american porterhouse

Ingredients

1 Prime Dry Aged Porterhouse Steak (T-Bone) at least 1.5 inches thick

1tbsp each combined to a rub

Sea Salt Crystals

Medium-grind Black Pepper

Good freshly ground coffee

2 tbsp Olive Oil

One single 1/4 Lb slice of Prosciutto (1/4 in) sliced in 2 directions to make 1/4 in cubes

1 clove fresh garlic smashed and diced

1 large Shallot diced like the garlic

1 - 2 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme if available

1 - 2 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary

Fresh Oregano equal to the Rosemary & Thyme

1 cup sliced Oyster Mushrooms

2 Tbsp Fresh Heavy Cream (not ultra-pasteurized)

1 Tbsp Butter

Tools

Weber Kettle or other good charcoal grill

Hardwood chunks for smoking, preferably Pear

Lump Charcoal

Lighter Stick

Several Weber Firestarter Cubes

Paper Towels

Tongs

Medium Skillet (not non-stick)

Cooking Spoon

Cutting Board

Chef's Knife

Serving Plate

Instructions

Get ready. Take out the meat (see notes.) Rinse the meat and pat it dry with paper towels. Coat the room temperature meat with the dry rub.

Part I

Get the grill ready (and read the cautions and notes):

• 1. Prepare the rub and use the rub as above.

  2. Take out the steak a half an hour before you need it to get it to room temperature. This is an essential step

  3. You can use a gas or propane grill - ignore the charcoal business - but really try to find some hardwood to throw in while the meat is cooking. This will add an essential flavor. If possible, turn all areas as high as they will go and you can shut off a zone later as needed.

  4. If using Charcoal grill, open bottom grill vent. Place lots lump charcoal in the middle of the grill - more than you think you'll need, because once it turns grey, it burns fast. keep some around in case you miss the hot period (this is very easy to do - please read the notes) Place in the firestraetrs, light them and cover them loosely with charcoal making sure not to smother the flame.

Part II

Start this while the grill is getting ready:

• 1. Cut the Prosciutto and put it in the skillet on medium high

  2. When its starting to look like bacon, add the mushrooms

  3. Add some oil as needed, and put in the garlic and shallot

  4. Put in the herbs. They need to be in oil. If there is not enough, add more.

  5. When its dry again, add the stock. Its ok if it looks dry and crusty stuck on the pan, but you can't let it burn - it needs to be "deglazed" so that the liquid steams up when you pour it in. Take the spoon and scrape the bits from the bottom of the pan.

Part III

While the sauce has started, Place the wood on the coals if you are doing this - read the notes. When flamed arise and you know your flame will stay hot for 20 minutes

• 1. Make sure the grill plate is hot and covered (see notes)

  2. Put the t-bone on the grill over the flames and put the cover on for 5 minutes exactly more or less

  3. Flip

  4. 5 minutes - same as before

  5. Move off the flame

  6. Remove at 5mins for med-rare, or 7 to 8 mins for medium

  7. Trim on cutting board

  8. Maybe slice depending on recipe

Rest 5 minutes before serving. Top with sauce and serve with wine.

Thoughts

Expensive, high cholesterol and hard to get right. Its worth it.

Cautions

Accept no substitutes. The steak must be dry-aged and thick cut to comply with this recipe. This is a texture thing, not just flavor, and it has to be right.

Lump charcoal - use more than you think you'll need, because once it turns grey, it burns fast. keep some around in case you miss the hot period - this is very easy to do and will wreck the steak if it is not right.

Do not use Fire Sticks to light the fire as they are not suited for covered cooking (they won't burn away effectively.) Lighter fluid is ok, but it really needs to completely burn away.

Notes

Think Hot. Coals need air to burn - more air means more heat. Leave the bottom vents open. Get it glowing. Do not cover the grill until you are ready.

This grill method must utilize "Direct" cooking, placing the meat directly above the heat source. You can use briquettes. I think lump charcoal gives a woodier flavor and burns hotter and faster. I use briquettes for indirect cooking. More on that another time. I like to see my coals so hot that flames reach the meat. Really, Really Hot. Just for kicks, I use my axe to cut my dried pear stash into chunks the size of the lumps. Just when it seems like the charcoal is almost ready, I add the pear chunks watch the fire and when the outside turns dark and it looks like charcoal itself. Then I'm ready.

Don't put the grill grate over the coal until minutes before you'll add the steak - in case the fire is not hot enough, you can add more coals. Leave the top vents open and place the grill top ajar by at least an inch or two to encourage more airflow, a hotter fire and a hotter lid.

You can use rib eye but you'll need to fight through it when you eat it. The short part of the Porterhouse is the filet mignon. The long one is the Del Monico, also called the strip. The strip is more flavorful than the filet. If I am in a position to share reasonable portions, I give the filet to someone who doesn't need to taste as much beef as I do, and I keep the strip (cut in half so there is 1 serving leftover).

Serve this with a good solid California Cabernet or Australian Shiraz. Read the descriptions in the stores and look for flavors you might like before making a final selection. In 2009 at least, good is $10 to $15 a bottle (5 glasses is just right for two - and the balance can be saved for sauces later on. If you don't have a wine cellar, place it in the freezer to chill for 20 minutes before serving. Likewise if you hold it in the fridge for several hours, remone it about 20 minutes before serving.

Also, as the chef and top eater, I reserve the T-bone and gnaw every last morsel. If I had a dog, he would get what's left to play with.