Barbequed New York Strip Steak

Barbequed New York Strip Steak

There ain't nothing wrong with that.

OUT of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

~ Evictus

This poem is more meaningful to me than you can imagine. It usually emerges when I am up against a life challenge and I need to be reminded of what I am made of. I am the commander of my life compass. "I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul."

I used to be afraid of barbequeing steak.  Oh, I've seen it done many times in many ways and yet, fear would overtake me.  "What if the meat is too fatty?, What if the meat is undercooked? What if I cook it too long on one side and not long enough on the other?  What if it tastes like a big sweaty cow?  What if I catch something on fire because I was concentrating on trying not to catch something on fire???!"  Realizing that I needed to take a stress tab, get over it and just trial and error the crap out of it until I got it right pushed me right into success.  I admit, it wasn't overnight.  My spouse has eaten a lot of things that look great, but taste like 'there's just something wrong' while I'm snapping pictures of his food eighteen thousand times to get the right one to put out on the blog only to start over again.  Its really the love of cooking that keeps me going and Im sure its just plain hunger and starvation that keeps my spouse from flipping out over me continually photographing everything he eats, but we can talk about all that fun later.  Today we are making strip steak so quit being afraid.  I won't let you fail.  Here we go nice and easy.

 
Turn your barbeque on high (trust me).  This step is for all of you out there who are laughing right now because your grill looks like it has about six unintelligible different meals on it.  Just turn your grill on high for a few minutes and soon you won't be able to tell what you barbequed last week because it will be incinerated!

 

Barbequed New York Strip Steak

2 New York Strip Steaks

2 t. Olive Oil

1 t. Lemon Pepper

1 t. Seasoning Salt
2 or 3 t. Grill Seasoning, like McCormacks
 
Put the steaks on the counter about an hour before you season them.  Pick the most beautiful side of the steak.  This is the side that will be face down first on the grill because it is going to be the up side when you serve it. 

When its time for the grill, put them in a suitable dish and season with oil and spices above using tongs to flip over to get the seasoning all over.  While your grill is on high, take them one by one and lay them on the hot surface.  Wait 90 seconds and using tongs, turn the steak ninety degrees.  This step will ensure your steak has beautiful criss cross marks on it when you serve it.  Turn grill on medium and cook three more minutes.  Using tongs, flip them over and cook on other side for four and a half minutes.  For thicker steaks, you may need to adjust the minutes up a little.  Remove from grill and place in dish to rest at least ten minutes prior to serving.  If you cut into it right away without letting it rest, it will bleed all its tasty juices all over the rest of your perfectly prepared meal.  Bad.  Do it right and wait to serve.  Its simple.  Its even more amazing with a glass of red wine.  May I suggest a 2007 Mercer Syrah from Horse Heaven Hills AVA (American Viticultural Area - a dedicated grape growing region for wine) in Washington State.  Usually, you would serve steak with a Merlot or Cabernet Savignon, but this wine can holds its own against a strip steak and there ain't nothing wrong with that.  Enjoy.

The Cowboy picture above was created by a very talented young man, named Derrick, who worked at his family's fruit stand off of I-93.  He pulled me aside and shared with me a wonderful piece of apple and told me that he was leaving the family business to chase his dream as a graphic designer in Seattle, Washington.  God bless you and Godspeed Derrick.  As my three year old would say, "It sure was nice to meet you."