Sunday, April 6, 2008

Zen and The Art of Steak




Slowly but surely the weather is improving day by day. The winter coats are gone and I went out last night wearing just a leather jacket.

However, before I went out I did fire up my grill. On order...steak! Look at the sizzle I captured in the photo! Awesome.

That's how good the steak was last night and I owe my gratitude to Zen Chef, who posted this intricate tasting dry rub for steaks.

Zen Chef cooks privately and he posted a dry rub for steak which you can view here. I didn't make the Chimichuri but the dry rub he calls a Piri-Piri caught my eye.

I bought some lovely New Yorks, rubbed the meat with Zen's mixture and got the Q fired up. I seasoned my steaks with coarse sea salt and cracked open a beer and got grillin'.

Three minutes to a side, allowed to rest for 5 minutes and then I stabbed, chewed and savoured each piece of dreamy meat that went down my throat.

Nevermind the birds, bees and blooming trees, steak is in the air and I can smell Spring is finally here!

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31 comments:

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

I think my husband would have enjoy this steak with his beer. I don't eat or BBQ steak but can prepare this rub for him next time.

Laurie Constantino said...

You are so lucky to be out grilling, and did a great job taking advantage of the grill - your steak and zucchini look wonderful. If you've seen my blog, you know we just got another snow dump yesterday. I'm ready to join the "just wearing a leather jacket" crowd.

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

There is hope yet that Spring has arrived in TO Peter. Those steaks so juicy...I shoul have had steak for dinner:D

Anonymous said...

Great dry rub...mmmm steak! (imitating Homer...Simpson that is!)

Nina Timm said...

Ahh, you finally got your rare steak. I am so happy for you.....

Emily said...

I have been craving steak lately. That looks GREAT. Nice and red.
I'm going to have to try the Zen Chef rub.

I also see that you made tzatziki. That's so weird, because I just looked that up. Tzatziki is hard to spell.

Toni said...

There's nothing more appetizing than the smell of steaks on the grill. And I see you have a tzatziki recipe posted as a salad dressing too. ("Afraid" to eat garlic??? I thought it was the staff of life!) How about I bring the shrimp and we can have some "surf and turf"?!!

Sylvie said...

I want to fire up my BBQ, but we had snow again yesterday. The steak looks just perfect.

giz said...

Ahhhh carnivore heaven

Ruth Strong said...

drool drool droll!

This rub looks so gooooood!

Angela said...

Man, you're lucky to be cooking outdoors. That is one good-looking piece of meat. Nice work!

Finla said...

The steak looks delicious, but the weather here is still horrible

Anonymous said...

I think it is about warm enough here (Ohio) to start grilling again. Your steak looks delicious.

Núria said...

He, he, he... it's nice to see you soo high and happy with spring!!! If I lived where you live, I would surely die of sadness during the long winter months :(
Fantastic steak with an interesting rub (I have to bookmark this one for my husband :D)

Peter M said...

Helene, surprise him with this rub...he'll luv it.

Laurie, Toronto looked like that just 3 weeks ago, I feel for you.

Val, it's here...the evenings are warmer and the days longer.

Pete, Homer knows tasty food...DOH!

Nina, many more this summer.

Emi, Zen's got a really good blog and my instincts were right with his rub.

Toni, I await the arrival of your shrimp.

Sylvie, I've grilled in the middle of winter too.

Giz - me man- UG - like- UG-MEAT!

Ruth, napkin for the drolling? lol

Happy, the weather is looking up for Europe this week.

Angela, I couldn't wait any longer, I had to grill.

Andy, Ohio should be as warm, if not warmer than here...get on the Q.

Nuria, yes...despite being born here I've never goten used to our winters. Steak like this keeps me sane.

Judy@nofearentertaining said...

I always loved the first grilled steak of the summer! Here we take it for granted and hardly ever do it! Looks great Peter.

Patricia Scarpin said...

Pete, I begin to think you Brazilian blood in your veins, my friend. :)

Chibog in Chief said...

we have a little bit of bad weather here in the southern france :-( good thing i have this beautiful steak to comfort me by..yum, glurp, scrompt.;yummy..burp :-)

Catherine Wilkinson said...

I did Zen's rub on a flatiron steak...I think that's a super little steak, often overlooked. It was wonderful. Spring is most definitely the most flirty season.
Can't wait to cook everything on the grill.

Anonymous said...

Oooh, Steak! That is one nice thick cut piece of meat. We've been grilling quite a bit here, too. :) ps...I don't know what's going on, but I haven't been able to get to your site for the last few days! :( I kept being redirected to a religious page instead (even though your address showed in the addy bar). Any idea what that's about? I'm so glad I was finally able to come and visit. I think I was starting to go through withdrawls or something. lol

Proud Italian Cook said...

Thats a nice sizzle you captured there Peter! I can smell the arorma from here. Those sides look mighty good too!

Abitofafoodie said...

Oh, I wish it was warm enough to fire the barbie up here. I really fancy a nicely grilled steak just like that. My mouth is watering! Sadly, here in the UK we are experiencing a second winter - I thought Spring had sprung last week, but yesterday I woke up to snow!

Ivy said...

Sorry I haven't been around lately but shall go and read all your posts. It seems that you've been grilling more than we have in Greece and it's almost summer here.

Peter M said...

Judy, here in Toronto I do it for pleasure, in Greece I do it out of necessity...too hot to be in the kitchen.

Patricia, it's caveman instincts!

Dhanngit, I like you...you're not a afraid of a little girly burp!

Catherine, I'm please that you too tried and enjoyed Zen's rub...steak rub that is! lol

Nikki, please forward to me this other site my blog was being re-directed to.

Marie, the sizzle looks so awesome, I loved that I captured it.

Antonia, I've BBQ'd in much colder weather...where there's a will...

Anonymous said...

Yay Peter! Thanks a million for the plug. That's a tasty looking steak and I'm glad you've enjoyed it! Next time try the chimichurri too, that's the best thing i ever put on a steak. The weather here hasn't permitted outdoor grilling yet. I can't wait! :-)

pam said...

Beautiful steak!

Aimée said...

Grrr. My BBQ is still covered in snow. That is up with that??
Have an extra few steak ounces for me.

Wandering Chopsticks said...

It must be catching. I had steak three times last week. That's three times more than I normally eat. :)

test it comm said...

Perfectly cooked steak as always!

Cynthia said...

Please don't ever let me have to choose between you and the Zen Chef. It is such a pleasure to read your blogs. The food is always, always outstanding.

Rosie said...

I can't wait to fire up our grill roll on the summer!! Your grilled steak looks gorgeous, tender and juicy Peter!! You really know how to make my mouth water!! :)