Page 46 - March & April

44 MYROUSESEVERYDAY MAY | JUNE 2013
Q: Hey Jack!
I’ve always been a steak lover, and I’d like to learn how to cook it myself,
for that wonderful steakhouse experience at home. Can you help?
Of course! First, decide what kind of steak you’d like to cook, and choose
from our outstanding beef selection. I’m a fan of the strip, an inch and
a half thick (you can ask your Rouse’s butcher to cut your steak to your
desired thickness). Look for a rich red color with a healthy amount of fat
marbled throughout.
Q: Okay, so I have my steak, and it’s a beauty. But what if I don’t happen
to have a barbecue pit, or I don’t feel like messing with charcoal for one
or two steaks?
No worries – a seasoned cast iron skillet will help you get that perfect
steakhouse sear. First, make sure you let meat come to room temperature
before you cook it, or else the center will be cold when it’s done. When
it’s warm enough, coat the meat with oil to keep it from sticking (peanut
oil is good for this, as it has a high smoke point). On the stove, heat
your dry skillet on high until it’s smoking hot, then, using an oven mitt
and tongs, sear your steak for thirty seconds on each side. Then, for a
perfect medium-rare, finish it in your oven (preheated to 500 degrees)
for an additional two minutes per side.
Q: And that’s it?
Almost. Never forget to let your steak rest for at least 3-5 minutes after
it’s done, or else you’ll lose all those beautiful juices! And just before you
dig in, season generously with kosher salt and a bit of black pepper. To
take it over the top, I also love to add a nice hunk of Rogue Creamery’s
smokey blue cheese to melt on top for a truly perfect steak dinner.
Ask Chef Jack: ABOUT STEAK Jack Treuting, Culinary Director
photo by Frank Aymami
Chef Pat Gallagher, Gallagher’s Grill, Covington
Before opening his own popular North Shore steak
house, Pat Gallagher was the chef at Ruth’s Chris
Steak House in Metairie. This man knows steak!
• Remember to pat meat dry before cooking,
moisture on the surface creates steam when it
hits a hot pan or grill, impeding caramelization.
• If you’re cooking in the oven, think of the broiler
as an inverted grill. It provides concentrated
heat to whatever you place below it. Steaks take
about 5 minutes on each side to broil.
STEAK SUGGESTIONS
FROM CHEF PAT GALLAGHER