I knew I had written a post on Shrimp and Grits.... Everybody loves Shrimp and Grits...But I can't eat seafood...What I can I enjoy with Grits that's just as good?...Answer Steak and Grits!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup quick grits
- 4 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 ounces grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 can Regular Rotel (tomatoes & chilies), DRAINED
- 2 ounces chopped green chilies (1/2 of one of those small cans)
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan or, even better, an oven-proof pot, like LeCreuset. Add the salt, then stir in the grits and continue to stir until the water comes back up to a boil, then cover and turn the heat down to low. Let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so.
After 5 minutes, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the two cheeses, Rotel (drained, unless you want to burn your taste buds off), chilis, cayenne pepper, and paprika. Stir until all cheese is melted and well incorporated. Add freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
Transfer pot to oven (or pour grits into a casserole-type baking dish) and bake uncovered for about 45 minutes.
Let the grits cool for about 10 minutes prior to serving. The top layer will firm up a bit, and, when stirred into the pot, makes for great texture.
For the steak:
- 16 ounce steak of your choice (we love flatiron – see below)
- Olive oil
- Dry rub of your choice (I swear by Dizzy Pig Cowlick)
In a 1-gallon Ziplock bag, pour about 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of your steak rub, mix together well, then drop your steak in the bag. Get as much air out of the bag as possible and make sure the steak is well coated in the olive oil + rub mixture. Marinate for at least an hour or overnight.
Remove your steak from the fridge at least an hour before you plan to cook it. Load your grill up with charcoal and get it as hot as possible.
With the Egg, we go for about 800 degrees. :-0
Incidentally, for a steak that is at least 1.5 inches thick, I swear by the TRex Method. You can read TRex’s novella at the previous link, or you can just remember: hot sear, 20 minute rest off the heat, roast at lower temperature until done.
So I started by searing our flat iron steak (our favorite “budget cut” – the 2nd most tender cut after the tenderloin, but with a rich flavor closer to that of a ribeye, and for a fraction of the price) for about 90 seconds a side.
Normally you would rest a steak off the heat for 20 minutes, then roast it until done at around 400 degrees. But I was racing against the sunset for photo lighting last night, so we rested the steak for only about 5 minutes, then finished it off at around 500 degrees for about 4 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature read 135 degrees.
Prior to slicing your steak, always let it rest (again) for at least 5 minutes; during this time the juices, which had been driven to the meat’s surface by the high grilling temperatures, will redistribute themselves into the interior of the meat, leaving you with a much juicier steak. If you slice into a steak too soon, most of the juices will be sitting in a pool on your plate, instead of moistening and adding flavor to each slice.
In conclusion, Let’s be honest, you just can’t go wrong with steak, right? But having said that, I thought the grits were – without question – the star of this duet. The addition of cream cheese was brilliant, as it brought the creaminess to a level of perfection without having to add bags and bags of grated cheese. And the Rotel adds just the right southwestern kick without stealing the entire show.
If you’re feeling spicy and have a hankering for comfort food, this dish is sure to satisfy.
Enjoy! Eat well my friends!
