Rib Eye Steaks for Lovers

Valentine’s Day Ribeyes on Display in the Meat Counter

T he Rib Eye Steak is renowned for its unbeatable flavor and tenderness.  Visually, when you put two Rib Eyes together, it makes the perfect Valentine.   Your darling will appreciate the extra effort you put in to making the Rib Eye Steak the center piece of a heartfelt, perfect, dinner.

Saint Valentine’s Day, commonly known as Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is observed on February 14 each year. After New Year’s Day, it is the most celebrated holiday around the world.  A steak dinner is always a great way to show the one you love how much they mean to you.

Aside from Mother’s day Valentine’s Day is the busiest day of the year for restaurants.  The “wait” is uncanny, the service is always rushed, and the food is almost never as good as it should be.  It’s always a great idea to pamper the one you love and celebrate your devotions.  Preparing your special dinner at home and saving the restaurant for another night might be a great prescription from the love doctor.

 Watch the Episode Heart Shaped Ribeyes!

It was very nice to get a visit from our good friend Michael McDearman.  Michael is the President of Get Fired up Foods and is the nation’s leading Grill Master.  Here are his tips for cooking the perfect steak.

Get Fired UP for Steak

What You Will Need

• 1 beloved Valentine
• 2 well selected Rib Eye Steaks
• A clean grill
• Salad Oil
• Tongs
• A good temperature gauge
• Salt and Pepper

Selecting The Steak

Picking out a great steak is relatively easy.  Look for a something at least ¾ of an inch thick that has a nice bright red color.  Great steak always has great marbling.  When you see a steak you like in the case, run your finger down the face of the package.  The fat should be soft, not rigid and give way under gentle pressure.  White fat won’t render during the cooking process and will feel like gristle.  Make sure the fat marbling is consistent throughout the piece of meat.  Easy Peasy!

A well cleaned grill grate

Make sure you have a clean grill.  This is a very important step in the process.  Grill marks are important for appearance but a steak that picks up food char from another cook is not very appetizing.  Clean it with a wire brush or use a crumpled piece of aluminum foil scraped across the surface of the grill running the foil ball in line with the grates.

Seasoning or oiling a grate for a non-stick surface

After you get the grill surface cleaned, oil the grill surface using the “McDearman Technique.”  Fold a piece of paper towel in quarters and carefully pour some oil on the folded towel.  While, holding the paper towel with your tongs, run it over the grill to oil the grates.  Run it in line with the grates for good coverage and to prevent splatter.  Now you have a well cleaned and seasoned grill grate to cook the perfect steak for your Valentine!

Here’s the Process and it’s all about temperature and timing!

Carefully trim up the steak

Preheat your grill to 325 – 350 degrees.  On most grills this is medium high.  Remember there is more than one setting to a grill and more than one size fire you can build.  Medium high or a small fire is the key.

A quality steak should come well trimmed.  If there is still too much fat on the outside for your liking, carefully trim off the excess fat with a sharp knife.

Simple seasonings are best

Use simple seasonings.  Salt and black pepper are the best compliments to beef.  Great food seasoned well and cooked right is the recipe for success.  If you must use complicated flavors, Canadian steak seasoning is a good choice.

Steak on the Grill

Place the meat on the grill and close the lid for 5 minutes.  This will ensure the grill marks for a great appearance.  However, appearance doesn’t have flavor, so if you don’t get those grill marks, don’t force it.  Just stay with the process.  You’re ultimately going to eat this steak, not look at it.

After 5 minutes flip the steak once and cook it to an internal temperature of 140 degrees for medium rare.  Medium rare is the ultimate doneness for rib eye steak.  Cook it more or less to your desired doneness.

Our steaks done and resting with a pat of butter for a rich flavor boost

Once your desired internal temperature is reached, remove the steak and let it rest for at least 5 minutes.  This will allow the cooking process to stop, and the juices will redistribute within the steak itself.  Resting keeps the juices in your steak and not all over your plate giving you red looking vegetables pink potatoes on your plate.

Serve your steak with appropriate side dishes and a nice Valentine’s Day inspired dessert.  Chocolate is always a winner.

Enjoy the time you spend with your Valentine this year.  Have a staycation style day and save the restaurant for a time when you can experience the atmosphere and food at it’s best.

Summary

• Pick out a good steak.  Look for marbeling but not white hare fat.
• Preheat a grill to 325 – 350 degrees or build a smallish fire.
• Cook on the first side for 5 minutes and flip.
• Cook to an internal temperature of 140 degrees for Medium Rare.
• Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Try this delicious recipe for Sauteed Mushrooms to serve along side of your perfectly cooked steak!