Saturday, February 18, 2012

Flat-Iron Steak with Peppercorn/Chive Butter


Lyndon B. Johnson was what his mother might have called, a "good eater".  Spinach was his favorite vegetable.  He drank pitchers of milk.  And no meal was complete without a biscuit.  His wife, Ladybird, liked to show off traditional Texas cuisine.  When entertaining guests at the White House, nachos and chalupas were often featured on the menu.  The golden ticket though, during the Johnson administration, would have included a barbecue and steak would have figured prominently on the menu.  It is said that, left to his own devices, LBJ would have eaten steak at every meal.
Flat-iron steak is a relatively new cut of meat, appearing on meat counters sometime in 2002.  It is a non-traditional cut, made from the shoulder, that accepts marinade well.  In this recipe, we dress the steak up with a dollop of spicy, herbed butter.

What's In It:

1 flat-iron steak
1 stick butter, softened
2 tbs. A-1 steak sauce 
2 tbs. freshly ground peppercorns (Black or green depending on how spicy you like it.  Black pepper has more heat.)
1 tbs. fresh chives, chopped
1 tsp. lemon zest
Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

How To Make It:

In small bowl, combine butter, steak sauce, ground peppercorns, chives and lemon zest.
Salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer to a ramekin and cover with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate butter for at least 2 hours.
Coat steak with olive oil.
Salt and pepper both sides of meat.
Spray grill grate with cooking spray before lighting grill.
Bring to high heat before placing steak on grate.
Steak should cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side if 1/2" thick, 4 to 6 minutes per side if 1" thick, and 6 to 9 minutes per side if 1 1/2" to 2" thick.
Once steak is done, allow to rest for 2 to 3 minutes before slicing meat against the grain.
Serve with a dollop of peppercorn/chive butter.


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