What's Yummy?

This is a question Katy would go around and ask when she was very tiny. She'd walk around with a notepad and writing instrument (always changed!) and pretend to take your order. Then she'd disappear off to her play kitchen and cook up the opposite of what we asked for.

I can now answer, without any doubt, that STEAK is yummy! We had the most wonderful steaks tonight. I'll describe the process while the pictures download off the camera.

I've had a hankering for a nice chunk of red meat for a while. Today at Wild-Mart I picked up a family pack of eye of round steaks. 6 nice size steaks for $10. Not bad - works out to 2 dinners and 2 lunches (with the left overs). We could probably have made 3 dinners.

Here is my process: Alton Brown, Steak Your Claim.

You should know by now that I'm going to turn to Alton on this. He teaches so well! I watched his episode on YouTube of the same name. And basically followed his instructions exactly, keeping in mind that I wasn't cooking an inch thick rib eye - my steaks were just between a half to three-quarters of an inch thick.

I had DH dig the cast iron skillet out of the camping box and reseasoned it while the steaks marinated. Alton didn't do this, but I felt like it. I read a few recipes and felt *gasp* that I liked Paula Deen's idea of using bourbon (whiskey leftover from New Year's!) with some fresh cracked black peppercorns, kosher salt, sugar, and some various other spices (chili power, paprika, and X leftover from the last BBQ rub chicken I did.)

The skillet went into a 500 degree oven while it preheated. The steaks came out of the fridge and I trimmed the edges of the tough membrane on them. They came to room temp just as the oven reached 500. I pulled out the skillet and set it on a high burner. When it started smoking, I turned the heat to medium high and laid the steaks in. I seared them for about 30 seconds on the first side then flipped them. The 2nd side got about 20 seconds then the whole thing went into the oven (which I turned down to 450). I let them go about 2 to 3 minutes on the first side, then flipped them. oooooo Boy did they look good. I let them go barely another 3 minutes then pulled them to temp. They were perfect - just over 150 which is on the well side of medium. They went on a plate with the pan juices to rest. Just look at this:



Oh, hurt me mama! DH whipped up some onions-and-mushrooms for his steak as well as some mashed potatoes for everyone. And then we feasted. I didn't get a shot of the whole feast, but here is another, wholly gratuitious shot of my sliced steak.


Of course, the kids wouldn't touch it. And I didn't argue or force them. Heaven forbid they discover how delicious it was!