Welcome to the world of the steakhouse in your house! Today, we are going to be talking about creating pairings that I believe will help set you up for success on this special night or, quite frankly, any night.
I am a big fan and true believer in restaurants and going to them. That being said, Valentine’s Day can be tricky with finding a reservation — that’s part of the fun — but if you are not wanting to be with the crowds, then here we go. I got you.
We need to choose what steak we are going to cook, how we are going to cook it, and the last but really important issue — what are we going to drink with it?
Where to buy a great steak in Houston
Let’s start with the beef part of the deal. I suggest heading to a place that I visited the other day sourcing some beef for a dinner: Carniceria Prime (there are multiple locations around Houston). I saw them on Instagram and had to check it out. I didn’t know what I was walking into, and I loved it. The selection was very impressive with standouts being prime beef, American, Australian, and traditional Japanese wagyu. It’s a really beautiful setup.
You can hit up R-C Ranch for some beautiful Texas wagyu as well. They have been friends for a long time and are really dialing it in.
If you want to do some mail order, go fast and order something from 44 Farms which has been tried and true for me for many years and are such great people. If you are cooking on Saturday then hit up Urban Harvest Farmers Market for some of the vendors there. I’m going to have to say that the Prime 1 program at HEB is pretty fantastic as well for just running to the store and the convenience of that is pretty high. The cuts I love vary from ribeye, strip, bavette, flat iron and all flap meat.
To be clear, I am not a filet person. I might ruin it here for a lot of you the but knowledge is half the battle. The tenderloin lays inside the cavity and does not move so it’s tender but it lays against a lot of organs. I can’t get that flavor of organ meat out of my head. You choose your own adventure but talk to the butcher or vendor about what they like and go from there.
Cook a steak like a pro
Let’s talk preparation now and how to achieve perfection. For the ribeye and strip loin I prefer to cook this inside in a cast iron pan. The method here is simple. You’ll need:
- A large cast iron pan
- 1.5- 2 inch thick steak
- Salt
- Pepper
- 2 oz of any cooking oil
- 3 cloves of garlic
- Maybe a shallot or two
- A couple of thyme sprigs
- 1/4 lb of butter
- A large kitchen spoon
Over medium high heat, let the pan get hot for 5 minutes or so, turn your hood vent on high and maybe open a window if you like. Season the steak aggressively with salt and pepper. It will look like too much but the steak only holds on to what it needs. There will be a lot left in the pan.
Add the oil and put the steak in the pan, laying it down away from you. Now…….don’t touch it. Let it sear and create its crust. If you choose to move it around, the crust won’t happen.
About three minutes in, carefully flip the steak and again, don’t touch it. After a few minutes carefully add the garlic, butter, and thyme. Let the butter melt and carefully lift the pan towards you and start to baste the steak. Turn the steak over and continue the process until you hit your desired doneness.
Be careful when basting. The butter doesn’t care if it cooks the steak or your hand so BE CAREFUL.
Remove from the pan and let it rest for a couple of minutes before slicing. This preparation begs for Cabernet Sauvignon — something from Napa like some Cliff Lede, Matthiasson, or Revana. The crust and sear when properly done screams with happiness! The moment you put that first meaty, salty, peppery bite onto your palette and taste that wine is pure perfection!
Some cuts are better on a grill.Photo by Chris Shepherd
Fire up the grill
Next, let’s talk bavette, flat iron, hanger and skirt steaks. These cuts want to be grilled, with or without marinade. Salt and pepper are truly fantastic but a quick marinade of Worcestershire, red wine, salt, pepper, and the truly fantastic secret addition of celery seed is my favorite. Marinate these for about four hours or even overnight is better.
Get your grill hot whether using a gas grill or live fire but make sure you have a cool spot open. A quick tip on a gas grill is to only turn on half of it, giving you the ability to move the steak around from direct heat to roasting heat. Place your steak over the direct heat to get a good char on both sides then move to the cool zone to cook to your desired doneness. Let it rest before slicing into it. Remember to cut these meats against the grain to achieve the best tenderness.
For this style of cooking, I’m am all about opening some Pinot Noir from Oregon. Maybe I just like sitting outside by a fire with a lighter red wine while soaking it all in. The smell of the fire, the fresh air in your face, watching flames do their thing is an outstanding feeling. Check out the wines from Chosen Family, Soter, and North Valley Vineyards. These wines go perfectly with that smoke from the grill whether you marinate or not. Pinot Noirs give you an opportunity to cut the these flap meats that have extra beefy flavor along with smoke and char with lighter more developing flavors.
Look, I’m not going tell you not to drink Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon with either. All I’m going to tell you is that with a little good technique and practice you can have that steakhouse experience at your home. Practice makes perfect and builds confidence in cooking and in wine pairing. Have friends over and try both.
The world is your oyster and when it comes to cooking at home, because you set your own roadmap. The only thing to remember is to have fun; that’s what we are here for. Enjoy the times together with great food and great wine.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
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Did you follow Chris's advice and cook a steak at home on Valentine's Day? Let him know how it went via email at chris@chrisshepherd.is.
Chris Shepherd won a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2014. The Southern Smoke Foundation, a nonprofit he co-founded with his wife Lindsey Brown, has distributed more than $11 million to hospitality workers in crisis through its Emergency Relief Fund. Catch his TV show, Eat Like a Local, every Saturday at 10 am on KPRC Channel 2.
