Secrets of Signature Steakhouses
Fabio visits a Beverly Hills Steakhouse to learn about dry-aged beef and their world famous steak sauce with tips about how to make similar preparations at home… you really can fake it!
Tips:
Secrets to aging without aging: Loosely wrap a thick marbled steak in cheesecloth and place it on a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Leave it on the back shelf of the fridge for 4 days and it will approximate the steakhouse taste. Even air flow really helps the process, so if possible minimize the amount of time you open and shut your fridge!
Secrets to perfect pink: Sear the crust at a very high heat, preferably in a cast iron skillet. Remember to get a nice seared crust on both sides. Finish the steak off (skillet and all) in the oven. If you use steaks that are 1.5" to 2" thick, it will take 8 minutes or so at a very high heat for a perfectly red/pink center.
Secrets to using oil and butter: These are great flavor additions that keep your steak from sticking to the surfaces used to cook it.
Secrets for over-the-top flavor: Include the T-bone to let the marrow melt into your steak.
HOME PORTERHOUSE STEAK
A Porterhouse steak is a prime cut of beef, containing two of the choicest pieces of meat: the New York strip and the tenderloin (filet mignon), separated by a "T"-shaped bone. Since both are such tender cuts, a Porterhouse is best prepared using a fast, dry method of cooking, such as roasting or grilling.
RESTAURANT-STYLE DRY-AGED PORTERHOUSE STEAK WITH STEAK SAUCE
Recipe by Fabio Viviani, inspired by Wolfgang's Steakhouse, Beverly Hills
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
1 (2lb) Porterhouse/T-bone steak (1 ½ - 2 inches thick, dry aged for 2-4 days)
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
extra virgin olive oil
steak sauce, for serving (recipe below)
Method:
To dry age steak at home:
Wrap the steak in a single layer of paper towels. Place onto a cooling rack fitted into a baking sheet. Put in the refrigerator on the lowest shelf, in the back, so as to not cross-contaminate and to hold at the coldest part of the fridge. The refrigerator should be at 38°F and never higher than 40°F.
After 1 day, remove the moist paper towels from the steak and redress with a fresh, single layer of paper towels. Repeat each day, for up to 4 days.
To prepare the steak:
Remove the steak from the refrigerator and discard the paper towels. Bring to room temperature, then season both sides with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
Heat a cast-iron skillet, gas/charcoal grill or a stovetop grill pan to high heat.
Simultaneously, preheat the oven to broil.
Sear the steak on the grill for 2 minutes per side. If not using a cast-iron skillet (which can go from stovetop to oven), transfer the steak to a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and place in the oven on the upper rack. Broil an additional 4 minutes for rare; 6 minutes for medium rare; 7 minutes for medium.
Remove the steak from the oven and lightly cover with foil. Allow to rest for ten minutes before slicing crosswise (perpendicular to the bone) into 1-inch chunks.
Serve with steak sauce on the side.
STEAK SAUCE
Recipe by Fabio Viviani, inspired by Wolfgang's Steakhouse, Beverly Hills
Yield: 1-¼ cups
Ingredients:
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon store-bought prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Method:
Stir together to combine. Add more horseradish if you prefer a spicier sauce.
Serve alongside the steak.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to one week.
MANGIA!