Boneless Rib Eye
Recipe Courtesy of Adam Perry Lang, Author “Charred & Scruffed”
Four 14- to 16-ounce boneless rib eye steaks, at least 2½ inches thick
3 tablespoons Four Seasons Blend
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
An herb brush
2 cups Basic Baste
Board Dressing
A clean brick, wrapped in foil
To make the Four Seasons Blend
Makes approximately 1 cup
1 cup sea or kosher salt
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Combine the salt, black pepper, garlic salt, and cayenne in a small bowl. Transfer to a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder and pulse to the consistency of sand. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
To make the Basic Baste
Makes approximately 4 cups
Fat baste
1 ¼ cups extra virgin olive oil
10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter
½ cup rendered fat from the meat being cooked (optional)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
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2 tablespoons grated garlic (use a Microplane) or garlic mashed to a paste
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons grated Spanish onion (use a Microplane)
2 teaspoons sea or kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup white wine vinegar
Combine all the ingredients for the fat baste in a 2-quart saucepan and bring just to a simmer; remove from the heat. For the best flavor, refrigerate in a tightly sealed container for 1 to 2 days (reheat over low heat to melt the butter before using).
Whisk the lemon juice and vinegar into the fat baste before using, or reserve it to add later.
Directions:
Set up the grill with an elevated grate and preheat it to high.
(*You can buy a grill with a hand-cranked wheel that allows you to raise and lower the cooking surface. Or you can save yourself a lot of money and buy an extra grate for your grill, using bricks to elevate it above the main grill gate.)
Season the steaks on both sides with the seasoning blend and pepper, then lightly moisten your hands with water and work the seasonings into the meat. Allow to stand for 10 minutes to develop a “meat paste.”
Put the steaks on the clean (unoiled) grill grate and cook, without moving them, for 1 minute. Turn, making sure to grab the “eye” portion of each steak with your tongs, and cook for 1 minute. The meat may stick and tear a bit, but this is OK, even desirable-the sticking and tearing is what I call “meat scruffing.” (For newer grills, where less sticking and tearing occurs, or for increased surface area, score with a knife.) Put the foil-wrapped brick on the grill grate to be used as a steady point for the beef, lean the steaks up against it, and cook for 2 minutes, then turn the steaks and repeat until you’ve cooked them for 2 minutes each on all four edges.
Move the brick to the side and continue cooking the steaks, turning them every 1 to 2 minutes (see The Hot Potato Method, page 24) and basting with the herb brush each time you flip them, until the internal temperature registers 95°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 12 minutes longer.
(*Optional: Use an Herb Basting Brush to tie a bunch of herb sprigs (rosemary, sage or thyme, or a combination, or other herbs, depending on what you are cooking to a dowel, the handle of a wooden spoon, or a long-handled carving fork. The herb brush flavors the baste, releases oils into the crust as it builds, and eventually becomes a garnish for the Board Dressing.)
Transfer the steaks to a platter, brush lightly with the baste, and let rest for at least 5 minutes, and up to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, carefully remove the elevated grill grate.
Put the steaks on the hot grill and cook, turning every 1 to 2 minutes and basting lightly every time the beef is moved, until the internal temperature registers 115°F, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make a basic Board Dressing. Combine 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, and sea or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. You can improvise here, adding grated shallots or garlic (use a Microplane), finely chopped chiles, chopped scallions, and/or other chopped herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, and sage. 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, and sea or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. You can improvise here, adding grated shallots or garlic (use a Microplane), finely chopped chiles, chopped scallions, and/or other chopped herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, and sage.
Transfer the steaks to the cutting board and turn them in the dressing to coat. Allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
To serve, slice the meat ¼ inch thick, turning each slice in the dressing to coat, and arrange on plates, then pour some of the board juices over each serving.
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