Dynamite steak rub

[Theophylact]

From last Wednesday's New York Times.

Chipotle-Rubbed Steaks With Cilantro-Lime Butter

Adapted from Chris Schlesinger

Time: 30 minutes

For the spice paste:
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup loosely packed cilantro, including stems
3 tablespoons chipotles en adobo, or to taste
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon mustard powder
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 rib-eye steaks, each 2 inches thick and about 1 pound

For the cilantro-lime butter:
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

1. Build a fire in your grill; if using a gas grill, turn both burners to high.

2. Put all spice paste ingredients in a food processor and purée. Rub steaks all over with paste (it will be rather thick) and set aside.

3. Combine ingredients for cilantro-lime butter in a small bowl and mash with a spoon until well mixed and an even consistency. [I used a blender; it works better.]

4. When all coals are covered with gray ash and fire is medium hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill for 3 to 4 seconds), put steaks on grill directly over coals and cook until well seared, about 7 minutes. Turn and cook another 7 to 10 minutes for medium rare. Remove from heat, top each steak with a couple tablespoons of butter, and serve.

Yield: 2 servings.

Had it yesterday (I used prime sirloin instead of rib-eye). YUM!

See, I do have interests other than politics...

mmm steak

[SpookyEddy]

Sounds excellent, think I may give it a try tomorrow with some rib-eye.

On a related note, isn't 7-10 minutes a side rather along time for a medium-rare steak? I think I only keep it on the heat for about 3 minutes a side in a moderately hot grll pan.

Thanks for the recipe.

Regards

ed

[Mike]

Sounds good..
Eddy: I of course expect that I will get the full report on the meal right?

[Theophylact]

On a related note, isn't 7-10 minutes a side rather a long time for a medium-rare steak? I think I only keep it on the heat for about 3 minutes a side in a moderately hot grill pan.

For a two-inch-thick steak? No, it'd be raw inside. Three minutes on a side'll be fine for a one-inch-thick steak.

I did it on a really hot (650º) charcoal grill, and it took about seventeen minutes, as described. I like my meat rare, too.

[SpookyEddy]

Ahh I missed the 2 inch thick bit, we don't often get steak like that over here

[krohnjw]

2 inches Wish I could get a cut like that I'll go with the one incher.

This sounds like a great recipie, might whip it up later this week.

[vass0922]

Hmmm..
Nope won't find a 2 inch steak at Giant food stores! (hate giant anyways! lol)

a local meat market would probably be best for a nice cut like that.

Sounds good, but a lot of stuff I've never even heard of
Only time I've heard of chipotle is the restaurant

<--- food/spice illiterate :P

[Theophylact]

There are several places in DC to get really good meat, but the best bargain on prime meat is at Union Meat Company at the Eastern Market on Capitol Hill (about eight miles from where I live in Northwest Washington).

It's a great old barn of a place, open six days a week, with a farmers' market on Saturdays and a wonderful cheap eatery, the Market Lunch.

Marcia and I like to get up early on Saturdays, drive down there and have breakfast (it opens at 7:30, and by 8:00 the lines are long), and then do our shopping. There's a guy there who has great peppers, cucumber and melons, and his tomatoes are pretty fine, too...

[Mr. Goodbytes]

I like the fact that all the spice/marinade work can be done with the blender rather than cutting up the garlic and peppers by hand.