Somehow, I’ve always associated T-bone steaks with the West and cowboy cookouts. The steak in my memory is cut thin, but it need not be. People who like steak on the bone like the T-bone. So do people like me who can’t make up their minds because the T-bone is two steaks in one. The leg of the T separates an oval soft tenderloin from an oblong, firm top loin.
Maybe it’s more of that western romance, but I swear the best-tasting T-bones come from the grill. The bone makes this cut easy to manipulate on the grill and the steak can be served as is to one person or be sliced off the bone to serve two or more. Try either method with the astonishingly simple Famous Fiorentina, my Best Ever, or have a western night party, panfry some T-bones, and serve up Cowboy Beans (page 196) from the chuck wagon.
It’s only a T-bone, but it put Florence on the steak map. The Tuscan region of Italy is justly famous for its wine, olive oil, beef, and an austere and simple approach to cooking—all of which come into play in making and serving a proper Fiorentina. The T-bone should not be very thick. The fire should be hot and made from wood or vine cuttings. The guests should be in their places before the cooking begins, armed with glasses of Chianti. Usually the steak is served in solitary splendor, with only bread at hand for mopping up the juices. You may have to remind yourself to include the lemons the first time you make a Fiorentina, but once you’ve tasted the lemon-accented steak, you’ll never forget again.
4 T-bone steaks (about 12 ounces each), cut ¾ inch thick
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 lemons, each cut into 8 wedges
1. Prepare coals for grilling, allowing at least 30 minutes for the coals to become properly hot.
2. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature. Trim any excess fat, pat dry, and coat lightly with olive oil.
3. Place the steaks over the coals. Cook to sear one side, 2 minutes. Turn and season the cooked side with salt and pepper. Sear the second side for 3 minutes. Turn, season the second side with salt and pepper, and continue cooking until the steak is well-crusted and is medium-rare, about 3 minutes more. (A Tuscan never would cook Fiorentina to medium, but if you must, lengthen the final stage to 4 or 5 minutes.) Transfer the steaks to large plates or platters, garnish with lemon wedges, and serve at once.
SERVES 4
Here’s a composed butter for steak-lovers who crave really intense flavors. The tomatoes provide a rich, concentrated sweetness, the peppercorns aroma and bite, while rosemary is certainly the least shy of the aromatic herbs. I prefer to use this butter with a T-bone because the steak has plenty of flavor of its own and the butter and steak juices marry to make the taste even better. Choose an earthy, fruity wine such as Taurasi, the greatest Southern Italian red, or Barbera, or a Côtes du Rhône.
1 medium clove garlic, minced
2 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and minced
2 teaspoons canned green peppercorns, drained and minced
1½ teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, minced
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 T-bone steaks (about 1 pound each), cut 1 inch thick
1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
1. Combine the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, peppercorns, and rosemary in a small mixing bowl. Cut the butter into 4 chunks and add to the bowl. Add the salt and lemon juice. Beat until the mixture is well blended and smooth. (This may also be done in a food processor.)
Transfer the tomato-peppercorn butter to a 4-inch-wide sheet of plastic wrap. Roll the plastic wrap around the butter, then shape the package with your fingers into a log-shape roll the diameter of a 25-cent piece. Refrigerate.
2. Preheat the broiler or prepare coals for grilling.
3. Remove the log of butter from the refrigerator and cut eight ¼-inch-thick rounds. Return the remaining butter to the refrigerator or freeze. It can be used with pasta or grilled fish.
4. Pat the steaks dry, then coat lightly with oil on both sides. Broil or grill until seared and well-crusted on one side, 5 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side 3 minutes more for medium-rare or 4 minutes more for medium. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes, loosely covered.
5. Place a steak on each of 2 warm plates and top each with 4 coins of butter. Or carve the steaks into ½-inch-thick slices and divide among 4 warm plates, placing 2 coins of butter on top of each portion. Serve at once.
SERVES 2 OR 4
The giant T-bone, weighing 172 pounds or more, was—and still is—a favorite cut in cowboy country steak houses. I choose a smaller cut and liven it up with my six-shooter rub, which also peps up the beans. With the beans and steak, drink Lone Star or a beer from your favorite brewery
2 T-bone steaks (about 1 pound each), cut 1 inch thick
1 tablespoon Six-Shooter Spice Rub (recipe follows)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 recipe Cowboy Beans (page 196)
1. Thirty minutes before cooking, remove the steaks from the refrigerator, pat dry, and press the spice rub into both sides of each steak. Coat lightly with the oil and set aside.
2. Heat a large heavy frying pan, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat. When hot, add the steaks and sear on one side to a rich brown crust, about 4 minutes. Turn and sear the second side for 4 minutes more for medium-rare or 5 minutes more for medium.
3. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board. Let rest for 5 minutes while rewarming the beans. Carve each steak into ½-inch-thick slices and serve on warm plates with the beans.
SERVES 4
Six ingredients, each one packing a flavor punch, are assembled to provide a western flair to steaks that will be grilled, broiled, or panfried. Use the mixture generously, rubbing it into the meat. The purpose is to flavor the meat rather than tenderize it, so there’s no need to wait before cooking.
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika, preferably hot Hungarian
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Combine the cumin, chili powder, paprika, marjoram, dry mustard, and pepper in a small bowl and stir until blended. Pour into a small jar, cover, label, and set aside until needed.
MAKES ABOUT ⅓ CUP
Beans and bacon are happy together, so are steak and red wine. But these classic pairings are elevated to elegance when a creative talent such as chef Luciano Pellagrio of the stylish Los Angeles restaurant Posto introduces the two couples in a dish that is both simple and sophisticated. Owner Piero Selvaggio, a connoisseur of Italian and California wines and one of the world’s great hosts, suggests cooking with and drinking either Chianti Classico or a Napa Valley Merlot.
2 T-bone steaks (about 1¼ pounds each), cut 1 inch thick
4 strips thinly sliced smoked bacon
1 cup fresh fava beans, blanched and peeled, or thawed frozen baby lima beans
1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1½ tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1½ cups dry red wine
1½ cup beef broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1. Pat the steaks dry and set aside to come to room temperature. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels, crumble, and set aside. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan. Add the beans, sage, and rosemary and stir together.
2. Cook the garlic in a small dry skillet until golden and crisp and add to the beans. Set aside.
3. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of the butter and the olive oil. Place the steaks in the skillet and sear until well-crusted on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn and sear the second side for 3 minutes. Turn again and cook 3 minutes more for medium-rare or 4 minutes more for medium. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board. Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
4. Pour off the cooking oil, return the skillet to the heat, and add the wine. Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce by half, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and reduce 3 minutes more. Meanwhile, warm the beans over medium heat and season with salt and pepper.
5. Carve the steaks and arrange the slices in the center of 4 warm plates. Top with a sprinkling of crumbled bacon. Pour the meat juices into the wine sauce and stir in the remaining ½ tablespoon of butter. Spoon the fava beans around the steak and spoon sauce over all.
SERVES 4
CLOSING THE GAP
Use bamboo skewers or wooden toothpicks softened in water to close gaps created by the removal of fat or bone from an uncooked steak or to hold together dangling pieces, the so-called tail of porterhouse and T-bone steaks, for instance. The idea is to make the steak as compact as possible so it will cook evenly.
Watercress has been sitting beside steak on platters and plates, largely ignored, for ages. To bring some deserved attention to this peppery garnish, I stir-fry it, dress it in Asian oyster sauce and sesame oil, and present it with beautifully pink sliced T-bone on unadorned plates. In the spirit of fusion, serve Shiraz, a dry Australian red wine made from the French Syrah grape.
1 T-bone steak (about 1½ pounds), cut 1¼ inches thick
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine or sherry
2½ tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 scallions, white and 2 inches of green, finely chopped
12 ounces watercress, large stems removed
1. Pat the steak dry and place it on a plate. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, the rice wine, and 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil. Stir the mixture well, then use a brush to paint it all over the steak. Set the steak aside for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the broiler.
3. In a clean small bowl, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, the oyster sauce, and sesame oil; place the bowl near the stove.
4. Broil the steak until seared and nicely crusted on one side, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook the other side 4 minutes more for medium-rare or 5 minutes more for medium. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes, loosely covered.
5. While the steak is resting, heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil and the scallions and toss until they soften, about 30 seconds. Add the watercress and stir until it wilts and softens, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the oyster sauce mixture and toss just until the watercress is coated, 20 to 30 seconds.
6. Cut the meat away from the bone, slice it crosswise into ¾-inch-thick slices, and divide among 2 or 3 warm plates. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the watercress from the wok to plates and serve at once.
SERVES 2 OR 3
Often, I suspect, I add seasoning or a condiment to a steak not so much to give it flavor as to put something on that steak that will make it my own. The following is a compendium of a dozen of my secret weapons that make even a good-tasting steak taste better—fast.
Salt: To me, salt is invaluable in bringing out the flavor and juice of a broiled, panfried, or grilled steak. A good cook will salt a steak after it is seared but often overlooks lightly salting freshly cut slices of steak before serving them. Don’t forget.
Pepper: Some years ago I made up my mind to use a peppermill or nothing. The volatile oil in a peppercorn, which carries much of the flavor, evaporates quickly leaving behind only dry, dusty grains with a bitter bite. Think of that when you next pick up a pepper shaker in a diner! The reigning king of journalistic gourmands, R.W. (Johnny) Apple of The New York Times, actually gave me a pocket peppermill some time ago. But, I draw it only when truly provoked. When loading your peppermill, seek out a distinctive pepper such as Tellicherry from Madagascar.
Mustard: As you will see from mustard’s use as an ingredient in recipes scattered through this book, I don’t rely on only one style. My still-incomplete voyage of culinary enlightenment began the day I realized French mustard was different from French’s mustard. But when serving steak, especially cold steak, an array of mustards is in order—not just the Grey Poupon. They are easy to obtain. In specialty food stores, the flavored mustards all but jump into your cart, and the Inglehoffer people in Beverton, Oregon, have an extensive line.
Barbecue Sauce: If proof is needed that I—a certified judge for the annual Memphis in May World Barbecue Championship—believe in the restorative and healing powers of barbecue sauce, see the lavish expenditure of this magic potion in my recipe for Butt Steak Braised in Barbecue Sauce (page 106). See also my recommendations for making a barbecue sauce of your own (page 175). In lieu of a recipe, I offer the following advice to saucemakers: Cheat only when necessary and never, never share your formula or it won’t be a secret recipe anymore.
Hot Pepper Sauces: I’m devoted to Tabasco Sauce (the newer, milder green Jalapeño sauce from Tabasco as well as the red) and—in addition to the recipes in which it is recommended—find it especially useful on breakfast steak and eggs to help the taste buds awaken. Look, too, for Busha Browne’s Spicy and Hot Pepper Sherry to use in soup, Bloody Marys, and more.
Steak Sauce: From the French-inspired Sauce Robert to the American champion, A. 1., bottles containing the dark, concentrated, palate-stimulating lava called steak sauce stand ready to provide a quick fix to a steak deficient in flavor. Formulas vary, but most play sweet, sour, and salty elements against one another and therefore are more intriguing to taste than ketchup or hot pepper sauce. In fact, with hot peppers such a prevalent ingredient, it’s sometimes a relief to have a sauce to turn to that is hot pepper-free. Occasionally I will use a teaspoon or two of steak sauce to flavor a dressing for a composed salad containing steak, but usually I prefer to take it straight.
Cajun Power Garlic Sauce: The name tells you all you need to know, except that this sauce has a thin consistency that makes it well-suited to coat steaks or be stirred into a sauce or soup. I think of it as a liquid rub that will provide a hit of hot spice with a lingering aftertaste. (Bottled sauces from Thailand and China containing garlic, soy, and hot peppers perform a similar function.)
Balsamic Vinegar: This is one of the most intriguing of Italy’s endless culinary gifts to the New World. Aged in wood barrels like wine, it emerges with a sweetsour taste rightly called pungent and, if it has been aged for many years, a very high price tag. But no more than a few drops atop a steak or in a salad dressing are sufficient to leave a significant impression. Genuine “balsamico” comes from Modena. The Monari Federzori brand is widely available.
Horseradish: How can you love something that can make you cry and your nose run? I guess it’s part of the pleasure-pain principle. In any event, horseradish has been providing people with both since Biblical times. Its particular affinity for beef is easy to comprehend. The bite of the horseradish enlivens the sweet meat while cutting the richness of fat. In addition to creamy and white horseradish in jars, I recommend making your own Infused Horseradish Oil (page 108).
Worcestershire Sauce: This condiment evolved from tastes acquired during the English occupation of India. Soy, molasses, anchovy, and tamarind contribute to a piquant flavor that heightens the taste of both steak and sauces served with steak.