket before smoking. like 2 weeks or something. my understanding is you just place it in the coldest part of your frig wrapped in clean rags and replace the rags every day.
The butter steak? I think that place is very overated.....it is an icon in Austin, but for me, I prefer other places. DD
