$1.50 steaks that taste like $15 steaks, super easy, 15 minutes

[brian22]

In the vein of steaks on topic this week, thought I'd share a recipe that I believe is an excellent value. I made some really good ones the other day that are pretty cheap, replicated it a couple of times and it's pretty good especially for the price. If you've been to a Brazilian steakhouse before and had a strange cut called "Picahnya", this is extremely similar to that if done in a cast iron skillet.

The "secret" cut is boneless short ribs, I get them at Rouses. You can get a standard "meat styrofoam" sized package for $4-6, usually 3 little steaks. However, Rouses cuts them thick, so forget any thoughts of a cheap dried out tough steak. These come out quite the opposite.

olive oil
1 package boneless short ribs
worcestershire
garlic powder
parprika
black pepper
tony chachere's

Open the pack, remove the "meat tampon" from under the meat. Stab steaks with a fork on both sides(don't bust all the way through the styrofoam on the bottom or you'll have a mess). Drench steaks in worcestershire right in the styrofoam. Sprinkle tony's and garlic powder on the topside. Let them sit on the counter to get to room temp like this.

Once they're nice and room temp, put some olive oil in the cast iron skillet and get it hot(you can grill them too, but I like the cast iron better). Do this outside. Don't try to get ultra hot or you'll burn the oil. Also, turn the broiler on your oven on.

Once the skillet's hot, lay the steaks seasoning side down(be careful) on yer skillet. Now that they're browning, I sprinkle paprika and black pepper on the top so you have tony's and garlic powder on one side, paprika and black pepper on the other side. Brown/sear about 3 minutes per side(I like mine med. rare), then stick the whole skillet in the oven/broilder for about 3-4 minutes depending on thickness and how you like them.

VERY IMPORTANT: Once they're done, I let them "rest" for about 5 minutes w/ no heat as I do w/ most steaks. I worked in restaurants for 6 years and have cooked as a hobby for the last 15, there's some scientific-meat fiber-relaxing- theory out there, don't know what it is but it works and adds flavor and tenderness. For a total cost of about $6 to feed a couple people, it comes out pretty good.

[Fisher Cutbait]

Sounds good. I look forward to trying it.


(you can grill them too, but I like the cast iron better).

Grill with cast iron grates = best of both worlds. Also, if you don't have iron grates, you can always put your cast iron skillet directly on your grill. The skillet can handle the heat and you have the added bonus of the smoke flavor.


VERY IMPORTANT: Once they're done, I let them "rest" for about 5 minutes w/ no heat as I do w/ most steaks.

+1000

This is the SINGLE MOST important thing about cooking ANY meat. Chef's all over disagree about most things, but they will ALL agree on this. If you are in to the science aspect of it, check out Alton Brown's show about it.

[brian22]

Your ribeye post made me decide to put this one up, yours looks really good too, will have to try it. There isn't too much diff in our marinades/spices/technique haha. Next grill will definitely have the cast iron grates, right now I'm wringing the last bit of life out of my legless, rusted through Ol Smokey.

[Fisher Cutbait]

I really recommend Char-Griller brand. For about 100 bucks at Lowes or Home Depot you can get a big one with 4 cast iron grates that you can switch around as needed. Since it is in 4 pieces you have the flexibility of using them all, or using only 1 or 2 if you want to put the meat on one side and the coals on the other side for indirect slow cooking. I have been able to prolong the life of mine for years by just ordering replacement parts as needed instead of replacing the whole thing. I grill 2-3 times a week and have had this one for about 10 years. Eventually I melted through the ash tray and once I replaced the grates. But that was a lot cheaper than replacing the whole thing.

And later after I bought it I eventually added a rotisserie and a side fire box for smoking. You can buy it with the smoker box or without and add it later. The basic unit comes with punch outs for adding the rotisserie and smoker box later. Just don't get the small one or you will later wish you had a bigger one.

http://www.chargriller.com/

[bigredbobber]

The reason behind "resting" the meat after cooking is that if you cut it while it's cooling off all of the juices will end up on your plate and not still inside the meat. You can turn tender into shoeleather with one cut.

Old front line cook here, too.