Carnivorian steaks

just thought someone might appreciate my own favorite personal steak recipe--this is a creation based on my favorite elements of the 100 steak recipes i've tried in the last two years:

steaks:
2 good sized steaks, trimmed of EXCESS fat only (see personal preferences)

seasoning:
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp dehydrated minced garlic
1 tsp dehydrated minced onion
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

baste:
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp red wine
1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar

1. grind the peppercorns, garlic, onion, and coriander seeds coarsely in a spice mill. place in a small bowl and add the salt, red pepper, and brown sugar. Mix well with your fingers and transfer to a spice or cheese shaker (with large holes). Sprinkle the seasoning on both sides on the steaks (don't apply too liberally, just save the rest for tomorrow's steaks), patting the spices in with your fingers. Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes while you preheat the grill and make the baste.
2. Preheat the grill to hot. combine the soy sauce, red wine, and vinegar in a small bowl. set aside.
3. Grill the steaks to desired doneness, uncovered, and flipping them only once. About one minute before flipping, brush or mop them with the baste. After flipping, brush with baste, and again right before taking off grill. Place steaks on a platter, and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve.

personal preferences:
--Use good, thick steaks (over 1 inch thick). My favorite is ribeye (or shell steak).
--Don't trim all the fat off the steaks. leave up to 1/8 inch of fat around the sides of the steak.
--Don't cook the steaks above medium.
--for best results, cook over charcoal or wood.

In spite of his protestations, I again am led to believe Carnivore does not like tha flavor of beef. Why else would one go to so mush effort to cover that marvelous flavor with all of the spices, condiments, etc., that he recommends? Not that I doubt the result would be quite tasty - but, like the old girl said, "where's the beef?"

hi oldcoot--
i would really encourage you to try the recipe. you might be surprised at how the flavors bring out the taste of the meat, and while adding to the taste, they don't hide it or overwhelm it. That, to me is the essence of a good steak. next time you make steak, try it and let me know what you think!

Somehow I missed this recipe!! - I'm glad I found it. I will try it the next time we do steaks - it sounds really, really good. Thanks carnivore.

actually I agree with oldcoot on this one. if you have a good prime cut, black angus or similar type of beef, then all you need is a good salt and fresh cracked pepper to season it with

oh and i forgot: a light drizzling of truffle oil - IMO the greatest condiment ever invented

a good cut steak, plainly seasoned can be great, but i shudder to think of a world in which there is only one way to cook a steak...boring!

Well, now I must agree, partially, with carnivore. Preparing foods in different ways - as my BW does regularly - makes dining the delightful experience it can be. And that, of course, is also what the myriad of recipes out there are is all about.

But, carnivore said all those herbs & spices "brought out" the flavor of the meat. It is that with which I disagree: it changes the whole flavor experience. That's not bad, but it means the basic flavor of - in this case - the meat is at least partially overshadowed by the other flavors.

So, to fully appreciate the flavor of a fine cut of meat, do as ironshef suggests. Then when that flavor becomes tiresome (does it ever?), follow carnivore's recipe. Which sounds mighty good to me - although I hesitate on the soy: not among my favorite flavors.

that's one of the great things about discussing cooking--you can never actually have an argument about anything, because every person has different taste buds.
I love meat. Be it beef, pork, lamb, chicken, elk, or whatever, it's all great. And the fact is, when you eat as much of it as i do, the same old recipes get tiresome. And, let's face it...sometimes we all feel like eating a steak (or any other expensive cut of meat) when we don't actually have the $$ to spend on the absolute best cut. Sometimes, it's nice to really experiment and create more unexpected tastes with ordinary meats. But then again, sometimes the best meal can be made by going back to the basics.
Like oldcoot said, I believe that mixing it up is the secret to enjoying every meal.
Really it's all about trying new things and eating what you like

Carnivore,

This is perhaps the most intelligent explanation I have ever heard that defines the mutual love of food between all of us!

a good cut steak, plainly seasoned can be great, but i shudder to think of a world in which there is only one way to cook a steak...boring!

Click to expand...

I truly believe that all foods can, (and must, to ensure full appreciation) be cooked and enjoyed in a multitude of ways. Vive la difference! (that's the French influence on me, Oldcoot.)


P.S. Carnivore, we are going to try your fajita recipe tomorrow night, looks good!

hi Coco,
let me know how the fajitas turn out!

carnivore steaks

Hi everyone, and especially Carnivore!!

One of the best steaks I have ever eaten was in Lyons, in France - it was a fillet steak, done rare, with fresh thyme, basil, oregano, parsley, added only to the cooking juices, and then reduced with a little red wine - would have been a Cotes du Rhone. It was wonderful, and I have often done it since and it comes up good every time. I think that the pleasure of eating steak is primarily in the quality of the meat, and so long as you don't swamp it with excessive quantities of flavouring, you can put what you like on it, and it will still be good.

ciao ciao

dianne