Food: Steak Marinade

 

Last night I decided to grill outside (before the cold front).  In my possession were a couple of small (as in 2/3 lbs) grass-fed ribeyes from HEB.  I thought it would be fun to use a marinade I'd used before on similar cuts.  It turns out I was right.  Deliciously right.

Here's what I went with:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves of crushed garlic
• 2 tablespoons of dried rosemary
• 2 tablespoons of ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of salt

I marinaded the steaks in a bag for 8 hours (including 40 min).  Afterwards they were cooked medium rare on my grill.  I thought the result was excellent, as did my wife.  I served the steaks with crab cakes. 

While I didn't do it this time, for a future dinner I'll add in roasted new potatoes w/ rosemary and roasted asparagus.  Furthermore next time I plan to keep the garlic and add fresh rosemary (as opposed to the dried, bottle variety).  

Food: Grilling Steaks and Scallops

Grass-Fed Ribeyes and Scallops on the Grill

I'm sitting in my home office with a couple of prime T-bones (which I just picked up from Central Market) in the fridge.  Tonight I'm keeping it simple with just the steaks; however, last month I grilled up a 1/2 pound of scallops to go with my grass-fed ribeyes (also from Central Market) and the results were excellent.  

• For the steaks, I used a pretty basic Montreal seasoning with a little extra kosher salt and pepper.  If you haven't tried grass-fed yet, I highly recommend it.  It provides a different texture than grain-fed beef, but the flavor is rich and delicious.   While they rested, I melted some of the Lewis Road Creamery garlic and chive butter over them.  I highly recommend the seasoned butter as a finishing move for your beef.   

• For the scallops, I used a recipe from the grill manufacturer.    

• I served the steak and scallops with roasted asparagus.   

Separately and in the aggregate, all of the above were a hit.  

Food (in Dallas): Bob's Steak and Chop House

I went up to Dallas for a seminar entitled Risky Business: Financing and Distributing Independent Films.  It was a great way to spend Saturday, as I learned a lot about film financing, distribution, and the independent film ecosystem from the lecturer, entertainment lawyer Mark Litwak.  However, the night before the seminar was pretty awesome as well.  I took off from my office about 4p, and a few hours later found myself at the uptown Dallas location of Bob's Steak and Chop House. 

Damn, this place is good.  I met my friend, fellow lawyer, and fellow steak enthusiast David C. at the bar.  We were shortly led to a table in a traditional looking steakhouse room (e.g., lots of wood, and lots of cool photos like a huge portrait of the famous horse trainer Bob Baffert).   Unlike The Palm, wherein being a frequent guest can earn you a caricature on the wall, I immediately begin to wonder if only famous guys named Bob were eligibly for honor at Bob's Steak and Chop House.  Then the shrimp plate arrived and I quit caring.  On said plate were several huge shrimp, including one pair slathered in some especially tasty remoulade sauce  (Austin Land and Cattle, take note: up your game with the shrimp appetizers!).   But, the shrimp with a mere opening act to an extremely delicious 22oz, USDA Prime bone-in-ribeye (which the website claims to have been aged 28 days, although I didn't see any specific info about whether the beef  dry aged, grass fed, or free range).   The menu called said steak the "Cote de Boeuf," and the waitress said it was the best steak in the house*. 

Because I have no basis for comparison, I have no idea if the "Cote de Boeuf" is truly the best steak at Bob's.  But, if it's at the bottom of the list, then the rest of their lineup must be pretty awesome.  My steak was great: good thickness, good marbling, excellent flavor, and excellent preparation.   The skillet fried potatoes were a good side choice, although I had to pass on the giant carrot with which my steak was served.   The creamed corn side, however, wasn't particulaly good (and a real let down, if you love Rudy's creamed corn).  Also, Bob's doesn't have Bearnaise sauce, and I love some Bearnaise with beef. 

If you're going to Bob's here's what I can recall vis a vis pricing:

Steaks (including the "signature glazed carrot" and a potato dish variant)

-regular ribeye: about $33
-bone in 22oz ribeye: about $45

Sides

-creamed corn, mushrooms, spinach: all about $8

Appetizers

-shrimp variety plate: about $22


Salads

-all appeared to be about $7-$9

Cocktails

-about $12 with Maker's Mark (but very, very generous pours).

 If you are in Dallas, I recommend Bob's Steak and Chop House.  It is indeed awesome, and I've eaten enough steaks to feel qualified in bestowing such a designation. 



*Although, suspiciously, she said that about everything I ordered... down to the relatively ordinary Makers Mark cocktail.  The funniest thing our waitress said was in reference to the giant carrot.  I exclaimed, "damn, that is one giant carrot!" She gave me and my friend a naughty look and replied, "depends on how you look at it... I think it's just right."  Too focused on steak to process her suggestive food references, I plunged into the tasty ribeye.  Later, I was even more amused by her comments when I recalled another suggestive vegetable ad seen on I-35E.