RSS
Home
Bbq done right - the rib eye and potato salad chapter
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
.jpg)
I find the experience of devouring a juicy medium rare piece of steak to be a somewhat religious one. There is nothing that pulls at my ancestral heartstrings like meat cooked over an open flame.
I am not above admitting that I have on occasion eaten steak with my hands when I can’t cut close enough to the bone, or away from the fatty edges. I will pick up the steak, and tear the meat away with my teeth, much to the horror and dismay of my near and dear. I would apologize but I'm not going to. First of all, it's my kitchen and second, there is something deeply primal about steak that nullifies any apology that one might make for smacking one's lips or enjoying the steak too loudly.
I would say that most meat is good on its own but that is a lie. The balance of meat is offset perfectly by the potato and is it any wonder that the two have been partners in crime for so long? Certainly it began as a partnership based upon what was readily available, easily stored, and what would stick to your bones in a time of famine, but the potato is such a versatile complement to steak for so many reasons.
Is it the earthy, starchy flavor that we crave? Or could it be the texture? A hot potato tends to be crumbly and flaky, but a cooler one can be smooth once all of the moisture settles back into the flesh. It is the perfect medium for all things salty - butter, cheese, bacon, ranch or chili. It can be baked, boiled, fried, and mashed. It can be made into alcohol too if you know what you're doing, but that's entirely different story.
My mother is downright notorious for her salads. Her macaroni salad is fairly legend and deserving of its own article and her potato salad has the reputation of calling down its victims in the middle of the night to nip and pick until all that is left is an empty dish and the longing for more. It wouldn’t be a proper Fourth of July celebration without a juicy steak and my mom's potato salad to go along with it.
Mom’s Potato Salad
6 medium sized potatoes (if you have smallish hands like me, go by the size of your fist.)
1 ½ cups Hellman’s mayonnaise
1 tbsp dried dill
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp yellow mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large Vidalia grilled onions
1 large carrot shredded
1 large rib of celery finely chopped
1/4 cup black olives sliced
1/4 cup green olives sliced
4 hard boiled eggs
Boil potatoes until they are fork tender and let sit overnight to chill. The onions can be made the day of and set aside to cool. In a mixing bowl whip together the mayonnaise, dill, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper; cover and let sit overnight with the potatoes.
The next day dice the potatoes into quarters and then slice them each once again. They should all be roughly bite sized. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and put the onions, carrots, celery, 2 of the hard boiled eggs diced into smaller pieces, and the olives on top. With a spatula, gently mix the ingredients together. Be careful not to smash the potatoes while mixing. Slice an egg or two and put on top of the salad for a garnish, and place a slice of alternating black and green olive on top of each egg slice. Then, sprinkle with paprika to give it color (the flavor wont interfere with the rest of the dish). Let this sit in fridge for at least an hour or two before serving to let the flavors marry while resting.
Dad’s Rib Eye Steaks
4 Rib Eyes (I leave mine in the fridge until I'm ready to cook them. I know most people don't but do what works best for you.)
Meat Tenderizer
Soy Sauce
One of the most valuable things my father taught me about grilling was that if the meat is fresh and tender, very little else is needed to complete the dish but fire. I know it seems ridiculous, because most great recipes call for more ingredients than that, but honestly, when you buy a quality piece of meat, you shouldn’t hide the flavor under a lot of spices. We buy our meat from Sam’s Club because it’s so much cheaper and the cuts are much better. Make sure to turn your heat up all the way to get the grill hot before you place the steaks on. Sprinkle unseasoned meat tenderizer on the steaks a few minutes before you cook them. As soon as you are ready to grill turn the fire down to medium low and let the steaks sizzle and form a nice crust. Sprinkle with soy sauce and close the lid for 2 minutes. Turn 90* for pretty grill lines and let cook for another 2 minutes. Flip and repeat. The steaks’ at Sam’s are cut fairly thick so they usually end up being medium or medium rare depending on how directly I place them over the fire. It’s up to you really how long you want to cook your steak for depending on the level of doneness you wish to obtain.
The times given here are a guide only and refer to a steak that is approximately 2.5cm or 1" thick. Thicker steaks may require a longer cooking time, and vice versa for thinner steaks.
Rare: 1-2 minutes per side - rest for 6-8 minutes
Medium rare: 2-2.5 minutes per side - rest for 5 minutes
Medium: 3 minutes per side - rest for 4 minutes
Well done: 4.5 minutes per side - rest for 1 minute
When I think of the Fourth of July, I am perpetually seven, watching fireworks go off in the Monroeville Mall parking lot with my parents and brother. We would all be sitting on blankets and lawn chairs on the pavement, still holding onto the heat of the day, holding our breath when the sky went to full black. I still become excited for the 'Pop!' when they shoot the fireworks up and out and the inevitable 'Boom!' that makes your ears ring and the earth shake. My greatest hope is that you all spend the holiday with people who like to cook and eat good food and then blow things up when they’re done. Have a safe and happy Independence Day everyone!
More About:
Food and Drink ·
Grilling ·
Black Olives ·
4th of July ·
Rib Eye ·
Potato Salad ·
Soy Sauce
Related Articles:
Comments
The Feast of the 7 Fishes. This tradition is typically thought of as being an Italian-American tradition as it is widely unknown in Italy. Some …
.jpg)
Thanksgiving! Oh my yes! To a person like me whose whole day essentially revolves around what she going to eat, Thanksgiving is the holiday in which …
