I guess it’s officially grilling season here, even though it actually doesn’t stop.  I know people who grill throughout the winter, making a habit of throwing something — anything on the barbie.  The problem that we have is that for the first four months of the year, my hunkster is at work until well past sundown, which makes dinner these days at about nine.  Sounds glamorous, doesn’t it?

Not.

But not too long ago, I happened upon some lovely rib eyes which happened to be on sale and thought that a simple Steak au Poirve and Asparagus Vinaigrette would be lovely.  The Hunkster surprised me by offering to grill the meat.  Okay.

The nice thing about a meal like this is that it requires very little preparation.  All you have to do is make the vinaigrette, grill the food, and you’re done.

But don’t forget to pour the wine.

Grilled Rib Eye au Poivre

3 rib eyes
2 cloves fresh garlc, minced
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. fresh cracked pepper

Blot steaks with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.  Mix salt, pepper, and garlic and sprinkle over both sides of the steak and let sit at room temperature (70 degrees) for about 20 -30 minutes, covered.  Light grill and heat for 10 minutes.  Grill steaks over medium heat until meat reaches your preferred level of doneness.  Remove from grill, cover with foil and let sit for about 10 minutes until you’re finished with the asparagus.

Grilled Asparagus with Vinaigrette

1 bunch asparagus, woody stems trimmed

Grill the asparagus in a basket, shaking occasionally to make sure it doesn’t burn, about 5-7 minutes over med heat.  Serve over a bed of greens of your choice. Splash with vinaigrette, and shave some fresh parmesan over.

Vinaigrette

1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. sherry vinegar
2 T balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 T soy sauce
salt & pepper to taste
*equal amounts of minced shallots and garlic are optional, but delicious (about 1 tsp. each)
*add some dijon if you like, because that’s pretty tasty, too (1 tsp.)

Mix all ingredients well.  Splash a bit over the grilled asparagus and save the rest in a tightly lidded jar in the fridge for further enjoyment.  You may have to adjust to your own liking…

Serve.  But if you are like us, you won’t eat the entire steak.  We manage about half of each, and then save the rest for later.  There’s no problem getting anyone to eat these left overs.

Notes:  Don’t leave your steaks unattended on the grill because:  1) you’re out of practice; 2) it’s dark on the patio; 3) you haven’t had a day off in a month (seriously); or 4) you’re watching television.  Otherwise, it will look like ours.  Mmmmm…gotta love that black crispiness!

Even if the cover is over the grill, the juicy rib eyes will burst into flame and char.  Now some people love smoke and flames, but in the end, you have to be able to eat the steak, so keep an eye on it.  And follow the guide provided in the links for "medium" and "doneness" above just to make sure. 

To test for doneness when the chef isn’t watching television, we use the touch method which goes something like this:  Hold your hand sideways (thumb up) with your fingers extended and your palm open and relaxed. Touch the skin between your thumb and your first finger.  It should feel soft when you press it.  This is how meat on the barbie feels when it’s cooked "rare."  Now make a slight fist.  SLIGHT!.  Feel the same area of your fist with the finger of your other hand.  This is how meat on the barbie feels when it’s "medium."  If you close your hand into a tight fist, and then feel the area between your thumb and your first knuckle, it should be taught.  That’s how meat feels when it’s well done.

Awkward, but true.

And you heard it here.

P.S.  We use a gas grill to cook our food.  There are some who say this is just not right and that coals and wood are superior.  I won’t argue because I just don’t feel like it right now, but I do know that a grilled steak — whether on gas or coals or wood — is better any day than any pan fried or oven broiled hunk o’ beef.  But I love a good argument.  Bring it on!

Oh, and if you’d like to make Steak au Poivre the traditional way (which is amazing…) then try this.  You won’t be disappointed.

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