{"id":6696,"date":"2016-01-16T22:02:20","date_gmt":"2016-01-16T22:02:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/food.hoggardwagner.org\/?p=6696"},"modified":"2016-01-16T22:02:20","modified_gmt":"2016-01-16T22:02:20","slug":"culotte-steak-braised-kales-roasted-baby-carrots-parsley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/food.hoggardwagner.org\/?p=6696","title":{"rendered":"culotte steak; braised kales; roasted baby carrots, parsley"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"culotte_kale_carrots\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I came across this cut of beef late in 2009, when we were checking out\u00a0The Meat Hook<\/a>, in Brooklyn, not long after it had first opened. \u00a0The meat\u00a0was beautiful, the deep red of the lean flesh contrasting with the almost pure white of the thick layer of fat, each piece\u00a0curved into a loop\u00a0and impaled on a wooded skewer. \u00a0The butcher explained its origin and its properties. \u00a0I\u00a0was intrigued, at least as much by the aesthetic and perhaps by the relatively exotic story of its origins (Argentina, we were told), as by the promise of excellent flavor, but it\u00a0was only\u00a0months later<\/a>\u00a0that I actually got around to cooking a culotte steak.<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0I had purchased it then from Dickson Farm Stand Meats<\/a>, our even more local butcher.<\/p>\n

It’s been a favorite for both of us ever since. \u00a0Although I hadn’t brought one of these lean, very flavorful steaks home for a while, partly because we don’t really eat beef very often, yesterday we may have enjoyed the best one yet.<\/p>\n

For the best experience with this cut it’s essential\u00a0to know what kind of steak you’ve brought home before throwing it on the fire. \u00a0The culotte is very lean, and could turn out more chewy than expected – or desired –\u00a0unless certain procedures are followed. \u00a0Because it is so lean, it should not be cooked medium-rare, which would normally be our preference with beef, but rather closer to a medium doneness.<\/p>\n

In the past I would always sear\u00a0it on one side for 2 minutes, turn it over and sear the second side for 45 seconds, then\u00a0place it inside a moderately-hot oven (375\u00ba) for 7 or 8 minutes. \u00a0Last night I approached the process very differently.<\/p>\n

Earlier in the day, when I was inside the Dickson Farm shop in Chelsea Market, I discussed the virtues of the cut\u00a0with a young butcher named Philip. \u00a0Clearly as\u00a0well-grounded in the mysteries of the Kitchen as he was in the details of\u00a0meat cuts, he\u00a0suggested briefly searing the side of the steak with the heavy layer of fat\u00a0in a\u00a0heavy pan (I used a\u00a0well-seasoned cast iron skillet) just enough to release some of the fat onto the\u00a0surface of the metal, then cooking each of the sides for about 4 minutes over medium heat, and finally briefly searing the fourth, or top side (the one opposite the side with the fat).<\/p>\n

The result was perfect. \u00a0The flavor was superb, and\u00a0because we were able to slice the still-square-section steaks very thinly, and also almost certainly\u00a0because of the quality of the steak, the meat was quite\u00a0tender.<\/p>\n