RIB EYE STEAK PRIMAL

The Great White Hunter marches to the beat of his own drum. He is also a free thinker and sometimes has flashes of brilliance. He informed me he had bought the whole 'rib eye steak primal' and was having the butcher (Mama Cho's) dry age it for 30 days. After 30 days this would be broke down into two inch steaks with the bone-in. The Great White Hunter was gracious enough to allow me to purchase one of these beauties.

I have to admit, I was excited to try this beautiful corn-fed USDA Choice rib-eye steak. The act of dry aging intensifies and concentrates beef flavors. Dry aged steaks are usually served in high end restaurants at a premium price. We seasoned our steak with salt & pepper only. A very hot charcoal fire was lit. I let the grates heat until smoking. When I placed the steak on the piping hot grill a beautiful sizzling sound told me we were on the way to a fantastic meal. The steak was seared on all sides and then moved  to the indirect heat side and finished until the internal temperature was 120 degrees. A 10 minute rest and it was time to eat. Dry-aged beef is such a treat. Flavors are intense and dare I use the term Umami? One does crave the next bite. This was one tender cut.  WOW!!!!! Thankyou Great White Hunter.

SPIDER STEAK

The beanie wearing bonafide hipster butcher said they are well known in the meat cutters world. We are talking about the 'Spider' steak. They also may be known as the "Oyster' or the 'Pope's Eye' steak. We are at the Clove & Hoof Butchery/Restaurant to explore a cut of meat that usually ends up ground up into hamburger. The Spider steak is located inside the hip on the Aitch bone, It is a little semi-circle of meat that is weaved with a web of intramuscular fat. I asked the butcher for cooking suggestions. He replied, this cut should be cooked similar to a flank steak. I paid dearly for this Mad Meat Genius experiment with a sticker shock of 25 dollars/pound.

This steak is on the small size weighing approximately 7 ounces. Our butcher verified the smallness and said they are usually bigger. We were on a mission and really only wanted to taste this Spider steak. The seasoning will be simple with a dusting of salt & pepper. The fire will be smoking hot for a quick sear on both sides. A five minute rest and we are ready to sample.

We slice the Spider steak against the grain into strips. Oh my! This was a flavor bomb in beefiness. The texture is similar to a flank steak but our specimen was oh so tender. Ms. Goofy exclaimed how much flavor this richly marbled cut has. I pined for more. This little Spider steak was small but huge on luscious beef flavor. What a shame this cut usually ends up ground into hamburger. If it were not for the twenty five dollar/pound sticker this would be a go-to cut of beef. Yummy!!!!!!

MY BIG FAT BIRTHDAY STEAK

No explanation needed here. We had a anniversary/birthday celebration at Flemings Prime Steakhouse and this was my big fat 16 ounce prime aged New York strip steak. Yummy!

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE SNAKE RIVER

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house it smelled like barbeque T-bone steak. Ms. Goofy knows what I like. This present came by the Santa wearing a brown uniform and his sleigh was a delivery vehicle. This wonderful Christmas gift was a box of assorted steaks from Snake River Farms. Snake River sells American Kobe Beef. This is a very high quality beef sought after by chef's, bbq competitors and beef connoisseurs The marbling of fat throughout this beef is spectacular. This provides a luscious mouth feel in every single bite. I would suggest that the flavor has a feel of butter that is unique to this cattle breed. We could not wait till Christmas to sample this fantabulous meat present. A t-bone was enjoyed and savored by all. Ms. Goofy you are the greatest.

SNAKE RIVER FARM V WILLOWSIDE MEATS

THE GREAT NEW YORK STEAK COOK-OFF

Ladies and Gentlemen, in this corner we have an American Kobe New York strip steak from Snake River Farms and in the opposite corner we have an aged USDA Choice New York strip steak from Willowside Meats of Santa Rosa. These two premium steaks will do battle on the bbq grill tonight. Both have lofty pedigrees that will make any carnivore swoon. The Snake River steak is a highly marbleized cut of protein from the American version of Kobe Waygu beef. This breed of cattle originated in Japan, were they are reputed to be pampered, massaged and fed a diet that includes sake and beer. . The steak from Willowside is a highly marbled USDA Choice grade beef that was hung and dry aged for a minimum of 10 days. We will cook these steaks using the same methods and temperatures. Will one emerge from the ring victorious? Let the dinner bell ring  and “Let’s Get Ready to Rumble!”

The Willowside cut is of a darker color. It is also of a firmer texture than the Kobe. The Kobe beef has a beautiful marbling of fat and is a little softer in texture. Salt & coarse ground pepper was applied one half hour before cooking. A very hot mesquite charcoal was built. This fire was popping and squirting molten heat for a quick cook time. The grill was oiled and the steaks took their respective corners. Four minutes on each side with a turn at the two minute mark for grill marks was the cooking time. Ten long minutes of rest time. Ladies and Gentlemen we have a split decision. We shall read the score cards.

Willowside Aged (left)       Snake Farm Kobe (right)

Was there a clear winner in the steak battle royal? Both steaks were premium in quality and flavor. They both would proudly be served at any high end steak house. Both ringside (barbeque) judges concurred on their decision. The Snake River Farm steak had butter like mouth feel that provided lusciousness to each and every bite. There was great beef flavor. There was a very so, small tug to the chew. Was it tough? By no means, absolutely not, but compared to our other opponent the Willowside steak it was not as tender. The Willowside steak was so very tender. There was a deep, rich, concentrated, earthy, comforting beef flavor that made this beef lover swoon. The aging process and the quality of beef produced a memorable flavor and experience that we crave. Willowside Meats aged New York strip steak will win this battle tonight.  Both steaks are champions at our ringside table.

PRIME VERSUS CHOICE

Two New York steaks, one prime, one choice will do battle on the grill for a taste comparison cook-off. Will one prevail in the tenderness or taste in this non-scientific culinary experiment? Pull up some barbeque tongs and let’s fire up the grill. Both of our New York steaks are from Harris ranch. The Choice was procured directly from Harris Ranch in Coalinga, California. It has been wet aged for at least three weeks. The Prime cut was purchased from Alexander’s Prime Meats in San Gabriel California. They purchase prime beef carcasses from Harris Ranch and dry age them for at least three weeks. Both of these contenders weigh in at about 16 ounces.

The differences of marbling in these two steaks are very obvious. The prime looks beautiful with its little streams and creeks of beef love (fat). The prime cut is also a tad thicker in girth and was a little firmer to the touch possibly because of the dry ageing. The only seasoning was of salt & pepper. They both were cooked over a very hot mesquite charcoal fire until they were medium rare. (125 degrees internal temperature) The prime took a couple minutes longer because of its thickness. They both were rested for 10 minutes before serving. The envelope please?

This may come as a surprise but they both were equally flavorful with beefy flavor. The prime had a slight buttery mouth feel and possibly was minuscule more tender.  Was the prime a clear knock-out punch winner? Not really,they both were fantastic steaks with beef flavor that we crave. Prime beef is expensive and difficult to find but that will not sway the judges. The Prime New York steak will be declared the winner by a TKO. The Prime is slightly superior with its tenderness and lusciousness.  I do not think we can call the Choice steak a loser by any means. It will be a winner at any dinner we serve.

RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE

"Oh Lord We Thank Thee" Sometimes eating a steak can be a religious experience. This was one of those moments. Willowside Meats was the destination of my fellow Meat Adventurer friend; "The Great White Hunter".  I was first through the door or maybe I shoved 'T.G.W.H. out of the way because I was first to see and purchase the most beautiful porterhouse steak ever. Even the butcher boasted what a great looking piece of beef this was. Dry-aged for at least 21 days, corn fed, USDA Choice beef a protein that we crave. No fancy pedigrees or pretension here. This is just great beef. This beauty was 2 inches thick and  weighed a staggering 50 ounces. It was spectacular. In fact I would go as far as saying it was a 'Religious Experience".

CHAROLAIS RIB-EYE STEAKS

Tonight we are having a very special steak dinner. We are having some rib-eye cuts of beef from a breed of steer whose origins are from France. This breed is named Charolais. They are known for being large muscled and fast growing producing lots of red meat with less fat. This animal is colored almost pure white. The breed has a long history in France. The Charolais has also been used here in the states crossed with Angus and Hereford breeds for beef production. Today we are experiencing pure-bred Charolais steaks procured from Johnson Farms.

Our new favorite farm stand Leonardo’s produce is located on Johnson’s Farm. Our dinner was being finished with a diet of corn and hay in a pen right next to the produce stand. These were some beautiful cream colored animals. They were massively big and muscular cattle. Leo’s son was feeding corn  to the Charolais and asked me if I wanted to participate. I declined keeping a camera distance away. Little did I know a month later they would grace our barbeque.

Our steaks weighed in at almost 2 pounds a piece. Wow, they were beautiful. The fat marbling was spectacular and they were colored a beefy red. Coarse salt & pepper was all she wrote to enhance and not mask pure beef flavor. A very hot mesquite fire and direct heat would cook our steaks to an internal temperature of 125 degrees. A long ten minute rest and it was time to feast. This was corn fed beef flavor that we crave. Every bite was savored and relished with reverence. The steak had the slightest chew but flavor was the king. This was beef flavor that is only usually found in high end steak houses. This was a dinner to remember. You too can experience this steak by contacting Johnson Farms. It would be advisable to call first because quantities are limited.

Johnson Farm

HANGER STEAK

The Hanger steak is sometimes referred to as the 'Butchers Steak' because the butcher would save this flavorful cut for himself. The recently released or paroled 'greatwhite hunter' and yours truly went on a mini 'Meat Adventure' Our journey brought us to Angelo's Meats and then Willowside Meats. Willowside Meats has a fantastic offering of aged corn-fed beef for sale. They also have grass fed beef for hipster's. The 'greatwhite hunter' was the first through the door at Willowside and proceeded to order the whole t-bone and rib-eye racks. He cleaned out the meat case. Luckily there were some Hanger steaks left. I have to admit that I am not familiar with this particular cut. Ms. Goofy has ordered it in the restaurant but we have never cooked this cut at home. The butcher told us it was great for bbq. It was similar to a flank steak in its handling and cooking. There is a membrane that runs down the center of this cut. The steak weighed around a pound and on half. Let's give it a try.

The preparation will be a simple rub and bringing it to room temperature. A smoking hot mesquite charcoal fire would blast heat to cook our steak. Our goal was to cook to a medium rare on the rare side. Approximately 5 minutes to each side turning for grill marks was all she wrote. (120-125 degrees). The all important rest for 10 long minutes is necessary. We sliced the roast against the grain into thin slices. It was like slicing through butter. This was the definition of tender. We have arrived in flavor town. I actually detected a hint of sweetness to this beef. I also want to throw out the term umami. You would take a bite and a savory sensation would swirl through out your senses producing a craving for another taste. WOW!. No wonder the butcher would save this cut for himself. Thanks to the 'greatwhite hunter for cleaning out the meat case so we could experience the Hanger steak.

WOLF PACK RIB-EYES

 The ‘greatwhite hunter’, a friend and frankly sometime a little bit eccentric, (The truth is he is like the creepy uncle that nobody likes to talk about) has recently cut his ties with the ‘Salt Mine’. We both have toiled and reaped financial gain from this large corporate machine. We also share the love of Meat Adventures. The ‘greatwhite hunter’ was in the Reno, Nevada area so I dispatched him to several meat emporiums. Wolf Pack Meats of the College of Agriculture Biotechnology and Natural Resources of University Nevada, Reno was one of his destinations. Wolf Pack meats sells grass-fed beef from their department at the college. The ‘greatwhite hunter’ came through on his Meat Adventure with several different cuts of steak. Today we are going to cook some rib-eyes.

Let’s start out with the actual butchering of these steaks. I am wondering if freshman students got hold of these cuts. The quality of butchering skills was poor by the image evidence. To identify them as rib eye cuts was a stretch. They were uneven in size and fat cap area. The color was very deep red. We also noticed a lack of fat marbling. We will season them with salt and pepper only. They were cooked on a very hot fire over mesquite charcoal. I watched the temperature very closely. When the internal temperature hit 125 degrees they were pulled from the fire. They rested for 10 minutes before serving. ‘Drum roll please.’

These steaks were cooked to a perfect medium rare. Even so there was a chew and tug with each and every bite. They did have a pleasant beef flavor. Here is the rub. They did not have that umami flavor associated with corn fed beef. These steaks were just missing that special mouth feel and flavor that we crave. Now this is antidotal evidence and I am not entertaining a grass v corn-fed debate so let’s call it a day. We will let the Wolf-Pack run away.

Wolf Pack Meats

STEAKAPALOOZA

With all that talk of steaks, we had to fire up the grill and cook some beef. We all have our favorite cuts and choice of breeds. Some of you may like grass fed beef or maybe the traditional corn-fed variety. There are hybrids that are grass fed and corn finished. Which cut do you like? We have been leaning towards the rib-eye. Lately I have rediscovered the wonderful flavors of the New York cut. Ms. Goofy loves the tender  filet. Have you experienced beef that has been dry aged? The flavors are very intense and wonderful. We would like to share several of the steaks we have experienced this last month. Above is a 16 ounce New York steak from Jacks Grill in Redding, California. This steak had a little chew but was huge on flavor.

A visit to the U.C. Chico Meat Labs procured these two beautiful rib-eyes. They may have been the most tender steaks we have ever had. They are marbled with a lot of yummy fat to create a decadent and rich cut of beef. They were cooked to a medium rare on the rare side to create a very tender bite. I would compare this to some of the best prime rib roast reserved for that special holiday meal..

No beef collage would be complete with out visit to our friend Angelo from Angelo's Meats. One of Angelo's specialties is tri-tip. This cut of meat cannot leave his shop until he dusts a choice grade roast with his magical seasonings. A medium direct fire cooks this beefy roast to perfection. This meat is tender and makes the best sandwiches you have ever had.

Driving up the interstate to Reno you are bombard with billboards advertising the $9.99 T-bone steak special at Boomtown Casino. We just so happened to be staying at Boomtown for a bbq competition It was time to roll the dice and experience this discounted protein. The $9.99 special is not listed on the menu, hoping you will order the $30. dollar steak. You have to ask your server for this deal.. It actually was pretty good. You cannot complain at this price.

Lastly we had some aged New York steaks from Willowside Meats. This was one of my favorites. The beef flavor was very intense. It may not be as tender as a rib-eye but the flavor trumped all cards. Each bite was like taking a flavor journey to the land of beefy delights. The beef flavors are concentrated.but the steaks remained very juicy. This steak was a treat. The T-bone below was from Willowside also. The T-bone has a filet with the bonus of a sirloin. Two steaks in one with a bone to knaw on later.  We are becoming very spoiled with the aged beef from Willowside

 We hoped you enjoyed our little 'Steakapalooza'. We loved eating and sharing these different cuts of beef. Whats on your grill?

SPENCER STEAK

We were at our last BBQ contest of the year in Oriville California and we had a craving for beef. I guess all that great award winning barbecue whetted our appetites. We needed to visit the Wagon Wheel Market to scratch our itch.. Have you ever heard of the "Spencer Steak'? We saw a beautifully marbled boneless  steak displayed in the meat case labeled as a Spencer Steak. It looked like a 'Rib-Eye'.. We asked the friendly clerk about the Spencer steak. She had to ask the butcher on duty and we discovered it is just another name for the rib-eye. What ever you want to call it, it was delicious.

SIRLOIN STEAK

Sometimes one forgets how wonderful a sirloin steak tastes. I almost automatically order a rib-eye. It is my go to favorite. We picked up this huge hunk of flavor at Freedom Meat Lockers on our latest 'Meat Adventure". Sirloin cuts need to be watched carefully on the grill. They need to be pulled at the proper temperature to insure tenderness. With a little attention you will be rewarded with steak perfection.

GOLDEN STEER STEAKHOUSE

 We have found that after sampling and scoring the best barbeque in the nation our palette needs to be refreshed for the next competition. To keep our senses and taste buds sharp our method is to consume some ‘Prime, Aged, Corn-Fed Beef”. What better place to perform this task then,” The Oldest Steakhouse in the City of Las Vegas”, the ‘Golden Steer Steak House”. Since 1958 the ‘Golden Steer Steakhouse’ has served prime beef to numerous celebrities including the “Rat Pack’, mobsters, politicians  locals and tourists. This steak palace has been recognized by ‘Bon Appetit’ (September 2009) as serving ‘The Best Steaks On Earth’. “Golden Steer Steakhouse’ would be our destination for dinner. How about pulling up a chair and having a martini to share our dinning experience.

It is Sunday night and the strip is lit up with Vegas splendor. The steakhouse is located several blocks off the main drag in a small strip mall. The outside is bright with a “Golden Steer” illuminated by shining lights. We stroll into a dimly lit empty bar/hostess area and are greeted by a knowledgeable hostess. Once we had cocktails in hand the hostess gave us a fun history tour of the establishment. The ‘Rat Pack’ lead the long list of celebrities that had dined before us. A main dining area is flanked by a private dining room. A separate dining room is filled with luxurious leather booths. Each booth has a name and picture of a celebrity. Our hostess explained that because of the time period Sammy Davis was not allowed to sit in the main dining area. Sammy would eat and drink in this room surrounded by his ‘Rat Pack’ cronies. These booths are now very desirable and we were privileged to sit in the Sammy Davis booth.

This was one comfortable booth. We were told it was the original leather from 1958. We were surrounded by the memories of an older swinging Vegas era. Our waiter was prompt and we were surrounded by an attentive staff. Caesar salad would be our first choice. Our waiter created before our eyes the perfect salad. Raw eggs and anchovies surprisingly meld together with other ingredient to make the perfect salad. When this floor show was over it was time for beef.

Prime rib and rib-eye, aged, corn-fed, USDA prime, steak was the only thing that covered our huge plate. Ms. Goofy wept and I had a Cheshire grin when these masterpieces of beef were presented to us. Each tender bite was followed by a sigh of contentment. This beef had flavor that we crave. The hell with grass fed fodder. This was corn-fed bliss that true steak lovers adore. Creamed spinach perfumed with a kiss of pernod, twice baked potatoes and bread were our side dishes. They were delicious but beef was the real star.

This was one memorable meal. The ‘Golden Steer”, an “Old School’ steakhouse preserves and serves the charm and vibrancy of an older era. We experienced beef perfection. We cannot wait to return. We are ready for the next competition.

The Golden Steer Steakhouse

308 West Sahara Av.

Las Vegas, Nevada

702 384-4470

CHICKEN FRIED

It is the night before the big BBQ contest. We have arrived at Konicti Vista Casino and have checked in.at the hotel We explored the grounds and visited with a few of the competitors. It is important to stay focused before a contest. Staying hydrated and taking in nourishment is very important to stay on top of your game. I just wanted to share this picture of a sixteen ounce chicken fried steak that we had at the coffee shop. It is all about the gravy. Let the contest begin.

CIRCUS, CIRCUS, STEAK HOUSE

One can only eat so much BBQ and chicken wings. Sometimes the only thing that will satisfy a Mad Meat Genius hunger is a 22 ounce bone in rib-eye steak. In Las Vegas our go to steak house in located in the Circus, Circus casino. This is an elegant non frilly meat emporium. Dark paneled wood with low lighting creates a mood that sings the praise of grilled beef. The menu is simple with only different cuts of beef with a lobster thrown in. Soup or salad is only listed to keep you occupied until the main show. The kitchen is located in the middle of the restaurant. Two very hot mesquite charcoal fueled grills makes for a in-house cooking show. This steak did not disappoint. Medium rare to perfection was this mesquite kissed hunk of prime beef. Now that we have returned home I may have to find a salad bar.

HARRAH’S STEAK HOUSE

You probably thought we eat nothing else but barbeque and you are close to being right.. Once in a while we like to take a breather and have a nice dinner with some good old fashion, old school elegance that includes large steaks, multiple flambéed dishes and a good stiff drink. Harrah’s Steak house fits this ticket to the tee. This Harrah’s Casino is located in Reno, Nevada. This destination restaurant has a flavor and ambiance that brings us back to an era of tuxedoed waiters, dark lighting, no cigars anymore, but new/old charm that we love.

The first step of going to a steak house is going to the bar. The perfect martini years back may have been gin but today our drink is Stolichnaya vodka with a bottle of vermouth that has been opened and shook to just put a little essence in the air. You really do not want vermouth in your drink and it is really just a nod to bad gin in the past. If you are a Lady the bartender will carry the drink to your table. Men should be able to handle this task on their own. We made it to our table safely and pondered the menu.

There are no surprises on this menu. Steak and maybe lobster combined with a big old potato and creamed spinach. Who could ask for more? The great thing about Harrah’s Steak House is the show that the waiters put on. There are numerous dishes that require table side presentation; Caesar salad, Steak Dianne, Café Diablo and our choice of the night Bananas Foster. I tipped our server for extra flames and we were not disappointed.

Harrah’s Steakhouse (Reno) is a destination restaurant. It will not disappoint. We left with a box of truffles and are anticipating our return.

STEAK BUTTONS

There is a very special drawer in my kitchen. It is the ‘Drawer of No Return’ kitchen utensils, a sort of graveyard of gadgets. It is very possible that you may have a similar storage area of cast-offs. Zoomie, a local wordsmith was cleaning out her drawer and gifted me these ‘Steak Buttons’. They are little tiny thermometers that are meant for steaks on the grill. They are placed on your steaks and the gauge will inform you of the degree of doneness. They seemed like a novel idea and we just so happen to be cooking some steaks this weekend.

Hundreds of steaks have visited my grill. I do admit to using an instant read thermometer for larger cuts and roasts. It is an important tool. Tonight a couple of one inch thick ‘New York’ steaks from Angelo’s will be our test meat. A hot mesquite fire was started. The grill was cleaned and oiled. Three minutes of cooking time and the steaks were rotated for grill marks. After six minutes the steaks were turned and the steak buttons were inserted. Nine minutes have elapsed, and in my opinion, from past experience the steaks were done to medium rare. Will the steak buttons confirm this? I looked down at the buttons and realized they were tiny little things. I could not read them unless I had some powerful glasses or a magnifying glass. I tried to get a little closer but I did not want to singe my eye brows. The steaks did turn out medium rare. This was the end of our little experiment. In conclusion the ‘Steak Buttons’ are destined for the “Drawer of No Return”.

JACK IS BACK

It is the night before the big event, the Pros & Joes barbeque competition in Redding California. What better way to whet ones appetite but with some mouth watering juicy grilled steaks. Where else can you go in Redding but Jacks? New York for the Genius and fillet for Ms. Goofy made a meat tasting warm-up that could not be beat.

Ms. Goofy's sister Shastina will be joining us in the judging booth tomorrow. Hopefully Shastina will put in a good word to my Bro-in-Law John to persuade him to let me ride his Harley. We have our taste buds open and my fingers crossed.