Ultimate Steak and Eggs

Real food, for real men!

First, the steak:

Begin with a bone-in rib-eye steak.  Yes, with the bone.  For those of you not familiar with this cut, it is exactly what it sounds like: a rib-eye steak, with the rib-bone still on.  Depending on your local meat-market, you may need to ask for this cut specially, or look at several grocery stores.  Too many consumers think that a good steak should be boneless, so many stores don't regularly stock this "cheap" cut.  I put cheap in quotes because this is still a premium piece of beef with a hefty price tag, by the cost by-the-pound is lower than a conventional rib-eye because of the bone.

So, why the bone?  Two reasons: first, meat with a bone tends to cook better, as the bone acts like a heat conduit; second, the meat right up around the bone itself is some of the best meat on a bull.  When you eat this, begin by slicing the bone away from the cooked steak.  Eat the steak first, saving the rib for the grand finale.  You will never find a more satisfying treat than gnawing on the delicious rib-meat right off the bone.  It's primal.  It's good.

You will want to age your steak for a few days in the refrigerator before you cook it.  As soon as you bring it home, unwrap it and give it a quick rinse to remove any blood from the surface, and pat it dry with a paper towel.  Then, place it on a small wire rack inside a large plastic container and place in the refrigerator.  The idea is to give it room to breathe, with space underneath to catch drippings (you don't want it stewing in its own liquid).  You can keep meat like this in your refrigerator for about a week past the "sell by" date.  Go ahead and let it sit that long.  It is worth it.  Most people are in such a rush to eat meat before it goes past the due date that they fail to achieve a good dry aging.  Dry aging like this gives you a much more tender cut, with concentrated flavor.

Now a rib-eye is a fairly fatty cut of meat, so you want to prep and cook it somewhat differently from my other favorite cuts, the tenderloin and NY strip (also known as the two sides of the T-bone).  All you really want to do before you cook it is take it out of the refrigerator an hour or so ahead of time so it can come up to room temperature.

When ready to cook, first pat the steak with a paper towel to remove any surface moisture.  Then give it a rub down with a little Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce and extra-virgin olive oil (just enough to coat the surface, no more).  Season both sides with a sprinkle of McCormick Montreal Steak seasoning.  Be sure to only use these brands!

I have recently become devoted to this McCormick Montreal Steak seasoning.  I laughed at the commercials with Joe Montana, so I bought some to try.  I previously seasoned most steaks with my own blend of seasoned salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper.  The McCormick blend turned out to be very, very similar to what I made myself, so for convenience I have switched over to it.

Grill over medium-low heat (yes, medium-low) for about 15 minutes each side for medium-rare.  Rib-eyes are fattier than other cuts, so slower cooking over lower heat will help melt that fat into delicious juice.  Don't make the mistake of thinking you need to sear it over higher heat, like a tenderloin.  Big mistake there.

After cooking, let it stand for about 10 minutes or so before you eat.  This is essential: during this time, the melted fat will distribute through the meat to become juicy goodness.  If you dig right in, that juicy goodness will just run out onto your plate instead of going into your mouth for your taste buds to enjoy.  That would be sad.  That would make the baby Jesus cry.  Don't do that.  Besides, you can use this time to prepare the next two ingredients to this ultimate-man-feast!

Second, the eggs:

OK, you think you know how to make scrambled eggs.  You probably do.  There isn't much for me to say here, but I do have a few tips to perhaps make your scrambled eggs better.

Preheat a large skillet on medium heat and lubricate it with a generous helping of butter.  In a small mixing bowl, whisk three eggs together.  DO NOT ADD WATER OR MILK.  Many people do this trying to make fluffier eggs.  This is a bad idea.  Water adds no flavor, and milk adds only a little.  Instead, add about 1/4 cup of sour cream and whisk it in well.  This will give you a good kick of extra flavor, will provide more fat to ensure better cooking (fat transmits heat and keeps the eggs from sticking), and provides a bit of liquid to help the eggs fluff.  Add to the pan and slowly (SLOWLY) stir with a non-stick spatula.  Cook until the eggs are mostly, but not completely, cooked, and then transfer to the plate alongside your resting steak.  Don't be afraid your eggs aren't done: they are still hot, and will continue to cook even though they are out of the pan.  Most people who try to make scrambled eggs end up overcooking them because if you keep them in the pan until they look done, by the time they have sat on your plate for a few minutes they are over done.

Now, the final step: horseradish sauce!

Mix together a tablespoon of prepared extra-spicy horseradish, a tablespoon of bleu cheese dressing, a tablespoon of sour cream, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.  Give it a good stir, and serve it on top of your steak.

You are now ready to eat.  Slice the bone off your steak and save it.  Eat your steak.  Eat your eggs, being sure to use them to scoop up any juices that are left over from your steak (better than bacon drippings!).  Finally, gnaw that bone, relishing the joy of being a mighty carnivorous male!

YES!

YES!

YESSSSSSS!!!

And if you are worried about things like saturated fat and cholesterol, remember always the man-chef mantra:

'Tis better to die with beef in thy colon, than to live and eat tofu!

Comments

[Sailor Republica]

Amen!

[Claire]

*drools quietly with great feminine decorum*

[Sailor Republica]

Claire: Can we get a picture of that?

[Cat]

Awesome! My boyfriend was having a shitty time with a lateral career move, so I used your recipe to make him brunch and cheer him up a bit. We both loved it! Thanks.