Smoked Ribeye Roast

While the prime rib roast -- or standing rib roast -- is the king of cuts (in my humble opinion), that roast can be very difficult to find in grocery stores, especially outside of certain major holidays.  The roast is cut from the rib section of the cow, from the sixth bone to the twelfth bone.  The entire cut, from the bones, to the eye and the layers of fat, give rise to a cut of meat that is amazing delicious and expensive.  I love prime rib roasts, which are often my go-to recipe when I entertain.  (I almost never buy the entire seven bones of the roast, which is a lot of meat and very expensive.  I usually go with a roast that is about 3 bones or, at most, 4 bones).

Take away the bones, you have a large central muscle that runs through the roast, which is the ribeye roast.  For some reason, it is easier to find ribeye roasts than it is to find standing rib roasts.  My beautiful Angel recently bought a ribeye roast for me to cook or smoke.  I have been wanting to smoke a standing rib or ribeye roast for quite a while, so this presented an opportunity for a little experimentation and education.

A few months ago, I bought a book called Prime: The Complete Prime Rib Cookbook.  I have been wanting to use this cookbook and the ribeye roast presented the perfect opportunity.  The cookbook has a recipe for a smoked prime rib.  The recipe calls for the use of a standing rib roast.  While I did not have that roast, I decided to adapt the recipe for a ribeye roast.  I jettisoned the instructions for handling the bones and tying the roast with fresh herbs.   I also modified the instructions for the rubs, developing a two part rub based upon what I had in my spice drawer.  The first rub part is just freshly grounded black pepper and kosher salt.  The second part is a mixture of ground and dried herbs, with some ground onion and minced garlic.  

SMOKED RIBEYE ROAST

Recipe adapted from John Whalen, 

Prime: The Complete Prime Rib Cookbook, pg. 108-109
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients (for the rib roast):

1 ribeye roast (about 4 pounds)

1/8 cup of extra olive oil (plus more if necessary)

2 tablespoons of freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of sea salt or Kosher salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1/2 tablespoon granulated onion powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder

3 chunks of hickory, oak or mesquite chunks

Ingredients (for the au jus):
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Coarsely ground black pepper
Fresh sea salt.

Directions:

1.  Prepare the rib roast.  About two days before the smoke, combine the salt and black pepper in a small bowl.  Apply the rub to the roast, making sure that the rub covers the entire roast.  Cover and refrigerate overnight. 

2.  Continue to prepare the rib roast.  In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, dried thyme, dried rosemary and onion powders with the olive oil.  Add a little more oil to get the desired consistency if necessary.  Generously massage the meat with the garlic and herb rub so that it clings to the cap of the rib roast.

3.  Prepare the grill.  Prepare the fire to feature both direct and indirect heat with an average low temperature of about 300 degrees.  You'll wan tot make sure that you have a strong foundational layer of coals so that you can easily maintain the heat and smoke as you grill your prime rib.  While you prepare the grill, add the hickory or maple wood chips or chunks. 

5.  Smoke the roast.  When the fire is ready, at about 300 degrees with the coals lightly covered with ash, place the rib roast over the direct heat of the grill and sear each side, including the ends, for about 2 to 3 minutes each.  Transfer the rib roast over the direct heat and flip the rib roast to meat side up.  Take a handful of wood chips and throw them over the flame.  Cover the grill, aligning the air vent away from the fame so that the smoke pillows around the rib roast, and begin slowly roasting about 3 to 4 hours until the rib roast is charred and an instant thermometer reads 125 degrees.  For the first 3 hours of the grilling process, distribute handfuls of the hickory or maple wood chips about every 30 minutes or so.

6.  Prepare the au jus.  Combine the wine and broth and heat over medium low heat.  Whisk the butter.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

7.  Finish the dish.  Remove the rib roast from the grill and transfer to a large carving board.  Let stand for 10 minutes before carving, allowing the meat to properly store its juices.  

ENJOY!

Green Fire Ribeye

It seems that chile heat is in vogue.  Turn on your television and your eyesight is burned with commercials for Wendy's Jalapeno Ghost Fries or Popeye's Ghost Pepper Wings.   The Ghost Pepper, officially known as the Bhut Jolokia, is one very spicy pepper.  The Scoville Rating for the Ghost Pepper, which is the official rating of piquancy, ranges somewhere from 855,000 units to 1,401,427 units.  By way of comparison, Tabasco sauce is approximately 10,000 units.

There is a part of me that loves the challenge of eating fiery foods.  I used to relish eating the spiciest food on the menu and my go-to dishes that I make usually involve combinations of various chiles.   However, as I have pursued cooking as a hobby, my desire to eat the fieriest food within reach has waned.  I think that, over time, it has become more about flavor than heat.  While I still love very spicy peppers and dishes, my attention has turned to ways in which I can highlight, complement or contrast the flavors of chiles.  It is very hard to pursue this goal when the chile, such as the Bhut Jolokia, could be used to simulate nuclear reactions in one's stomach.  

Consequently, I have looked to a wide range of other chiles, many of which have substantial, but not overpowering heat.  I have used Sanaam chiles, Piri Piri chiles, Scotch Bonnets, and others.   One of my most favorite chiles to experiment with is the Hatch chile.  It is definitely on the low end, with only about 1,000 to 2,500 units on the Scoville Scale. 

Sometimes less can be more.  When one uses a chile with a lower piquancy, it allows for other the flavors of other spices to shine in a rub or marinade.  This is what I tried to achieve with a recent rub that I made for a grilled steak.  I call it the "Green Fire" rub, because the backbone of the mix is ground green Hatch chiles.   I took advantage of the lower piquancy of the chiles to allow for other ingredients, such as coriander, garlic and cumin, to come through in the flavor of the rub.  The rub still packed a kick, because I made sure that a sizable amount of the ground chile was used.  About 1 teaspoon per per pound of meat.  This ensured a good amount of heat, without numbing taste buds or otherwise taking away from the dish.

GREEN FIRE RIBEYE

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 ribeye, about 1 pound

1 teaspoon ground green hatch chile

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/4 teaspoon cumin

Directions:

1. Apply the rub.   Combine all of the spices and herbs in a small bowl.  Apply the rub to all sides of the ribeye.  Let the ribeye stand at room temperature for about ten to fifteen minutes.

2. Grill the ribeye.  Heat the grill on high heat.  Grill the ribeye for about three minutes, shift by 90 degrees, and grill for about 3 minutes more.  Flip and repeat for a total of six minutes.  Remove and let rest for 10 minutes.

ENJOY!

Grilled Steak with Sauce Vierge

Back in the 1980s, there was this chef.  Actually, there were a lot of chefs back in the 1980s, but there was this one chef.  He was born in southwestern France, but, he lived and cooked in Paris.  He also wrote cookbooks.  As the 1980s unfolded, this chef popularized a sauce.  That was quite a feat for a country whose cuisine is known for its sauces.  However, those sauces were stock based sauces.  This particular sauce is a fresh sauce, with fresh ingredients, like olive oil oil, lemon juice, tomatoes and basil.  It was to be used in shellfish dishes and pasta dishes, the type that would be particularly welcoming to a fresh sauce.

That chef was Michel Guérard and the sauce that he made popular goes by the name of Sauce Vierge or, literally translated, "Virgin Sauce."  (Don't ask me why it is called by that name, that question is best left for Chef Guérard.)  I had come across a recipe for sauce vierge and placed it on my short list of recipes to make.  The recipe sat on that list for a long time.  A very long time. 

At long last, I made the recipe for sauce vierge.  As I did my research, I realized that the sauce I was making bore little resemblance to Chef Guérard's recipes.  Sure, the olive oil is still there.  But the basil, lemon juice and tomato are long gone. 

The reason is that the term -- sauce vierge -- has come to represent a variety of Mediterranean sauces, many of which go by other names.  Names like "green sauce," "sauce aux herbes" and "sauce verte."  These sauces are generally a combination of olive oil, various herbs, mustard, capers, olives and other aromatics.

The particular recipe that I found and used had two things that appealed to me. First, the recipe included an additional ingredient for the sauce... a jalapeño pepper.  The pepper provided the sauce with a good, but overpowering, kick.  Second, it called for using this sauce on a grilled steak.  Although the recipe called for the use of a sirloin steak, which is a decent cut for use with sauces.  (Flank steaks or flat iron steaks are definitely better for sauces.)  I decided that I would use my favorite cut, a bone-in ribeye.  

The recipe definitely worked very well.  In fact, it worked so well, that I will definitely try it on seafood or pasta dishes.  However, depending upon the fish or pasta, I might leave out the pepper.  The kick works well with beef or other meat, but it may be a little to much for fish.

GRILLED STEAK WITH SAUCE VIERGE
Recipe from Saveur
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon of capers
12 large green olives pitted and roughly chopped
6 oil-packed anchovy filets, drained and finely chopped
4 cornichons, roughly chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 jalapeño, stemmed and finely chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
Kosher salt and 

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 thick top sirloin or ribeye steaks (about 2 lbs.)

 

Instructions:

1.  Prepare the Sauce Vierge. On a cutting board, pile together the parsley, capers, olives, anchovies, cornichons, shallots, garlic, and jalapeño. With a large knife, finely chop and scrape the ingredients to combine.  Transfer the parsley mixture to a large bowl and stir in 6 tbsp. of the olive oil and the mustard with a fork to make a thick and chunky sauce. You can drizzle in more olive oil for a thinner consistency, but I think the sauce is better if it is thick and chunky. Season with salt and pepper. Set the sauce aside at room temperature to let rest for 30 minutes, to allow the flavors to mingle.

2.  Grill the Steaks. Build a hot charcoal fire in a grill or heat a gas grill to high heat. Rub steaks with the remaining olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Grill steaks, turning once, until lightly browned and medium rare, about 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer steaks to a platter and let rest for 3 minutes. Stir the sauce, because it will begin to separate slightly as it sits and spoon it over the steaks. Serve hot or at room temperature.

 

 ENJOY!

Lone Star Ribeye

In some respects, more is better, at least in my opinion.  If I find a marinade or rub recipe, I will often look at the number of ingredients.  There are certainly some great recipes that incorporate only two or three ingredients.  A steak that is marinated in oil, garlic and sea salt will definitely be a tasty dinner.

However, I look for recipes that may incorporate six or more ingredients.  Those recipes can present much more of a challenge.  Each ingredient has to take in account all of the other ingredients.  You have to take into account the flavors, the "intensity" and proportions.  A rub with three ingredients is fairly easy to develop and manage.  A rub with nine or ten ingredients becomes much harder.  The goal is to make sure each ingredient can be ascertained as much in the final product.  If one is not careful, then he or she can "lose" an ingredient in the mix.  In that case, it is as if you never used it in the first place.  A spice mix of six ingredients may only taste like there were three.  The whole effort results in a loss.

Recently, I found a recipe for a "Lone Star" rub on a blog called "Grogs4Blogs."  Along with the recipe, there was a very good discussion of what makes for a good dry rub.  A good rub, just like a good wet marinade, can be reduced to a very simple and straightforward equation, which was described by Adam Perry Long, the author of Serious Barbecue.  The equation is as follows: Color Base + Salt + Sugar + Flavor + Heat.  

The ingredients of the Lone Star rub can be organized according to this equation.  The color base is paprika, which serves as a common base for many rubs used in grilling and smoking.  The salt and sugar are self-explanatory.  The flavor comes from the use of onion powder, garlic powder, cumin and cinnamon.  Onion and garlic powder are about as common of flavor elements as paprika is a color base.  Cumin is also used frequently in spice mixes. By contrast, cinnamon is much less common in spice mixes, especially those destined to be applied to large steaks that will end upon the grill.  Yet, the sweet and "spice" of the cinnamon was clearly detectable in both the rub and the finished product.  Finally, the heat was the chile spice.  The recipe did not identify any particular chile, which I usually take to mean that generic "Mexican chile" or "chile" spice you find in the spice section of most grocery stores.  When I made this recipe, I decided to use some ground New Mexican hatch chiles, which provided just enough heat to balance the flavor elements in the rub.

Although I found the recipe on the Grogs4Blogs website, the blogger relied upon a rub recipe from Jamie Purviance, who is a chef and cookbook writer.  Chef Purviance has his own website,which is associated with Weber Grills. 

I managed to find a couple of other websites that had Chef Purviance's Lone Star rub.  Those recipes tracked the one on Grogs4Blogs with one exception.  The other recipes included dried majoram.  This raised a question in my mind.  Why did the blogger at Grogs4Blogs leave out one of the ingredients in the mix.  Majoram is used in many herb and spice mixes such as Herbes aux Provence and Za'atar. It pairs well with onions and garlic, and other herbs like rosemary.  However, majoram does not pair as well with the other flavor and heat ingredients of the Lone Star rub, such as chile, cumin and cinnamon.  That may have been the reason why it was left out of the recipe.  

In any event, the next time I try this recipe, I might just add back in that 1/2 teaspoon of dried majoram to see if it adds to the flavor of the rub or just gets lost in the mix.

LONE STAR RIBEYE

Adapted from recipe published by Grogs4Blogs

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons chile powder
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 dry-aged, bone-in rib eyes, 12 to 16 ounces and 1 2/3 inches thick
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 limes, cut into wedges (optional)

Directions:

1.  Prepare the steaks.   Combine all of the rub ingredients.  Brush the steaks with the olive oil and then apply the rub to all sides of the steak, massaging the rub into the meat.  Allow the steaks to stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling.

2.  Grill or cook the steaks.   Heat the grill on high or the heat the broiler in the oven.  Grill or broil the steak for about six minutes and then flip the steak.  Grill or broil for about 4 minutes more.  

3.  Finish the dish.  Remove the steaks from the grill or broiler and tent with foil.  Let the steaks rest for five minutes and serve with the lime wedges.

The "Italian" Ribeye

Three words always appeal to me ... Bistecca alla Fiorentina.  Those three words speak of a recipe that is among my favorites.  One starts with a huge porterhouse steak.  The steak itself must be at least two pounds, but often times it will be larger.  Then there are the fresh herbs ... usually rosemary and thyme ... that are combined together with salt and black pepper to make a simple, but incredibly tasty rub.  After that rub is pressed into the meat, the steaks are left to rest, which allows the flavors to develop. After a couple hours, or overnight, then the steak is grilled over charcoals until it has a nice crust, while a pink to red interior.  

That recipe is one of my go-to recipes for my Steak Nights.  It is also perhaps my most favorite preparation of meat. While many steak lovers simply swear by salt and pepper, there is something about the addition of rosemary and thyme that transforms a piece of meat into something much more than a steak.

For this particular recipe, I decided to start with the "Fiorentina" and add more herbs to the rub.  In addition to rosemary and thyme, I added dried oregano, parsley and sage.  I also grinded the dry spices until they were a fine powder, and, rubbed that powder into the meat. (I used a little olive oil to help keep the powder on the meat).  The end result was a rub that incorporated some of the most basic, but most flavorful spices used in Italian cooking.

For this recipe, I found a two-pound ribeye, which keeps with the classic Fiorentina-style steak ... a massive hunk of meat rubbed with herbs.  The only deviation is that it was cooked under the broiler.  It was simply too darn cold outside to start a charcoal fire, let alone cook the ribeye. 

THE "ITALIAN" RIBEYE

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves Several

Ingredients:

1 very large, very thick ribeye (about 2 to 3 pounds)

2 teaspoons of dried thyme

2 teaspoons of dried parsley

1 teaspoon of dried sage

1 teaspoon of dried rosemary

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper

Olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Marinate the ribeye.  Salt and pepper all sides of the ribeye several hours before adding the spice rub.  Prepare the rub by combining all of the dried ingredients (thyme, parsley, sage, rosemary, oregano, and crushed red pepper).  Grind in a spice grinder until it is very fine and powdery.  Apply some olive oil on each side of the ribeye and then rub the spice mixture into the meat.  Refrigerate the ribeye for at least a couple of hours, if not overnight.

2.  Grill/broil the ribeye.  Heat the charcoal in a grill (or heat a gas grill) to high.  Add the steak, cook over direct heat for about five minutes on each side, for about fifteen minutes until you reach an internal temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit.  Alternatively, grill the ribeye over high heat, turning so that every side of the ribeye faces the heat for at least four to five minutes each (less time on small sides), until you get an internal temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit, which is medium rare.  Remove and let rest for ten minutes.  Slice and serve.

ENJOY!

Chef Bolek's Two Pound Ribeye

One of the "regular" features on the Chef Bolek blog is Steak Night.  The story behind Steak Night begins with my beautiful wife, Clare.  She is a pescatarian, and, thus, does not eat red meat.  Given that Clare is one of my principal inspirations for cooking, I make a lot of seafood and vegetable dishes.  Red meat, such as steak, is off the menu.

However, there was usually one or two nights per week when Clare had either work or personal obligations that prevented us from having a meal together.  Those evenings presented the opportunity for me to cook and eat red meat.  Originally, the goal of Steak Night was to make the biggest steak I could find, apply a spice rub, and cook the steak to medium rare.  I would serve the steak to myself with some white rice, whose sole purpose was to absorb some of the meat's juices (or some hot sauce) as I ate the steak.  Over time, and as this blog grew, Steak Night became an opportunity to try to make different types of beef recipes, research how different cuisines prepare beef, and to experiment with different ingredients.  This led to recipes and dishes such as Gaucho-Style Steak with Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce, the Inferno Steak, and Green Hatch Chile Rubbed Bison Cowboy Steak.

Recently, while shopping at Costco, I came across some two-pound ribeyes.  This brought back memories of the original Steak Nights, with the huge hunks of meat, straight forward rubs, and grilled to medium rare.  I bought a package and decided to make a simple rub of spices that often made their way into the rubs of the past: smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and cumin.  I usually make a lot of a rub so that it can be applied liberally to all sides of the meat.

Grilling a large piece of meat can be difficult, because inevitably the meat does not have the same thickness throughout.  This means that some parts will cook faster than others.  I have a general rule of about four to five minutes.  After the first four to five minutes, I turn the meat by 90 degrees.  After the second four to five minutes, I flip the steak.  After the third four to five minutes, I rotate the meat again by 90 degrees.  I then check the temperature with a meat thermometer, with 130 degrees Fahrenheit (medium rare) being the goal.  I then figure out how much longer the steak needs to remain on the grill to reach about 135 degrees or so before I remove it to rest.  It is important to keep in mind that a steak will cook at least five degrees while resting.

The dish is completed with some white rice, which as I noted above, is used primarily to gather the juices of the meat as it is sliced.  At first, I just used minute rice (which is really not all that good).  Now, I use basmati rice.  Whatever rice does not soak up meat juices usually gets doused with some hot sauce. 

That is the old-school, traditional Steak Night: a massive dish of food.  I probably could have finished off the dish in one sitting while I was in my prime.  It now takes a couple of sittings. Or, better yet, a couple of friends to join me. 

CHEF BOLEK'S TWO POUND RIBEYE

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 4 (or 1 Chef Bolek)

Ingredients:

2 pound ribeye

1 teaspoon of sea salt

1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon of smoked paprika

1 teaspoon of onion powder

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin

Extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients:

1.  Prepare the rub.  Mix all of the ingredients together.   Apply olive oil to all sides of the ribeye.  Add the rub to all sides.  Make sure that all sides are coated evenly with the rub.  Let the ribeye sit for about 10 to 15 minutes.  

2.  Prepare the rice.  Prepare the rice according to the instructions on the package. 

3.  Grill the ribeye.  Heat the grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  If you have a three burner grill, turn off one burner.  Place the ribeye over that burner.  Cook until you reach the desired doneness, such as 130 degrees for medium rare or 140 degrees for medium.

ENJOY!

Bourbon Oak Smoked Ribeye with Rogue Blue Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Bell Pepper Salad

A few years ago, I got a stovetop smoker for a gift.  I lived in an apartment at the time.  Although living on a high floor had its advantages, the major drawback was that I could not own, let alone use, a real smoker.  I was very happy and excited to use the smoker. I bought several containers of "wood chips," which are really more like wood shavings or wood dust.  Still, I had all the necessary woods ... oak, alder, pecan, cherry, apple, and, of course, bourbon oak.  

I used the stovetop smoker several times while I lived in the apartment; however, once I moved to a house and got my own yard, I got a bullet-style smoker.  I began using that to smoke meats and the stovetop smoker began to sit on the shelf.  (It also did not help that the one time I did use it in my new home, I set off the smoke alarm.) 

While I really like to use my bullet smoker, it has its limits.  It is inefficient and unwieldly when it comes to smoking just a small piece of meat, like a steak.  This is where the stovetop smoker still serves a purpose.   I can use it to impart a slight smoke flavor to a small piece of meat, which I can then just finish under the broiler or in the oven. 

Recently, I decided to use the stovetop smoker just to smoke a ribeye.  I pulled out the Bourbon Oak chips, got the stovetop smoker working and used it to provide that steak with a slight smoked flavor.  I also made a small salad of roasted onions and peppers and a side of mashed potatoes with Rogue blue cheese.  Everything was delicious, although the mashed potatoes needed a little more liquid to make them a little creamier.  I usually eyeball the amount of milk and butter, but I figured out how much I used and just increased the amount in the recipe.

BOURBON OAK SMOKED RIBEYE WITH ROGUE BLUE

MASHED POTATOES AND ROASTED BELL PEPPER SALAD

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1 pound, grass-fed ribeye

1 green bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into big pieces

1/8 pound of Rogue Blue Cheese, cut or broken into pieces

1 tablespoon of butter

1/4 cup of skim milk

Sea Salt

Freshly ground black pepper 

Equipment:

Cameron's Stovetop Smoker

Cameron's Bourbon Oak Chips

Directions:

1.  Prepare the mashed potatoes.  Fill a small pot half way with water and add the potatoes.  Turn heat to high and boil the potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes or until they can be easily pierced with a fork.  Drain the potatoes, add the butter, half of the cheese and milk.  Using a hand masher, mash the potatoes until they are the desired consistency.  Add the remainder of the cheese and stir it into the potatoes.

2.  Prepare the bell peppers.  While the potatoes are boiling, use the elements of your gas stove to roast the bell peppers.  Turn the bell peppers as each side blackens until the peppers are charred on all sides.  Set aside for five minutes.  Once the bell peppers have cooled, run them under cold water, using your fingers to remove all of the blackened skin.  Dry off the bell peppers and thinly slice them.

3.  Prepare the ribeye.  Liberally salt and pepper the steak.  Heat a pan over high heat.  When the pan is really hot, sear the steak for a few minutes on each side.  Remove the steak from the heat.    Follow the directions on the stovetop smoker and smoke the ribeye for about ten minutes or until it is done to your desired temperature.  (I like my steaks between medium rare and medium.)  Remove the steak from the smoker and let it rest for five minutes. 

ENJOY!

Ancho-Cumin Rubbed Ribeye with Roasted Pepper and Potato Salad

Kurt Vonnegut once remarked, "being American is to eat a lot of steak, and boy, we've got a lot more beef steak than any other country."  He added, "and people have started looking at these big hunks of bloody meat on their plates, you know, and wondering what on earth they think they're doing.  Well, every week I have a big hunk of meat and I know exactly what I am doing.  I am having Steak Night.

For this particular occasion, I decided to make a dish with a focus on Mexican flavors.  I focused my attention upon two such flavors ... ancho chile and cumin.  The ancho chile is basically a dried version of the poblano pepper.  The ancho chile (or poblano peppers) were first cultivated in the Puebla state of Mexico.  It is a relatively mild chile, with only about 1,000 to 2,000 Scoville Heat Units.  As for cumin, it is a relative of the parsley family, with its seeds being dried and used to provide a spicy, tangy flavor to dishes.  Whereas the ancho chile is native to the Americas, cumin is definitely an old world spice, dating back to Ancient Egypt and Syria.  The spice made its way to the New World aboard the vessels of Spanish and Portuguese explorers.  It took firm root in the cuisine of Central America, especially in Mexico.

The rub combines the slight heat of the ancho with the spice of cumin, both of which work very well together.  To complement the ribeye, I made an impromptu roasted potato and pepper salad, using some of the same Mexican flavors.  Not only did I use some ancho chile powder, but I also added some oregano, which is used often in Mexican cuisine. 

ANCHO-CUMIN RUBBED RIBEYE WITH 

ROASTED PEPPER AND POTATO SALAD

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2

Ingredients (for the Ribeyes):

2 grass-fed ribeye steaks

1 teaspoon of ancho chile powder

1 teaspoon of onion powder

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon of cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme

Ingredients (for the Salad):

2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes

1 red bell pepper

1/2 red onion, diced

1 orange bell pepper

1/2 teaspoon of ancho chile powder

1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano

1/8 cup of vegetable or canola oil

Directions:

1.  Prepare the peppers and potatoes.  If you have a gas stove, turn two elements on high and roast one pepper on each element until the skin turns black.  Rotate the pepper until all sides are black.  Turn off elements and allow the peppers to cool.  While peppers are roasting, cube the potatoes.  In a bowl, combine the vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon of ancho chile powder and dried oregano.  Stir the ingredients.  Add the potatoes and onions.  Toss the ingredients until the potatoes and onions are covered by the oil.

2.  Prepare the steak.  Combine the powders and dried thyme and mix well.  Rub the spice mixture on all sides of the steaks.  Preheat the broiler.

3.  Broil the steak and the potato/onion mixture.  Place the steak on one shelf and the potatoes/onions on another shelf in the oven.  The cooking times will vary depending upon the thickness of the steak, but the potato/onions will cook in about 1/2 hour.  About half way through the cooking of the potatoes, add the roasted bell peppers and mix them with the potatoes.  The steak should finish before the potatoes (about eight to ten minutes for each side).  

ENJOY!

Chicago Style Ribeye with Potatoes Sotoccenere

It has been a while since I have had a Steak Night.  Those nights usually take place when my vegetarian wife is not around for dinner.  On those occasions, I usually buy a larger than average size cut of beef -- New York Strip, ribeye, cowboy steak, or sirloin steak -- and then begin the long thought process of how to cook or grill it.  Much of that process involves the rub or marinade.

Recently, I got to thinking about a Chicago-style rub.  A few years ago, my sister and brother-in-law bought me a jar of Chicago Style rub from Penzey's spices.  I no longer had any of the spice, because I used it all.  So, I decided that I would try to make my own Chicago-style rub for a ribeye.  

The Penzey's Chicago Steak rub uses salt, hickory flavoring, Tellicherry black peppercorns, sugar, lemon zest, and citric acid.  I also looked at a couple of other "Chicago-style" steak rubs, which used other ingredients, such as dried mustard.  Ultimately, I decided to create a rub that featured black peppercorns, Kosher salt, garlic, toasted onion and a little dried mustard.  I also decided to give a smoke flavor, not from hickory flavoring, but from smoked paprika. 

CHICAGO STYLE RIBEYE WITH POTATOES SOTOCCENERE

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2 or 1 Chef Bolek

Ingredients (for the ribeye):

1 grass-fed ribeye (about one pound)

1 teaspoon of dried mustard

1 teaspoon of Kosher salt

2 teaspoons of black peppercorns (freshly ground)

1 teaspoon of toasted onion flakes

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of smoked paprika

3 tablespoons of canola oil

Ingredients (for the potatoes):

3 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 

1/4 cup of Sotoccenere with Truffles, shredded

2 tablespoons of butter

1/4 cup milk

Directions:

1.  Prepare the steak.  Combine the rub ingredients (mustard, salt, black pepper, onion flakes, garlic powder, and smoked paprika).  Rub the ribeye with the canola to all sides of the ribeye.  Apply the rub to all sides of the ribeye.

2.  Prepare the potatoes.  Boil the potatoes until they are fork tender, about fifteen minutes.  Drain the potatoes, add the butter, milk and cheese.  Using a masher, begin mashing the potatoes until they are the desired consistency.  Cover and set aside.

3.  Grill the steak.  Heat a grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Oil the grates.  Place the ribeye on the grill.  Cook for four minutes and turn ninety degrees.  Cook for four more minutes and flip.  Cook for four minutes and turn ninety degrees.  Finish the steak by allowing it to cook for about four minutes more for medium rare.  Let the steak cook a little longer if you would like the steak to be medium or medium well. 

PAIRING THIS RECIPE

For this recipe, a bold red wine would be best.  Think Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel.  If you want to be more adventurous, try a Mourvedre (or Monastrell) blend or even a Ribero del Duero.   You could also pair this steak with a moderately hopped pale ale, like an American Pale Ale.

ENJOY!

Carne con Rosmarino e Risotto del Midollo Osseo (Rosemary Beef with Bone Marrow Risotto)

I have not been cooking a lot lately, primarily because I have not had the time or energy.  But, recently, I motivated myself to make a dish that I have never made before.  I drew upon my creativity to create a Chef Bolek dish that draws upon foods that I love to cook with or to eat ... beef, bone marrow, risotto, rosemary and mushrooms.  

I decided that I would use the bone marrow as a substitute for extra virgin olive oil.  When you heat bone marrow, it reduces to an oil, which is good for sauteing.  Bone marrow also adds a lot of flavor to the dish.  The flavor is further underscored by the use of veal stock.  If you cannot find veal stock, then you can substitute beef stock.  Also, any kind of mushrooms can be used.

As with any Chef Bolek original, this is a first run at this recipe.  Overall, it worked out well, although I probably used a little too much bone marrow when I sauteed the onions and mushrooms.  I have modified the recipe to call for less than I used.  However, if you love bone marrow as much as I do, then feel free to use as much as you want (within reason, of course).

CARNE CON ROSAMARINO E RISOTTO DEL MIDOLLO OSSEO
(Rosemary Beef with Bone Marrow Risotto)

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

3 meat bones with marrow

1 pound ribeye

2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons of sage

1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper

2 garlic cloves

1/4 cup of olive oil

Salt, to taste

Ground pepper, to taste

1 cup of risotto

1/2 sweet onion, diced finely

4 cups of veal stock
1 cup of water

8 small portabello mushrooms, sliced

Directions:

1.  Roast the marrow bones.  Preheat the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Roast the marrow bones for about thirty minutes.  Remove the marrow from the bones into a bowl.  Once the marrow is ready, heat the veal stock and water in a pot.

2.  Marinate the steak.  Add the fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon of sage, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper, salt and black pepper in a food processor.  Process the ingredients, adding the oil in a slow drizzle.  Use the liquid as a marinade for the meat.  Make sure all sides of the meat are covered by the marinade.

3.  Broil the steak.  Turn on the broiler.  Place the steak under the broiler and cook until the steak reaches the desired doneness.  For medium rare, I would do about six to eight minutes on each side.  Add a couple of minutes if necessary. 

3.  Saute the onions.  Spoon about two or three tablespoons of the bone marrow into a deep pot or risotto pot.  Heat over medium heat.  Once the marrow is hot and melted, add the onions and saute until translucent, stirring occasionally, for about eight minutes.  Add the mushrooms, continue to stir occasionally until the mushrooms are coated with the marrow and cooked, about five minutes.  Add another teaspoon or tablespoon of bone marrow if needed to coat the onions and mushrooms.

4.  Add the rice and broth.  Add the rice and stir to coat the rice with the marrow, about one to two minutes.  Add 1 cup of stock.  Stir continuously until the rice absorbs the stock.  When most of the broth is absorbed, add another cup of stock.  Stir continuously until the rice absorbs the stock.  Add another cup and repeat until the risotto is al dente.  Toward the end, add 1 tablespoon of fresh sage.   

5.  Plate the dish.  Once the risotto is al dente, remove from the heat.  Spoon the risotto into the center of the bowl.  Slice the steak and place the slices over the risotto.  The heat of the risotto will cook the steak, so it is better to have the steak at medium rare rather than medium.

PAIRING THIS RECIPE

This recipe is inspired by Italian cuisine, with the use of risotto and a marinade that draws from the ingredients used to make Bistecca Fiorentina.  Any substantial Italian red wine will work, from a Barolo to a Chianti.  A couple of wines that I have reviewed, which I think will pair well with this dish, include the following: 

Marchesi Antinori -- Villa Antinori (2007)

55% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 5% Syrah

Tuscany, Italy

Flavors of dark cherry and a little blueberry

Marchesi di Frescobaldi -- Nipozzano Riserva (2006)

100% Sangiovese

Tuscany, Italy

Flavors of cherries, raspberries and plums

ENJOY!

Parmigiano Reggiano "Flatbread" with Ribeye, Porcini and Heirloom Tomatoes

Almost all of the "Chef Bolek Original" recipes are posted after I have made them for the first time.  There is no test kitchen.  There are no repeats to see if I can do a better job.  Some recipes are complete disasters, and, those never see the light of day.  Other recipes are okay, and, I usually post them with a few caveats.  And, every one in a while, I have a very successful Chef Bolek Original.

Recently, I was trying to think of recipes for what we had in our refrigerator.  One thing that caught my attention was the bowl full of grated Parmigiano Reggiano.  I knew of various recipes for Parmesan Crisps, but, I had way too much grated cheese to make crisps.  

So then my mind turned to a "flatbread" made entirely of Parmigiano Reggiano.  This idea was both intriguing and risky.  I had never heard of a "flatbread" made of anything other than bread.  Yet, Parmigiano Reggiano is rather salty, which means that you would need to make sure whatever tops the "flatbread" can offset the saltiness of the cheese.  Ultimately, I decided to plate a salad, with porchini mushrooms and slices of heirloom tomatoes.  I also decided that I would put slices of ribeye on top as well.  

Overall, this dish turned out well.  The one thing that I did not add to this recipe that I would definitely add the next time I make it is a good drizzle of aged balsamic vinegard.  The fruitness of the vinegar will offset the saltiness of the cheese very well.

PARMIGIANO REGGIANO "FLATBREAD" WITH RIBEYE

PORCINI AND HEIRLOOM TOMATOES

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
1 grass-fed ribeye steak, about 1 pound
2 cups of mixed greens
1/2 to 1 heirloom tomato
1/4 to 1/2 cup of dried porcini mushrooms
2 cups of chicken broth
2 tablespoons of Sangiovese wine
2 cloves of garlic, diced finely
1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary, chopped finely
2 teaspoons of dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
Finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Sea salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  Prepare the marinade for the steak.  Add the red wine, garlic, rosemary, 1 teaspoon of the dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper to a bowl.  Add the ribeye and make sure that it is coated with the mixture.

2.  Rehydrate the Mushrooms.  Heat the chicken broth over medium heat.  Once the broth is heated, add the dried porcini mushrooms to rehydrate.  After about five minutes strain the mushrooms and set aside.

3.  Cook the steak.  Cook the ribeye under the broiler for about eight to ten minutes per side or until cooked to the desired doneness.  Let the steak rest for fifteen minutes.

4.  Make the Parmigiano Reggiano flatbread.  Line a cooking tray with parchment paper.  Brush the paper with extra virgin olive oil.  Place a spoonful of the grated Parmigiano Reggiano in the middle of the paper and use the spoon to gently spread out the cheese until it is a consistent thickness. Repeat along the edges of the cheese until you have reached the desired size of the flatbread.  Sprinkle the remaining thyme and crushed red pepper over the cheese.  Add the cheese to the oven.  Cook until golden brown, anywhere from five to ten minutes depending upon the size of the "flatbread." 

5.  Plate the dish.  Prepare the "flatbread" by placing it on a plate.  Place the mixed greens in the middle of the "flatbread."  Sprinkle the mushrooms and tomatoes over the greens.  Slice the ribeye and place slices over the greens.

 PAIRING THIS RECIPE

The principal component of this dish is two-fold: ribeye steak and the Parmigiano Reggiano flatbread.  Given Parmigiano Reggiano is perhaps one of the signature foods of Emilia-Romagna, I think that the most appropriate pairing for this dish is a wine from that region.  A Sangiovese di Romagna is very much like a Tuscan Sangiovese, which can stand up to not only the "flatbread," but also the steak, which has been flavored with a marinade that draws from the flavors of Tuscany, such as rosemary and garlic.  The wine belows is one Sangiovese di Romagna that I have previously reviewed.

Collina dei Lecci -- Sangiovese di Romagna Reserva (2004).

85% Sangiovese, 15% other

Emilia Romagna, Italy

Flavors of cherries and raspberries

ENJOY!

Hatch Chile Rubbed Cowboy Steak

I have pounds and pounds of dried, ground hatch chiles, with different levels of piquancy ... medium, medium hot, hot and extra hot.  I love hatch chiles and use them usually as substitutes whenever a recipe calls for cayenne pepper or the generic "red pepper." 

It had been a little while since I had a steak night.  With my wife meeting some friends for dinner, I decided that I would make up for lost steaks by preparing a hatch chile rub for a "cowboy steak."  I have often wondered what exactly is a "cowboy steak."  If you peruse the recipes on the Internet, as I have, it could be a strip steak, a ribeye, a boneless ribeye, or something else.  At some restaurants, a cowboy steak sets itself apart by usually having a big bone at the end.  In the end, I decided that I would use a bone-in ribeye, which actually turned out to be the perfect cut for this recipe. 

The hatch chile rub that I prepared is rather spicy.  It is one tablespoon of medium hatch chile powder, one teaspoon of medium hot hatch chile powder, and one-half teaspoon of extra hot chile powder, along with various amounts of dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and salt.   All in all, it was fine for someone who likes a lot of heat when he eats.  If heat is not your thing, consider using only a teaspoon of the medium, one-half teaspoon of hot and a quarter teaspoon of extra-hot.  You can add some paprika to fill the void.  That is the one great thing about rubs, the permutations when it comes to different spices or different amounts are endless. 

HATCH CHILE RUBBED COWBOY STEAK

A Chef Bolek Original
Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1 two pound bone-in ribeye

1 tablespoon of medium hatch chile powder

1 teaspoon of medium-hot hatch chile powder

1/2 teaspoon of extra hot hatch chile powder

1 tablespoon of onion powder

1 teaspoon of cumin powder

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of dried thyme

2 teaspoons of salt

Directions:

1.  Prepare the rub.  Combine the chile powders, onion powder, cumin powder, garlic powder, dried thyme and salt.  Mix well.  apply the rub on all sides of the steak, including any crevices in between the fat and beef.  

2.  Grill the cowboy steak.  Heat the grill on medium high to high heat.  Grill the steak for about five minutes and turn ninety degrees.  Grill for five more minutes and flip.  After five minutes, turn ninety degrees and grill for five minutes more.  Cook until desired doneness, with medium rare being about 145 degrees and medium being 160 degrees. 

ENJOY!

Fiore Sardo Crusted Ribeye

This recipe is another one that I just thought up at the last minute.  Seeing a small chunk of Fiore Sardo cheese at my local grocery store, and, really wanting to make a steak, my mind wandered about what I could do to combine the cheese with the meat.   Of course, I could just eat the cheese on the side, but, I thought about dishes that I've had or seen in restaurants where steaks were served with cheese.  Most often, it is a blue cheese. But why not Fiore Sardo?

Fiore Sardo is a hard pecorino cheese made from the milk of sheep native to three provinces of Sardinia, which are Nuoro, Sassari and Cagliari.  It has its own DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta), which specifies certain rules for the production of this cheese.  The rules require Fiore Sardo to be made only with whole sheep's milk, curdled with lamb or kid rennet.  After a brief stint in a brine, the cheese is dry salted and aged.  The rules also require that the crust be yellow to dark brown, while the interior is white or pale yellow. 

All of these rules and requirements lead to some differences between Fiore Sardo and other pecorino cheeses, such as Pecorino Romano or Pecorino Toscano, because the Fiore Sardo is richer and more mellow, with less salt than either the Romano or Toscano. When the cheese comes to room temperature, the oils are released and the grassy, flowery smell of the cheese is amazing. 

My thought was to take this great cheese and use it to make a "crust" on the ribeye.  I have not made cheese crusts for cuts of beef like ribeyes before.  This is because, the general rule is that great cuts of meat like strip steaks and ribeyes do not need such flavor enhancements.  This is especially true with respect to grass fed meat, whose cherry red meat is very flavorful and good enough by itself.  Nevertheless, there is always room for experimentation and, in this case, the experiment was a great success.  The cheese provided an interesting, grassy flavors that complement and contrast with the flavor of the beef, which is quite an amazing feat. 

FIORE SARDO CRUSTED RIBEYE

A Chef Bolek Original
Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

1  bone-in ribeye of about 1.5 to 2 pounds

1/4 to 1/3 pound of Fiore Sardo, grated finely

1.5 tablespoons of dried thyme

1 tablespoon of black peppercorns, freshly ground

1 small pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1.  Prepare the Fiore Sardo topping.  Combine the Fiore Sardo, thyme, pepper and red pepper flakes.  You could add salt, but I think the salt in the cheese is sufficient for this dish.

2.  Add the topping to the ribeye.  Coat the entire ribeye with a little olive oil.  Maybe about two tablespoons of oil at most. The oil will help the cheese stick to the meat.  Use about 2/3 of the crust mixture and apply it to all sides of the meat.  

3.  Cook the ribeye.  Turn on the broiler.  Cook the meat for about fifteen minutes on each side.  About ten minutes before the steak is finished, put the remaining 1/3 of the crust mixture on the top of the meat.  

4.  Let the ribeye rest.  Remove from the heat and let it sit for five to ten minutes.  Cut the meat into slices and serve immediately.

I really liked this recipe and it is one of the better steak recipes that I have done recently.  It is always a great experience to combine two foods that you like, such as, for me, Italian cheese like the Fiore Sardo and grass-fed beef.  Just as following the rules can create an amazing cheese, breaking the rules by using that cheese with a ribeye can also create an amazing eating experience. 

ENJOY!

Lomo de Res (Cuban Style Ribeye Steak)

I am fascinated by Caribbean food, from Cuba to Trinidad and everywhere in between.  I think it is the flavors, all of the different spices used by cooks to make some amazing dishes.  In anticipation of a steak night a couple weeks back, I quickly scoured the Internet to try to find a steak or beef recipe from the Caribbean.

Nothing jumped out at me, at least initially.  I continued to search for something that would be quick, flavorful and easy to make.  Eventually I came across a recipe from Allrecipes.com for Lomo de Res or Cuban Style Ribeye Steaks.  The key to this recipe is the rub.  The original recipe called for the use of salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.  That was a little mild for me, so I added cumin powder and adobo powder.  Other spices, such as cayenne pepper or chile pepper could be used, but I decided not to add heat and stick to just flavor. 

The steak is marinated for a brief time in lime juice and beer.  I would strongly suggest using a pilsner beer with this recipe.  For one thing, pilsner beers are more common in Latin America.  This style of beer also works well because it will add a little of flavor without altering the flavors of the rub. 

LOMO DE RES (CUBAN STYLE RIBEYE STEAK)

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 grass-fed, ribeye steaks

1/2 onion, sliced

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon of adobo powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon ground pepper

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

1/2 cup of beer

1/2 cup of lime juice

Directions:

1.  Prepare the rub.  Mix the garlic, adobo, cumin, pepper and salt together and rub the seasoning blend on the ribeye. 

2.  Marinate the ribeye.  Place the ribeye in a Ziploc bag, with the onions.  Add the lime juice and beer.  Seal the bag and refrigerate for about thirty minutes, but no longer than one hour.  

3.  Grill the ribeye.  Heat a grill on medium high heat or use the broiler in the stove.  Grill or broil the steaks to your desired degree of doneness.  (I prefer medium rare to medium.)  Remove the steak from the heat and let it rest for at least five minutes before serving. 

ENJOY!

Nicaraguan-Style Churrasco

I was searching for a good beef recipe and I came across one recipe for Nicaraguan-style Churrasco.  For most people, the word "Churrasco" conjures images of Brazilian or Argentinian barbecue, with "gauchos" walking around with endless skewers of meat.  That, of course, is sort of an Americanized version of Churrasco brought to life as "Brazilian barbecue."  More to the point, however, the cuisine of many Latin American countries include Churrasco, usually with their own twists.  There are versions of Churrasco in Ecuador, Paraguay, Guatemala and Nicaragua.

Generally, Churrasco is grilled meat and, in Latin America, the meat is beef.  (Interestingly, there is a version in Portugal -- Frango de Churrasco --  that involves chicken.)  In Nicaragua, Churrasco is typically cuts from a beef tenderloin, topped with a chimichurri sauce.  The recipe I found calls for a five pound tenderloin.  While I love meat and can eat a lot of it, five pounds is a little to much for me.  I was planning for a steak night, not Man v. Food.  So, as I was standing at the meat counter at my local grocery store, I decided to go with a grass-fed, bone-in ribeye.  People who follow this blog know my love for grass-fed beef.  In the end, while the Churrasco may be Nicaraguan in style, the cut of beef is all Chef Bolek. 

I made a couple of revisions based on the comments left by people about the recipe.  The original recipe calls for the use of jalapeno peppers and oregano in making the chimichurri sauce, but a comment left from someone from Managua said that, in Nicaragua, they do not use those ingredients.  Instead, he said that Nicaraguans just use olive oil, salt, garlic, vinegar and parsley.  So, I followed the comment when making the chimichurri.  In the end, the chimichurri has a nice garlic flavor to it (which you could reduce by leaving out one or two cloves) and is a perfect complement to the grilled meat.

NICARAGUAN-STYLE CHURRASCO

Adapted from Food Network
Serves 2

Ingredients (for the Beef):

1 1.5 to 2 pound bone in ribeye steak
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Ingredients (for the Chimichurri):
6 cloves of garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

1/2 cup of flat leaf parsley

1/2 cup of curly parsley

1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar

1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Ground pepper to taste.

Directions:

1.  Preheat the grill.  Preheat the grill on medium-high heat.

2.  Make the chimichurri sauce.  Combine the garlic, flat leaf parsley, curly leaf parsley, salt and some black pepper in a food processor.  Process the garlic and parsley, adding first the vinegar and then the oil.  Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings (salt and/or pepper) as desired.

3.  Grill the ribeye.  Lightly oil the grill grates and add the ribeye.  Cook for about four to five minutes and turn ninety degrees.  Cook for another four to five minutes.  Flip the steak.  Cook for an additional five minutes and turn ninety degrees.  Continue to cook for a few more minutes.

4.  Plate the ribeye.  Cut the meat into strips.  Plate with the bone and spoon the chimichurri sauce over the meat.  Pour the remaining sauce into ramekins for guests.

The cooking times are for one steak and should produce an end result between medium rare and medium. If you use two three-quarter to one-pound steaks, simply cut the cooking times in half (about two to two and a half minutes for each step).

Overall, this is a great dish and I particularly like the simplified version of the chimichurri sauce.  I need to work on the sauce a little, which is okay for me because that means I'll be having steak again.  I may use that five pound tenderloin and invite a bunch of people over as guests to share in the experience.

ENJOY!

For more about Churrasco, check out Wikipedia.