THE PERFECT STEAK?

By Chef Nathan Schoenfeldt

Summer is here and that means every dad across the country is going to embark on the time-honoured tradition of combining fire, iron and meat: ground beef, chicken, pork, stemmed and marinated portobello mushrooms for our vegan friends too. But the piece de resistance, the crown jewel of summer cooking is, obviously, the steak.

What’s important in steak cooking is simplicity and attention to detail. When I teach new cooks this skill, I use an instant-read, digital probe thermometer. These units come with a temperature scale in the packaging, and while these numbers are mostly accurate for large roasts, an inch-thick steak never gets an accurate read because it’s so thin.

My first tip for you is watch the juices; they will show you what’s happening inside your steak. The more it cooks, the more it bleeds. The more it bleeds, the dryer it gets, and the less redness will be seen on a crosssection.

The next tip is resting. Do not, under any circumstances, yank the steak off the grill and hack straight into it. While the meat rests, the structure begins to relax and, like a squeezed sponge simply set in a puddle of water, it’ll drink the juices back up. This pulls the liquid from the outer edge of the steak back into the core, lifting the internal temperature by anywhere from five to 10 degrees, rising to the next stage of doneness over the next five minutes!

My third tip for steak cooking is a simple tool. Cast Iron is the best cooking surface. These pans are invincible. Preheat your pan and start with a tablespoon of butter, a whole clove of garlic, and a bundle of fresh thyme before putting the steak in it. Once you flip the meat, you can baste it with your seasoned butter and really ramp up the flavour.

Let’s talk about seasoning. Salt is all you really need here. The temperatures used to sear beef are so hot that all plant-based spices and herbs are going to burn long before your steak even starts to cook. Don’t waste your money on rubs or spice combinations; all you need is a pinch of coarse kosher salt before cooking.

Bone in, or bone out? For a beginner, boneless, always. But if you want a challenge, the T-bone is a perfect place to start. Rather than searing your steak on both sides and calling it a day, start by standing it up on the flat end of the T, cooking the bone so the heat radiates up through the centre and into the meat before laying it flat.

Finishing Spread. If you want to really step up your game, try a finishing spread while your steak is resting. Chimichurri (see recipe) adds a bright, fresh, summertime flavour with acidity and heat augmented by olive oil. Classic garlic butter also works in a pinch, and even more so with some crumbled triple-cream blue cheese. Just slather this stuff on top of your steak while it rests and you’ll find it to be a better alternative to any spice rub on the market.

Chimichurri INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup chopped parsley - flat-leaf parsley

4 cloves garlic - chopped

1 shallot - chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 small red chili - seeded and diced (or 2 tsp red pepper flakes)

3 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2/3 cup good-quality extra-virgin olive oil

Method

Add the chopped parsley, garlic, shallot, oregano, red chili (or crushed red pepper), red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper to the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely minced (take care not to turn it into a thick paste from over-processing).

Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and pour the extra-virgin olive oil over the mixture. Gently mix to combine. Allow the Chimichurri to stand for 15 minutes, time permitting.

Serve over your favorite grilled meats and vegetables or use as a marinade!

Enjoy!

Chef Nathan Schoenfeldt

Saskatchewan trained and PEI polished, Chef Nathan Schoenfeldt moved to the Island ten years ago and fell in love with the culinary community.

Temperature Scale

Rare 52C or 125F

Cold inside, red all the way through. Does not bleed. Typically, it’s only grey on the outside with very little browning.

Medium Rare 55C or 130F

Warm inside with a pink ring surrounding red. Bleeds a little; the juices are clear with red as the marbling begins to melt. Typically purging at the edge of the steak. Bulges like a water balloon when poked. It’s soft because the fats are melting inside.

Medium 57C or 135F

Warm throughout and consistently pink inside. Medium bleeds a lot and requires a rest. Substantially less fat in the purge, and more red. It bleeds from all surface areas. Bulging doesn’t happen anymore; the proteins on the outside are cooked.

Medium Well 60C or 140F

Hot throughout, and now has a grey layer surrounding pink. No red is visible on a cross-section here. The juices begin to darken and take on a caramel hue. While it bleeds profusely, it’s now bleeding brown.

Well Done 63C or 145F

Brown throughout; there is no pink visible here. Bleeding has slowed down; any more that comes out is now thoroughly brown.

Perfect Pairing!

A Syrah is an excellent choice for both porterhouse and T-bone cuts. This type of wine offers the tannins of a Pinot Noir with the dark fruit flavours of a Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s heavier than a Pinot Noir, while also being lighter than a Cabernet Sauvignon.

Chef’s Choice!

Domaine de la Terre

Rouge Syrah Les Cotes de L’Ouest

BIN#: R0189Z | 750 ML $39.59

Available at PEI Liquor locations

By Darren LeBlanc, Notables Specialty Product Advisor

Please enjoy rsponsibly!

“These summer selections from Notables by PEI Liquor provide satisfying flavours appropriate for sipping on a warm, sunlit patio or paired with one of the many spectacular views of our Island. Discover my go-to varietals for summer sipping with a variety of suggestions to fit your budget.”

Riesling

Riesling is often much maligned due to its tendency for high-acid, high-sugar wines with relatively simple flavours, sommeliers know that Riesling is actually capable of amazing feats. In warmer climates it can produce fruit bombs of incredible complexity with an acid profile that keeps it all very lifted and far from cloying. In cool climates, the ability to produce lots of sugar and lots of acid allows for some of the most tense, textural, exciting wines that often only peak at 12% alcohol when on the dry side.

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc can be produced in a number of styles but always has the hallmark green fruit, herbaceousness and crisp acidity that makes it a versatile partner for warm patios, green salads, white fish and other light textured proteins. Look to New Zealand if you prefer a smoother, slightly fruitier version. Look to the Loire Valley, France if you prefer more mineral driven dry styles.

Riesling

$76.70 W0200Z

Chenin Blanc

Himmelreich 2017

$51.79 W0141Z

VQA, Ontario 2020

$21.39 09411Z

Often medium-bodied, Chenin Blanc’s ancestral home is the Loire Valley of France where it makes bone dry, off-dry, sparkling, even some sweet wine. While oak can be present, chenin blanc tends much more to the fresh side with flavours of apple peel, lemons, honeydew melon, passion fruit and limes. The oaked versions tend to present much like a Chardonnay.

Domaine Fournier

‘Clos du Roc’ Single Vineyard 2021 Sancerre

$63.49 W0359Z

Vermentino

Chateau du Seuil

Sauvignon Blanc/ Semillon Blend

$30.79 W0094Z

Sauvignon Blanc

$26.09 W0230Z

‘La Plante Martin’

Chinon

$46.49 W0357Z

Domaine d’Orfuilles

Vouvray ‘Silex’

$34.90 W0191Z

Domaine d’Orfuilles

Vouvray Cremant

Brut Sparkling Organic

$28.79 W0190Z

On the light-bodied side, vermentino is often a go-to substitute for the Sauvignon Blanc lover. Grown in a number of regions in Italy this wine displays lovely lime flavours mixing with daffodil, crushed stones and a pleasing bitter note on the finish that is reminiscent of grapefruit pith.

‘Monteoro’

Vermentino

Darren LeBlanc is the Specialty Product Advisor at Notables by PEI Liquor in the Founders’ Food Hall & Market. He is a certified sommelier with 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry and continues to contribute as a restaurant consultant and wine writer. (Photo: Evan Ceretti)

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