dinnerjuly82009 Old School Steak recipe

Nowadays, everyone seems to be an expert on steaks.  Since the dawn of the Internet and the Food Network, every home cook worth their weight in salt knows everything about beef: dry aging, marbling, USDA Prime, the difference between American Waygu and true Kobe Beef.  Even Ruth’s sizzling butter is no secret! All of this steak overkill has this blogger longing for simpler times.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a trip to a prime steakhouse as much anyone.  Few things in life top a perfectly cooked,

USDA prime rib eye, creamed spinach and glass of 2005 Duckhorn Cabernet.  A broiled sirloin; however, harkens to the steak dinners of my childhood.  Before I was an “expert”…

Who remembers when having steak at home meant a large piece of sirloin that was tenderized, seasoned and broiled? There wasn’t a steak for each of us; there was a steak. The family gathered at the dinner table, and waited with anticipation as dad carved each juicy portion.

I owe this trip down culinary memory lane to a clever marketing campaign.   Recently, a couple of local supermarket chains have been running a “Pick 5 for $19.95” special in their meat cases.  This has got to be one of the better promotions I have seen lately. A small family can get 5 different proteins to build meals around for $4.00 each.  A great concept in this economic climate, but I digress.  I was scoping out the offerings in the sale case, and there they were! Beautiful sirloin tip steaks.  Not the hulking chunks of non-graded beef that Dad used to cook, but perfect sized

cuts of USDA Choice Angus Sirloin.  Gristle free and nicely marbled.  Oh well, I guess they’d have to do. When I saw them, I knew what was for dinner; in a couple of days anyway…

To do this dish right, you will need a few things: a good, heavy meat mallet, a can of Accent, and one of those broiling pans with the rack (like the one that came with your oven).  Now, Accent is made almost entirely of MSG.   I know that’s bad for you, but you’ve got to remember that this is old school steak, and we didn’t know it was bad back then!

If you do have trouble with MSG, Pineapple Juice can be substituted. It is a great natural meat tenderizer, and will give your meat a sweet flavor.

The day before your steak dinner, place your Sirloin on a heavy cutting board and sprinkle each side lightly with

Accent.  Next, pound each steak with the mallet, making sure to hit every part of the steak at least once.  Try not to overdo it; you don’t want to pulverize the meat.  You are just helping the tenderizer to work its way in. Turn them over and repeat.  Place the steaks in a Zip Loc bag and refrigerate overnight to tenderize.

When you are ready to cook, turn your broiler all the way to broil, and place the rack about 4 inches from the heat. High heat is the key to searing in the juices. Make sure to have your vent hood on. Season the steaks with salt and

pepper, or your favorite steak seasoning.  Montreal Seasoning from McCormick is always a great choice.  Place the steaks on the pan and into the broiler.  Cook times will vary depending on the thickness of the steaks and desired doneness, but you will want to flip the meat over once during cooking.  I would recommend cooking to a nice pink medium for this dish, though I normally prefer medium rare.   In my one nod to modern steak cooking, I will recommend melting a couple of pats of butter over each steak for the last two minutes of cook time.

Now, to have the true nostalgic experience, you must resist all urges to dress this dish up!   As delectable as they may be, let no steamed asparagus or garlic roasted, fingerling potatoes share this platter.  A simple salad (Iceberg lettuce, Creole tomatoes) and homemade French fries are the perfect sides.  Top the steaks with pan juices and caramelized onions. Will they be as tender as that filet you had at Morton’s?  No, but they will be much more flavorful. And don’t be surprised if one bite of Old School Sirloin reminds you of what you knew as a child… That ignorance is delicious bliss!