Dear Customers,
It’s been quite a while, several months in fact, since we’ve had an IN-STORE Meat Bonanza. We have, however, had a few that were posted on our FACEBOOK page and these work well – except for those customers who don’t navigate and personal computer all that well. This month is an excellent time to get back into the practice of adding them to our weekly flyer. Actually, for two reasons. . . next Monday is Valentine’s Day and the weekend preceding it is a perfect time to fix a romantic dinner for your favorite Valentine. And. . . Christmas credit card bills have filtered in via the mail and budgets are generally a little more “strained” the first couple of months of any new year.
One of the most popular items featured in our Bonanza’s is the Porterhouse and/or T-Bone Steaks. Lots of people like to stock up when this item becomes available. These two cuts are extremely similar and are both cut from the beef short loin. The Porterhouse looks almost identical to the T-Bone except that the Porterhouse steak has a larger tenderloin. If that tenderloin were cut off, it could be sliced into filet mignon!
A “porterhouse” was an old term for a steak and ale establishment. The coining of the term, Porterhouse Steak is attributed to more than one bar owner, but it was said to originate in the early 19th century, perhaps as early as 1814 in Manhattan.
To cook a perfect Porterhouse Steak, one need not venture outside onto the patio, especially when the temperatures dip into the single digits and the wind speed heads north of 20 mph. A large skillet, usually cast iron, is a perfect way to handle the chore. Using just a few household ingredients, such as salt, pepper, butter and vegetable oil, you can make a mouth-watering supper.
Let the steak sit at room temperature for a half-hour before cooking. This helps the meat cook quickly and more evenly. Heat the cast iron skillet over medium high heat and heat the oil in the pan until smoking. Season your cut of meat generously with salt and pepper and cook until a deep brown crust forms on the underside – probably about 4 minutes.
Transfer the steak to a cutting board, browned side up. Cut the meat from the bone into 2 pieces, the strip steak and the tenderloin. Slice both pieces straight down, perpendicular to the bone in 1” thick slices. Replace the sliced steak around the bone ( it should look like a whole steak) and return it to the skillet, browned side up. Top with butter and broil until butter is melted and steaks is medium rare (about 4-6 minutes). Serve the steak with the buttery pan juices, spooned over the top.