Herb Rubbed Steaks
When I was growing up in Texas, Papa Daddy used to buy a whole cow and have it butchered… “everything but the moo,” he’d say.
Then they’d deliver it to the house, literally hundreds of white butcher paper-wrapped packages, their contents identified in carefully written grease pencil. Papa Daddy would load the packages into the long white freezer in the garage, ready for outdoor grilling, Sunday night dinners and family barbecues.
Today, my family doesn’t eat enough meat to warrant buying a whole cow, but we still enjoy a great steak. We Texans love our beef big time… but it has to be good (like these Herb Rubbed Steaks).
The beef you buy in grocery stores and butcher shops is sold in three USDA grades: Prime, Choice and Select. Prime is the best, and most expensive, because of the “marbling” or fat content. Fat is what gives a steak its flavor. Choice cuts are next in line, and this is what is usually sold in supermarkets. But quality varies, so look for Choice cuts that have a lot of marbling. Select cuts are the least expensive because of the small amount of marbling. This is not necessarily a bad cut of meat, because it has the least amount of fat and is therefore healthier—but it’s likely to be tough, so make sure you marinate it or use moist-heat cooking methods, like braising or stewing.
Always wondered who ended up with the moo…
Herb Rubbed Steak you’ll need… let’s get to it… Nutrients per serving: Calories 356, Total Fat 20 g, Saturated Fat 4 g, Cholesterol 97 mg, Sodium 1840 mg, Carbohydrates 3 g, Fiber less than 1 g, Protein 39 g cooking know how…
prep: 20 minutes
cook: 8 to 10 minutes, depending on how rare you like it
serves: 4
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper, preferably fresh ground
1 teaspoon sugar (it adds a nice crust)
2 cloves garlic, crushed or ½ tsp. garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin, oregano or chili powder
4 rib-eye or strip steaks, about 6 ounces each and 1¼ inch thick
Place a rack in a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (or use a large cast-iron skillet like I do). Place baking sheet or cast iron skillet 4-inches from the broiler.
Preheat the oven to Broil.
Mix the olive oil, salt, pepper, sugar, garlic or garlic powder and cumin, oregano or chili powder in a small bowl.
Rub both sides of each steak with olive oil mixture and let marinate for 10 minutes. Place on the rack in the baking sheet.
Cook for 4 to 6 minutes on each side for medium rare, or until they are cooked to your liking.
• Always freeze uncooked beef you don’t use within 3 days. Wrap it in freezer wrap and label and date it. Frozen steak and roasts will keep 6 to 12 months.
• Defrost beef in the refrigerator, never on top of a counter. Never refreeze thawed meat.
