Classic Steak

If we met on the beach in our swimwear, you might think I was a professional kick boxer. I’m not. I do kind of sappy workouts, like walking my dogs round the block or “restorative yoga” classes, a.k.a. glorified napping in a mirrored studio. Yet for a few months now, my arms and legs have been covered in mysterious bruises.

That’s not even why I went to see the doc on Wednesday. I went about migraines that have recently had me lying several times a month in a darkened room when I have way more fun things to be getting on with.

So on Wednesday I had some blood work done. Turns out my iron and vitamin B12 levels are depleted, hence the annoying symptoms. I hate needles, but I was actually happy to start my weekly B12 shots and daily popping of iron pills. Can’t wait to get back to normal!

And on this cold and rainy Friday, I decided to help things along by cooking up a nice-n-bloody steak lunch.

I was a vegetarian for twelve years, so I have to admit that while I can do roast chicken now, I still feel timid every time I unwrap a slab of red meat. In my new mission to be an iron chef, of sorts, I decided to consult an awesome little cookbook with beginners’ recipes for all kinds of manly things.

It’s a slim, black volume called Recipes Every Man Should Know, by Susan Russo and Brett Cohen, which draws in the target reader with this chest-pounding call to tongs: “Women think men who cook are sexy. [Cooking] involves fire, sharp instruments and meat.” This book offers simple recipes for everything from essential sandwiches to meaty macaroni to bacon brownies. And of course steak.

I’ve been saving Recipes Every Man Should Know to give to my son when he flies the nest, but I don’t think he’s going to complain about a few grease stains on the cover if that means more steak on his plate in the coming months. Other family members seem to approve of this new red meat kick too.

Drop something, woman... drop something.

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This simple recipe doesn’t call for searing–just oiling, rubbing and seasoning your steak before bunging it on the grill. Confession: for want of a barbecue, I actually had to grill mine in the toaster oven. How bachelor boy is that?

I know this isn’t really in the spirit of the original, but I switched up the manly dry rub in the book for one I had in my pantry from a wonderful Montreal cafe called Fuschia Epicerie Fleur. The ingredients in my rub were parsley, cinnamon, cumin, garlic, mixed spices and, em, rose.

And I also perched my emasculated steak on a bed of tender baby leaves (and perhaps the odd flower petal), gently tossed in a homemade balsamic dressing. To be fair, I think the third element, garlic butter mushrooms with port, balanced out the yin and yang.

So here’s the recipe. This dish really is delicious–and if anybody has a go at you for overdosing this week on steak, just tell them from me that it is health food.

Classic Steak

Ingredients
1- to 1 and 1/2-inch-thick marbled steak, such as rib eye, strip, or T-bone
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper or dry rub (see recipe below)

Method
1. Allow steak to come to room temperature. Rub steak all over with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper or dry rub (if using). Wash our hands. Preheat grill to high, and brush rack with more olive oil.

2. Place steak over heat and grill 5 to 6 minutes. Flip using tongs. (Forks can puncture meat, releasing juices. This is bad.) Cook another 5 to 6 minutes for medium. Cook longer for well-done meat or less for rare meat.

3. Do the finger test for doneness. Press steak with your fingertip. Rare should feel soft and spongy; medium should feel moderately soft; well-done should feel firm. Transfer steak to a plate. Cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 minutes to seal in juices. Dig in.

Dry Rub for Meat

A dry rub is a simple way to make meat juicier and more flavourful. Get started with this all-purpose mixture, which works well with all types of meat.

Ingredients
4 tbsp salt
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp paprika

Method
1. Combine ingredients in a small bowl; mix well.

2. Using your hands, rub desired amount all over meat before cooking.