Welcome to summer! Unfortunately, my condo complex doesn’t have a grill area and the one time that I tried to use a portable grill on my balcony I may have used too much self-lighting charcoal. For the a grill taste without compromising the safety of my patio furniture, I decided to put my steak in a liquid smoke marinade.Liquid smoke is a natural additive made from water infused with hickory smoke. You can find it in most grocery stores near the barbecue sauce. Its also good in slow-cooked chilis!
Why marinate?
Though marinating meat can also tenderize, the main purpose of marinades are to add flavor. Typically, they are composed of an acid + an oil + flavorings. Acids can be vinegar, wine, juice, or even yogurt (like in Chicken Tikka Masala). More on marinades to come in another post!
Ingredients
2 rib eye steaks (one serving is approximately one lb.)
2 tbs canola oil
4 tbs butter (optional)
Marinade:
3 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 tbs soy sauce
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs honey
1 tsp liquid smoke
1/4 tbs ground ginger
Ground pepper
Instructions:
- Combine marinade ingredients and add to steaks in large Ziploc bag. Chill in fridge for at least four hours or overnight.
- Once done marinading, remove steaks from bag onto a cutting board and discard marinade.
- Pat steaks dry with paper towel. This allows for the steak to better sear in the pan.
- Heat oil in pan over medium heat. I use a non-stick skiller, but cast iron pans are the “ideal”.
- Once oil is heated, lay steak in pan (away from you!). A minute or two in, I usually add a tablespoon or two of butter (yum!) Cook according to preferred temperature (see table below.)
- Flip steak after desired time has passed. Tongs work best for keeping the juices in the steak (and not flopping your steak out of the pan in the process). If desired, add more butter.
- Remove steak from pan and allow to rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
Cooking Times for Temperature:
Rare (1-2 minutes on each side)
Medium Rare (2-3 minutes on each side)
Medium (3-4 minutes on each side)
Medium Well (5 minutes on each side)
Well Done (6 minutes on each side)
Side Dishes: In keeping with the summery theme, I boiled some corn on the cob. This is a pretty low-maintenance but delicious side dish, with the corn being boiled for about 10 minutes. I also had watermelon salad with goat cheese. I think feta would be better next time, since the cheese crumbles better!
Wine Pairing: Between the richness of the steak flavors, liquid smoke seasoning, and the char that comes from the pan-frying process, a bold red worked best. I had a Malbec from my local winery, made with grapes from Oregon. Malbec has more fruit flavors than another bold red like a Cabernet, but with the same smoky, tannin taste that pairs well with steak and other grilled foods!
distancedishes 