liza lou's cut above the rest

just how I like it.

rare.

I'm not just talking about how I like my steak cooked, I'm also thinking, chances are pretty rare that you know what cut of steak I like best. See, I jot down on index cards, blog ideas. Most posts emerge from what I cook and how I eat on the regular. But I have been holding out on you. Because this one in particular, a weekly staple in my grocery cart, has been on the card for weeks...

I grocery shop in sections. I am in the produce department, I look around, what do I want? A few things green? Always carrots, an onion. If I am into sandwiches, a tomato. And a lemon or two always comes in handy. I then turn the corner and push past the fish department, I just can't commit to eating seafood during an average week. But when I arrive at the meat counter, all I see is red, and my buddies behind the case, all they see is a little lady with a smile on her face.

Even though I act like I am deciding what to take home, it's always the same. I am a Mae Farm girl, and I stick to getting my pork at the Farmer's Market. So, it's just chicken, thighs or the whole bird. And it's beef, ground, or chuck roast, and on any given week, it's Flat Iron. 

Flat Iron is for the dinner nights you don't feel like cooking. Flat Iron is for the rotten days and you just need a good steak. It takes no skill, and no time, just salt and pepper, and high heat. You aren't chewing beef bubble gum all night, that you discreetly discard into your napkin. And when you serve it, you can slice it with a butter knife. It impresses, make it for yourself and others, and see what I mean.  It is way leaner than any NY Strip or Ribeye, and it is the second most tender cut to Tenderloin, fillet mignon, they call it. And compared to all three, it costs significantly less.

It's delicious and now you know,

it's my favorite.

It goes with any sides you like. Potatoes, broccoli, and my brother Adam's top choice, spaghetti squash with blue cheese sauce, which I promise I am sure I will leak out before the winter's through...

Where to find it: I get mine from Whole Foods, if there is a guy behind the counter with a cowboy hat, tell him Liza sent you, he will love it. Also, a tasty marinated version can be found at the Raleigh Trader Joes. I don't know about the other superstores.

Ingredients:

1lb flat iron steak (feeds 2 generously)

salt and pepper

oil or butter for searing

Method:

First, salt your flat iron. Preferably when you get home from the store, get into the habit of salting your meat (chicken, fish, beef, yep). Just a nice thin layer will do, wrap it back up and put in in the fridge. This will make for a juicier piece of meat, more flavorful, and it will keep for a day or so longer than you intended for it to.

Thirty minutes before you are ready to eat, pull it out and set on the counter. With a paper towel dab off the moisture, you want a dry piece of meat, so you can get a real good sear. Pepper the steak and let it warm up a bit before cooking. It's best not to cook meat straight cold from the fridge (the muscle tightens, and makes for a tougher chew).

When you are about ready to eat, in a cast iron pan or skillet (or even better, a grill), turn the heat up to high and allow for it to get really hot. Add a pat of butter or 1 T. of oil. Let it smoke for a few seconds, and then, for rare, sear for 4 minutes on each side. For medium rare, about 6 minutes on each side. For well-done, well, I-don't-know.

Allow it to sit, to "rest", for a few minutes before slicing, and the juices will redistribute. 

Now, let me know if you start putting it in your cart every week, and if so, it's up to you now, to share it with other people!