3550. COCOA-RUBBED STEAK with BACON-WHISKEY GRAVY

yields six servings


For the steak:

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt
3 1 -pound New York strip steaks (about 1 1/2 inches thick)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
 

For the gravy:
4 strips bacon, diced
1 leek (white and light green parts only), finely chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whiskey
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Make the steak: Mix the cocoa powder, both paprikas, brown sugar, cayenne and 2 teaspoons salt; rub on the steak and bring to room temperature, 30 minutes.

Make the gravy: Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon; set aside. Add the leek to the drippings and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the whiskey, then return to medium heat; if the alcohol ignites, let the flames die out. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the mixture is reduced by one-quarter, about 8 minutes. Whisk in the heavy cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the gravy coats a spoon, about 7 minutes. Stir in the butter, reserved bacon and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat, about 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon butter; when it melts, add the steak and sear until a dark crust forms, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Season with salt. Slice and serve with the gravy.

bacon recipe source: Food Network Kitchen, Food Network Magazine 

3042. NEW YORK STRIP STEAK with BACON, JALAPENO and CORN PUREE

yields 4 servings


Bacon & Jalapeno Condiment:
5 lbs bacon, chopped
3 onions, chopped
1 head garlic, peeled and chopped
6 jalapenos, seeds removed, chopped
1 cup balsamic vinegar

Corn Purée:
6 ears fresh corn, off the cob
1 lb frozen corn
4 oz butter
1 oz sugar
1 teaspoon turmeric 
Milk, to cover 
Salt, to taste

Red Wine Jus:
1 bottle red wine
2 cups demi glace
1 bunch fresh thyme

Vidalia Onions:
1 cup flour
1 cup cornstarch
1 egg yolk
1 cup soda water
1 Vidalia onion, sliced into rings

NY Strip Steak:
4 (or 16 oz) New York strip steaks
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Bacon & Jalapeno Condiment: Render bacon in a pan and add onions, garlic, and jalapenos. Cover with balsamic vinegar and cook slowly until vinegar is reduced and jam consistency.

For the Corn Purée: Place corn, butter, sugar, turmeric, and salt in a pot. Cover with milk and cook slowly until milk has been reduced by half. Purée until smooth.

For the Red Wine Jus: Put red wine in a pan and reduce to au sec. Then add demi glace and thyme. Reduce to sauce consistency.

For the Vidalia Onions: Mix flour, cornstarch, egg yolk, and soda water to make a tempura batter. Dip onions in batter and deep fry at 350-degrees F until golden and crispy.

For the NY Strip Steak: Season steaks and grill to medium rare. Let rest before slicing.

To Serve: Place corn purée on plate. Slice steak and layer on top. Spoon bacon & jalapeno condiment over steak. Top with fried tempura onions. Drizzle red wine jus around the plate.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kevin Sbraga, Top Chef, Season 7, Episode 12, Elimination Challenge; Bravo TV

2776. STRIP STEAK with BACON and MUSHROOM SHERRY SAUCE

2 boneless strip steaks, about 10-12 oz.
4 slices bacon, cut in 1″ pieces
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1/8 cup steak sauce
1/8 cup dry sherry
1 teaspoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary (save some for garnish)
salt
freshly ground pepper

Cook the bacon in a large fry pan on medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and place on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons of the drippings in the pan. Add mushrooms to bacon drippings and cook until tender (about 5 minutes) stirring occasionally. Add the bacon, steak sauce, sherry, garlic powder and sugar to the pan and mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add  a few pieces of the fresh rosemary. Cover to keep warm. Salt and pepper both sides of steak. Sear steaks on both sides and then cook to desired doneness (about 10-12 minutes for medium rare). Plate the steaks on warmed plates and top with the sauce, garnish with sprigs of fresh rosemary.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kathleen, "Deja Vu" Cook, July 12, 2012

2025. NEW YORK STRIP STEAKS with a SMOKEY BACON PORT SAUCE

yields six servings


6 New York strip steaks
Kosher salt
black pepper
2 pounds smoked bacon, finely diced
1 1/2 liters port wine
1 cup finely diced shallots
6 ounces green peppercorns
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cups water
salt

port sauce: Render the bacon in a saucepan over medium-low heat until golden brown. Once bacon has been rendered, strain off the excess fat and put the pan back on the fire. Deglaze the pan with 2/3 of the Port wine and scrape the bottom of the saucepan to get all the bacon off the bottom and sides of the pan. Turn up the heat to medium and the alcohol should ignite. Reduce the wine by 1/4 and skim off any impurities that rise to the surface. Next, add the rest of the wine, the diced shallots, and peppercorns. Reduce by 1/3. In a small bowl, make a slurry with corn starch and water. Whisk the slurry into the pan until the sauce is slightly thick. Adjust seasoning with salt.

Oil and preheat the grill.

Season both sides of the steaks with salt and pepper. Place steaks on grill at a 45 degree angle to establish nice grill marks. Cook steaks to desired doneness or until the internal temperature reaches 125 to 130 degrees F for medium-rare, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove the steaks from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Spoon the Smokey Bacon Port Sauce over the meat. Serve with your favorite side dishes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Saddle Ranch Chop House | "BBQ Trails," BBQ with Bobby Flay, Food Network

183. STRIP STEAKS with BACON LATTICE and SUN-DRIED TOMATO BUTTER

makes 6 hearty servings


Sun-Dried Tomato Butter
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
7 whole sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and minced
1 large clove garlic, minced
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Steaks
6 strip steaks, 12-14 oz. each and 1-inch thick
1/3 lb. sliced bacon
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons coarsely cracked black pepper

Up to 1 week in advance of serving, prepare the sun-dried tomato butter: Process the butter and mustard in a food processor until smooth. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, parsley, and Parmesan. Pulse the machine on and off until the ingredients are just incorporated. Lay a large piece of plastic wrap out on a flat surface. Shape the butter into a 1-inch-thick log down the center of the wrap. Roll the plastic around the butter to enclose it completely and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Prepare the fireplace or grill for cooking.

To make the bacon lattice on the steaks, cut 3 deep diagonal slashes lengthwise and 2 slashes crosswise on the top of each steak with a sharp knife. Take care not to cut all the way through to the other side of the steaks. Cut the bacon into thin strips and insert them into the slashes to form a lattice. Mix together the dry mustard, salt, and pepper, and rub this mixture over both sides of the steaks.

Grill the steaks 3 to 4 inches above the hot coals, starting with the bacon side up and turning once, 10 to 12 minutes for medium-rare meat. As the steaks come off the grill, top each one with a 1-inch-thick slice of the tomato butter. Serve at once.


courtesy of: Cold-Weather Cooking, by Sarah Leah Chase. New York: Workman Publishing, 1990, pp. 299-300.