That's right my friends, its Valentine's Day again, but before you freak out and call every restaurant in town trying to make a reservation, take a deep breath and think about a quiet, relaxed, candlelit dinner at home. Can you imagine it? No expensive dinners, no driving downtown or searching for a parking spot, just you and your sweetie enjoying a delicious, tender New York Strip Steak, seasoned to perfection! Now, I'm somewhat of an amateur when it comes to cooking steak, and, in my naivety, it was always my understanding that Filet Mignon was the way to go. If I saw Filet on the menu i'd dish out the big bucks for that pristine little hunk of juicy lean meat. But I’ve seen the light dear reader, and it's shining like Times Square.
To get these perfect steaks we reached out to some friends out at Hickory Nut Gap Meats, who hooked us up with our main course and some steak knowledge. While we cannot deny that a Filet Mignon is probably the most tender of cuts you can buy, due to the fact that comes from the top of the loin, (the most gently used muscles in a cow, therefore making the most tender meat) a New York Strip Steak comes from right under this area, but features more marbling - the small white lines of fat within the meat. This means no matter how you prepare it, the marbling melts into the meat infusing it with the richest flavors and aromas of any cut of meat. Basically, more fat = more flavor. So, light some candles, grab yourselves a nice cut of meat, red wine, and some Classic Steak Rub, and show your s.o. that you don't need reservations, you're all about some q.t.
For this recipe you'll need:
2 grass fed New York Strip Steaks (check out Hickory Nut Gap Farms)
1 cast iron pan
2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp of butter
Instructions:
Cooking steaks is a wonderfully primal thing - I think it’s because of this that so many people take such pride in their particular nuanced method. Much ink has been spilled about how cooking steaks in the oven is actually superior to grilling. Which works great when it’s February! Personally, we are a big fan of Alton Brown in general, and his method for cooking steaks in the oven, from which our method is derived. One big key here is to use a well seasoned cast iron pan - we highly recommend one from our friends at Lodge.
1. Remove steaks from the refrigerator and bring to room temp. This can take 30-45 mins.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat until it is hot, but not smoking.
4. While the skillet is heating up, season all sides of the steaks with Classic Steak Rub. Drizzle olive oil on steaks and gently rub the seasoning into the meat.
*When cooking steaks in a cast iron pan remember that you should use a little less rub than you might if cooking on the grill. The seasoning will fall off on the grill, but in the cast iron it stays on the meat. It also allows you to get a better sear by using less seasoning.*
5. Place steaks into a very hot skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, without turning to allow for a nice sear (1-2 minutes per side for an individual steak)
6. Remove from heat, add a nice sized pad of butter to the pan, (again, don’t forget, fat = flavor! right Samin Nosrat?) and immediately place in preheated oven
7. Roast for 4-7 minutes, flipping at the half way point, or until your desired temperature is reached (we like about 5 minutes for a medium rare, warm pink inside)
8. Remove from oven, place foil over the steaks, and allow steaks to rest for 2-3 minutes before serving
Enjoy!
Want to see the rest of this meal? Check out the our Harissa Broccolini here. Click here for a Bittersweet, Spicy Chocolate Tart.