The Wine and Food Corner

This week Mike says:

“Let them eat steak” –“T-Bones at $4.59”

DEAL Of the DECADE

The staff is incredulous, they’ve literally asked Mike if the price for these T-bones is a typo.

They’ve asked, “Is Mike crazy?”

No, it’s correct. It’s crazy but it’s correct

28 Day Aged Choice-Plus T-Bone Steak for only $4.59 !!!

Not just any T-Bone, it’s 100% Wohlner’s Quality Aged Trimmed T-Bones, choicest of the choice, specially trimmed, and aged for 28 days to make it even more tender and even more flavorful.

Wohlner’s T-Bone Steak–$4.59 is NOT a typo. Even on sale,  this quality should be more than $14.59 since it’s aged for 28 days, it’s top choice plus(‘plus’ means that these steaks edge into prime.) 28 days aging makes it more tender and more flavorful—food scientists say this kind of aging increases flavor profiles, flavor complexity, and concentrates flavor.  It’s NOT $14.59, it’s $4.59.

The T-Bone is really two great steaks in one: on one side of the bone is a strip steak, on the other is a filet mignon—Frank says if you cook a very thick T-Bone you’ll have a juicier and more tender steak.  *He explains below how he achieved the most tender steak he’s ever tasted.

At a steak house, an aged T-bone of this quality costs $40 or more. At one west Omaha grocery they only age it for 7 to 12 days, whereas as Wohlner’s ages for 28 days. Wohlner’s starts with finer beef, ages it longer, trims it better and it is only $4.49!!!! It’s crazy.  Frank suggest you ask for a 2″ to 2.5” thick T-Bone, which should run about 2 pounds each, and split it with someone.  Then again, at this crazy deal of the decade price make everyone a 2 pound steak and doggy bags all around.  Be a dinner party hero!!!

Cooking: It would difficult if not impossible to completely cook a T-bone this thick in a skillet. Thus, season and sear each porterhouse, then finish in a 275f-300f oven until it reaches 120f to 125 for rare, or 130f for medium rare. It’s tender and sublime when rare or medium rare. (*More details about cooking found below)

The Meal:  2” T-Bones, Potatoes Anna, and Sautéed Baby Bellas Mushrooms.

The Wines: Angeline Cabernet, Candor Merlot, Steltzner Claret, The Sum.

Pommes Anna–Sliced Potatoes baked with Butter

There is only one way to improve on this meal:  King Crab Legs Perfecta

AKSARBEN TURF AND SURF PERFECTA: Aged T-Bones and King Crab Legs Spears (these are pre-cooked King Crab Spears which come pre-split so you don’t have to fight to get them open.)  It’s like you won the Perfecta: T-Bone Steak for $4.59/lb and King Crab Spears for $5.99/lb.!

Hey you survived this cold weather, you deserve it.

Frank’s 6 Easy Rules to cook a Very Thick Wohlner’s Steak

Some tricks to achieving a very tender, very moist steak are to:

1) Start with a very thick steak, about 2”, even 3” inches.  (With a thick steak there is less surface area to seize up and dry out as compared to a thinner steak.)

2) Buy Wohlner’s quality beef,

3) Season well with plenty of coarse kosher salt and coarse black pepper,

4) First sear the steak at Medium-High to get a crust, then finish the steak at a low-medium temperature (in the winter this means pan searing then finishing in a 275f-300f oven.)

5) Time is relative, temperature is absolute.  It’s done when it’s done, it’s based on internal temperature.  That means you can’t rely on time.   It’s OK to make a little cut and peek to check—knick and peek. It’s best to use a meat probe thermometer.  122-125 for rare, 130f for medium rare, and I’m cringing at the thought of 138-140 for medium.

6) Let the steak “relax” 7 –10 minutes before you cut it.

An example of the cooking method:
On Wednesday I rushed to Wohlner’s and brought a 2” thick 2 T-Bone home, and allowed it to sit out and come nearly to room temperature.  Then generously seasoned with coarse kosher salt and coarse black pepper.  Heated a large skillet to medium-high heat and add a  tablespoon of canola oil.  Sear steak on one side for a few minutes, then sear the other side to get that flavorful seared crust-you know what I’m talking about   Once seared place the steak on a shallow pan then into a 275f oven until it reached to 129f-130f using a temperature probe, it was medium rare leaning toward rare .  (If it was just for me I would have removed at 125f for rare.)

Everybody wants to know how long, how much time.   It’s by internal temperature but, OK, here are some rough guidelines based on Wednesday night.  After the searing of a room temp 2” T-Bone, it was in a 275f oven when I checked it at 10 minutes-it was 124f, perfectly rare for my taste.  But I allowed it to cook for about 2 or 2.5 minutes more to reach 129f-130f.  (NOTE: The times here are based on a 2″ thick steak.  A less thick steak should cook in less time.)  Immediately pull out of to oven and allow to “relax” for 7 to 10 minutes.

If you share a big steak like this it is good to cut the steak away from the bone and thinly slice it across the grain of the meat Tuscan style. Place sliced meat on warm serving plates or a warm platter.  If you cut the meat  reseason the slices with coarse black pepper (Malabar or Tellichery), and finishing salt(, for instance flaky gray sea salt) and/or a little coarse kosher salt.

You ask, “What was the result? It was probably the most tender and moist steak I’ve ever eaten.

Why sear in a pan then finish in lower heat oven? It is difficult to fully cook a very thick on the direct heat of a pan without  a) burning it, and b) tightening the protean fibers too much—with higher heat the fibers seize up and squeeze out the juices: the steak becomes less tender and drier.   The finishing in the oven allows for a gentler lower temp indirect cooking that results in a extremely tender steak.   When I sliced it the juices remained in the moist steak, and were not lost to the cutting board or platter.

What would I do differently? Probably nothing.  If I change anything, just for nuance or variety, I might change the finishing seasoning used after slicing or at the table.   For instance, in the Florentine style of Bistecca alla Fiorentina I might use:  1part coarse kosher salt, one part sea salt, and one part finely minced fresh rosemary.

Check ad for prices good 1-6-10 thru 1-12-10.