Wednesday, August 3, 2011

What's on the Menu? Steak!

If you've been following any of my menu plans you will notice that we keep our family meals fairly simple.  As my husband says 'we are a meat family' so meat does tend to take center stage.  We are also a family that enjoys eating out - a lot!  If you've ever taken your kids out for a steak dinner, you will know how cost prohibitive it can be.  We've found that having steak at home, while still expensive, can be just as good as eating out

Here are some of my tips for cooking a yummy steak dinner at home;

Quality Meat - This is going to cost you money, but a good quality steak is one of the first steps to a truly yummy dinner.  We like to stick with Black Angus New York Strip (except my son who prefers a t-bone).  We keep our eye open for sales and buy then.  I personally prefer to NOT freeze the steak, but if we buy ourselves a freezer later this summer and can get a good deal on some organize meat I will probably change my mind.

Don't over season - While I love a good seasoning, I find that at home a little Worcestershire and a dash of salt and pepper seasonings the steak perfectly.  There are a lot of marinades you can make, but why hide the taste of one of the most expensive pieces of meat you can buy?

Grill Grill Grill - Steaks belong on a grill, not a George Foreman (yes, my dad has served me steak made on a George Foreman).  We actually prefer a charcoal grill but there is soooo much to be said for a gas grill

Don't overcook - I have a friend who always orders her meat well done.  Why?  I ask her while I am wailing and gnashing my teeth.  Overcooking your meat kills the flavor, I would recommend you cook it just enough that you personally can eat it.  I also ask for medium rare.

Make interesting sides - I try to keep my sides very different than what I would get in a restaurant.  One of my favorite steak sides is to slice up some new potatoes, mushrooms and onions.  Throw them in some tin foil with a little bit of olive oil, garlic as well as some salt and pepper.  Put them on the grill for about 20 minutes, yum!

Set the mood - Why would you have a nice meal like this and not have the ambiance to go with it?  When we're having a nice meal like this I make sure to use our cloth napkins (I prefer them over paper), nice service bowls and a properly set table.  When eating in a more proper setting it just feels a little nicer.

How about you?  Is steak ever on your menu?  How do you serve it?

I'll be linking this up over at Good Cheap Eats

2 comments:

  1. I personally don't like steak, but my dad makes himself some every once & awhile!

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  2. I guess you are either a meat person or not! Thanks for stopping by.

    ReplyDelete