Goodbye Mickey D's

Last week, the kids had dentist appointments after school and I figured that by the time we left the dentist and got home, everyone would be hungry for a dinner I had not yet prepared.  So I thought, "Well, let's just go to McDonald's."  I know, I know.  I'm not proud!  But at least you now know that I am always, if nothing else, honest with you, dear readers.

Later that afternoon, with so much time to spare since I had decided I wasn't cooking dinner, I went to the freezer to take out my Rosh Hashanah brisket (more about that beauty later).  As I dug through the pounds of frozen meat, I realized that my plan to go to out for dinner was completely misguided.  How, in the face of all this uncooked meat, could I possibly go to McDonald's?  How could we ever eat out again?  If I have any hope of getting through half a cow, all trips to McDonald's must be officially put on hold.

I pulled out a 1 1/2 pound London broil and set it on the counter to defrost for a post-dentist feast.  But first, I had to figure out what London broil actually is.  I know my dad has made it before and it's always served in a kind of slice-y way.  I decide to consult Deborah Krasner, whose book on cooking sustainable meat has finally made it off my bookshelf and onto my kitchen counter.  Krasner says that London broil comes from the cow's "round," or upper leg, which is itself divided into four parts or "subprimals," the sirloin tip, top round, bottom round and eye round.  London broil comes from the sirloin tip and, Krasner writes, "is as much a way of cutting and preparing beef as it is a particular cut of meat.  Essentially, it means marinating meat and then slicing it thinly across the grain."  I can do that!  Just as soon as I figure out what slicing across the grain means....

Maybe this will help.  Maybe not.

Since I've had so much trouble with tough steaks, I decided to follow Krasner's recipe, including cooking times, to the letter. 

London Broil (from Beef Chuck Shoulder Steak)  (I'm still confused!)

Serves 4

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary needles, chopped (I used dried rosemary because it's what I had.  In fact, I can see I've had it for a long time because the label is from Citarella, a store I used to shop at in the city before I moved away in 2004)

Marinating is fun!

Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon (skipped this)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 1/2 pounds London broil from grass-fed beef chuck (about 2 inches thick)

2 teaspoons coarse sea salt (for pan-searing only)

It's like living in a Sizzler commercial!

Blend the garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, oil, wine and mustard and turn the meat in the mixture so that the marinade coats both sides.  Leave at room temperature for 2 hours (take your kids to the dentist, if you're Daisy) or refrigerate overnight, taking care to bring the meat to room temperature before cooking.

Heat a dry, seasoned cast-iron frying pan, grill pan or outdoor grill to high heat.  If using a pan, sprinkle the coarse salt over its surface and heat to popping.  Remove the meat from the marinade, shaking and blotting to remove any excess, and lay it in the hot pan--it should sizzle (it does!).  Cook the meat over high heat for about 5 minutes, or until it is browned on one side and does not stick.  Turn the meat over and cook on the other side for about the same period of time.  Remove from the pan and let the meat rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain (if you know what that means). 

So how did it turn out?  Well, the marinade was delicious and the steak was full of flavor.  It was, however, slightly undercooked to my taste.  How undercooked?  Well, if you look closely at this picture of Ellie, you may be able to make out a bit of dried blood under her mouth.  I sliced it up--against the grain, with the grain, I'm not really sure--and cooked for about another minute and it browned right up.  But I know what you're really wondering:  Was it better than McDonald's?  Absolutely!