NOVEMBER 2018 95minutes. Using tongs, turn steaks on fatty
edges, leaning steaks against sides of skillet to
keep them stable, if needed. Cook, rolling occa-
sionally to render fat on edges, until caramelized
all over, 4 to 5 minutes. Place steaks flat in skillet,
and add butter and garlic around steaks.- Transfer skillet to preheated oven. Roast
steaks 5 minutes. Transfer skillet to stovetop
over medium. Slightly tilt skillet toward you so
butter pools in bottom of skillet; spoon brown
butter over steaks. Carefully flip steaks, and
baste again. Return skillet to oven, and roast
until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion
registers 120°F, 4 to 6 minutes. - Transfer steaks to a cutting board, and let
rest 10 minutes. Remove bones, and separate
fatty strip from each steak. Slice steak thinly
against the grain, and reassemble steaks on a
platter, fanning slices out slightly. Arrange
bones on plates; sprinkle steaks with sel gris.
WINE Powerful California Cabernet: 2015
Chateau Montelena Napa Valley
TRY THIS METHOD WITH any well-marbled cut of
red meat: prime rib (increase cook time),
T-bone steaks, or pork shoulder steaks.
ACTIVE 40 MIN; TOTAL 3 DAYS 1 HR 50 MIN
SERVES 4 TO 6
1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt
2 (1^1 / 2 -lb.) 1½-inch-thick bone-in rib eye
steaks
2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
2 tsp. black pepper
1 /^4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 garlic cloves
Sel gris
- Holding salt about 1 foot above steaks, sprin-
kle both sides of steaks evenly with salt in a
steady stream, pressing slightly to adhere.
Place steaks on a wire rack set inside a rimmed
baking sheet. Chill, uncovered, 72 hours, turn-
ing twice a day. - Remove steaks from refrigerator. Let stand 1
hour. Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat oil in a 12-inch
cast-iron skillet over high. Sprinkle steaks
evenly with pepper. When a wisp of smoke rises
from skillet, add steaks in a single layer, and
cook, undisturbed, until a light brown crust
forms, about 4 minutes. Flip steaks, and cook 4
GREAT HOLIDAY COOKING—and we mean of the jaw-dropping roast-at-
the-center-of-the-table variety—requires two essentials: salt and time.
These are the fundamental elements of pre-seasoning.
Pre-seasoning is the simplest, most powerful thing you can do to
make a good piece of meat great. Given enough time to penetrate tissue,
salt works flavor magic: It denatures proteins, breaking up their
molecular strands into shorter amino acids—among them an abundance
of glutamic acid, the essence of umami—to release a complex symphony
of savory flavors.
Applying salt ahead of time has other benefits, too. Using a wet brine
of 6 percent salinity lets you plump up leaner proteins, like chicken (p.
96), pork loin (p. 98), and fish (p. 100), keeping them juicy throughout
roasting. Richer cuts, like marbled steaks, benefit from a tenderizing
dry brine and air-drying, which concentrates meaty flavor. Here’s how
to harness the power of pre-seasoning for your next special occasion.STEAKHOUSESTYLE RIB EYES
P
an-roasted steaks are quick to cook and deliver the perfect complement of
crusty, sizzling outside to juicy, medium-rare inside. Seasoning the steaks in
advance increases the iron-y notes of prime-graded cuts and breaks down
connective tissue, resulting in spectacularly juicy, flavorful meat. For the thick bone-
in rib eyes below, let the seasoned steaks chill, uncovered, for 72 hours.