In Which Emerson Eats a Steak…
It could be that you’re reading this on a weekend getaway, deck chair perfectly aligned with the concave indent of a kidney-shaped pool while the distant onrush of the Sargasso Sea provides a serene soundtrack of white noise; Singapore Sling in one hand, and this blog on your phone in the other. Alternatively, you might be on a bumblebee-yellow Yankee shuttle bus thumping like a rickety coach-and-six from Wellington to North Station, shaking your fist at the non-working air conditioning vent and ruing the maliferous odor coming from your seatmate’s unfortunate breakfast decision. Either way, welcome to this week’s foray into the dinner party.
When last we met, the summer grilling season had begun. We were popping all manner of pét-nats and carefully flipping tequila-citrus marinated shrimp skewers. I hope the coals are still hot, because we are returning to the grill and talking about steak. Grilling a steak is both Bohemian and Neanderthal, posh and primeval. There is an art and a science to grilling a steak. I shall review a few of my favorite skills and tips, followed by recommendations for some excellent summer wine pairing options.
The key to an excellent steak is fat. The more fat, the merrier experience. Steaks with marbled fat, those lovely white veins like precious metal running through a cut of meat, are preferable. Steaks with a thick line of fat, such as which runs between the round and the cap of a ribeye, are superior. A filet mignon wrapped in bacon will be a far better steak than one without such barding.
Fat can also be dangerous. Cooking a steak over an open flame - charcoal or gas - runs the risk of flare ups. Flares char meat, rather than sear it. They can set the whole affair on fire if you are not careful. I never grill a steak over an open flame. Instead, I prefer to use a cast iron skillet. A good, highly seasoned cast iron skillet will sear your steak while collecting the fat safely. Once cooled, this tallow can be used for any number of culinary delights (add it to the frying oil for potatoes; use it as a base for a pot of tomato sauce; cook mushrooms and rosemary in it).
The superior quality of a steak will always win out over all manner of marinades and seasonings. In this day and age of cuisine compliqué, I nonetheless aver - you want to taste the meat, not the garnish. The whole reason we have complicated sauces and marinades for meat is because the inferior quality of meat in the classical age of French cuisine (Carême then Escoffier, now more than a century ago) meant a clever chef had to hide the debatable affair with sauce. I source my meat from a particular butcher in a particular neighborhood in Boston (which I am happy to share personally, should you find yourself at The Wine Press), and its quality is unparalleled.
Temperature is crucial for steak. With all the fine meat thermometers available for purchase, you should not be standing before your grill, pressing down on the meat with your thumb to assess donness. Buy a thermometer and use it. Remember that a steak should come off the grill five degrees below your intended temperature.
Finally, a steak must rest. It has taken a long journey through fire. A steak just off the grill is still cooking, its juices brimming at the edges of the meat. Cutting into it immediately would be like reaching the twenty-third hour at Le Mans and accidentally running out of gas. When your steak has reached the desired temperature - that is, five degrees under the finished temperature - place it on the cutting board and allow it to sit for ten minutes before service. By that time, it will have finished cooking and the juices will have settled beautifully.
Cast Iron Steak ~ Table Thirteen
The size, cut, and comportment of a steak is your preference. This recipe is for one steak meant to serve two with accompaniments.
Ingredients
1 Rib-eye steak, bone-in, trimmed of extraneous fat by your butcher, weighing about 1 ¼ lbs.
1 tsp., sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
4 tbsp., unsalted butter, cut into four pieces
1 sprig, rosemary
1 sprig, thyme
1 garlic clove, unpeeled
Freshly ground black pepper
Recipe
One hour before you intend to cook, take the steak out of the refrigerator and place on a cutting board. Season both sides with 1 tsp. of salt and allow to rest at room temperature, uncovered.
Just before cooking, pat the steak dry gently with a paper towel.
Heat your grill to a high temperature - 500℉ or more. A half an hour before grilling, place a cast iron skillet onto the grill.
Place the steak onto the cast iron skillet, being extremely careful as the cast iron skillet is the same temperature as the grill. Sear on one side until darkly colored, 2-3 minutes.
Carefully flip the steak over and sear on the other side until darkly colored, 2-3 minutes.
Add the butter, rosemary, thyme, and garlic clove to the skillet. Check the temperature of the steak. Continue cooking until you have reached the desired temperature:
For rare, 120℉
For medium rare, 130℉
For medium, 140℉
NB.: One should never cook a steak past medium for reasons of good form, defense of the realm, &c., &c.When the steak reaches temperature, remove it immediately to a cutting board. Place the sprigs and garlic on top and allow to rest at least ten minutes.
Carefully collect the liquified butter and beef tallow from the hot skillet into a small bowl.
Slice the steak against the grain (at a 90 degree angle to the direction of the striations) and layer on a clean cutting board.
Sprinkle with salt, freshly ground black pepper. Spoon the tallow and butter mixture onto the steak. Serve immediately.
Wine Selections
The tannins in red wine mix with the proteins in steak on a chemical level, elevating the experience of both in the process of eating and drinking. And yet, who but the bravest of us can reach for a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon or a Saint-Émilion Merlot to accompany steak when the mercury rises? Luckily, we have the chillable red, which provides all the tannin you could want in a delightful, cool, and delicious summer package.
Field Recordings, So Far Out Chillable Red, Paso Robles, CA
“We get beautifully lip-smacking notes of cherry, red currant, chocolate-covered raisins, and a little olallieberry.”
Annesanti, Buttijone Rosso 1L, IGT Umbria
“This wine is a raspberry Tootsie Pop in a bottle. It’s light at its core but has a delightfully snappy texture.”
Parés Baltà, Penedès Garnatxa Hisenda Miret
From Parés Balta: “Aromatic complexity with floral fragrances, creamy notes and wild fruit that on the nose explode with intensity and freshness. The importance of the fruit is also evident on the palate, leaving hints of spices and subtle toasted notes, with balance and honesty being the protagonists. Surprising structure and long aftertaste, achieving a good final assembly. Its originality invites you to taste it.”
“Let the stoics say what they please, we do not eat for the good of living, but because the meat is savory and the appetite is keen.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Nature”
