Flatiron steak


First of all, when it comes to crisps Yukon Golds are the big suXOrz. Russet Burbank potatoes are far better for that. That is using the rinse-off-the-surface-starch, painstakingly towel-dry method. These were too limp to suit me. And what's a crisp that isn't crisp? It's a limp then in'nit. 

If I were to run a restaurant, I'd put flatiron on the menu. I'd proudly serve this for a party, but if I did, I would provide one flatiron each for every two people. The reason is, a few slices simply does not cut it. Once you get going it's hard to stop. Here is one of those instances where I can make a real pig of myself. And my friends are mostly the same way too. If you think about it, its mass is similar to a gigantic porterhouse. In my view this is better.  

The flatiron was seasoned excessively, and a little bit oddly.
* a ridiculous abundance of ground coriander
* a super abundance of freshly roughly ground fresh black peppercorn
* sea salt
* dried sage, that's what those little sticks are, but fresh sage would be even better. I opened a package of fresh sage and KAPOW the aroma is much stronger. 


The steak came vacuum sealed. It languished in the refrigerator for a few days before I got around to it, but it did not turn color so I didn't worry. It was removed, rinsed, dried, and the seasonings were packed on. It was an odd combination but I didn't care. I packed on as much seasoning as would hold, more in fact. Inserted it into a new SealSaver bag included the surplus seasoning and vacuum sealed it again. It languished in the refrigerator for another few days again, this time seasoned. Finally I brought it out today a little worried I had abused it by neglect. It was seared briefly to brown in a large cast-iron pan. That took no more than three minutes max., then it was inserted into a 400℉ / 205℃ for 10 minutes. The oven was not nearly up to temperature when the steak was inserted. It was probably only 200℉ / 95℃ when it started. That's important. If it was fully heated, I'd have only gone seven minutes or so. 

This is probably the best piece of meat I've ever eaten. No brag, just fact. I urge you to try it yourself. Should you see the cut at your grocer, just take a dare and throw it in your basket. You will not regret it. This steak  would be perfect for the grill at any time of year. A sauce would be superfluous. The seasoning, whatever you come up with, does the job that sauces do, but here no additional moisture is necessary. The combined flavor of the seasoning, the natural flavor of the meat, it tenderness all combine for pure awesomeness. 


It doesn't look like much, there in its flatness, but sliced thinly and at an angle the disks broaden and the long fibers shortened to improve its tenderness. 

One thing I would like to try with this, and I'll definitely do it with lamb and with pork, is to slice garlic cloves into slivers and insert them into the meat like pegs before the addition of dry rub. Dry rub understates what's going on here. Dry pack-on-a-whole-coat is more like it. So when the meat is seared it's really the coating of rub that is getting hit the most. 

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