Chuck Steak Recipe

by Bruce Aidells
(Sallybernstein.com)

Chuck Steak Recipe

Ingredients:

*Serves 6 to 8

• Two 1/2 to 1-inch thick chuck steaks, cut closest to the prime rib

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

• 24 corn tortillas, preferably handmade (or the freshest machine-made you can find)

• 1 pound mild white cheese, such as Mexican casero, California Monterey Jack or Wisconsin Muenster or brick, cut into 1/2" x 1" strips

• 6 fire-roasted pasilla chiles or 10 Anaheim chiles sliced or equivalent canned green chiles, preferably Ortega brand, sliced


Nogales Steak Marinade

• 6 garlic cloves, mashed with 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a mortar or on a cutting board

• 1/4 cup fresh sour orange juice (from Seville oranges) OR 1 cup fresh orange juice

• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice

• 2 tablespoons tequila (optional)

• 2 tablespoons ground chiles (ancho or New Mexico)

• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

• 1 cup olive or vegetable oil


Garnishes:

• Guacamole

• Salsas of your choice -- such as green chile salsa and salsa cruda


Preparation:

• Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk together, or put the ingredients into a food processor and pulse briefly. Lay 1 steak in a non-reactive dish. Puncture the meat all over on both sides with a fork or skewer. Pour over half the marinade. Put the other steak on top and repeat the process. Reverse the steaks to make sure that both are well coated with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, turning the steaks occasionally to insure full penetration of the marinade.

• About an hour before grilling, remove the steaks from the refrigerator. Soak 6 mesquite wood chunks or 2 cups of mesquite, oak, or hickory chips in water. Fire up a covered charcoal grill with about 60 briquettes or the equivalent of mesquite charcoal. When the coals are completely covered in gray ash and you can hold your hand over them only for a count of three, scatter the mesquite chunks or chips over the coals.

• Remove the steaks from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Put the steaks on the grill and cover the kettle immediately. Adjust the vents so that no flare-ups occur. Cook until steaks are done to your liking, about 6 to 8 minutes per side for medium-rare to medium. Set the steaks aside on a platter and cover with foil to keep warm while you prepare the tortilla/cheese setups.


• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Briefly heat each tortilla over the direct heat of the grill to soften them (or heat each tortilla in a heavy skillet over high heat to soften). Heat the tortillas only enough to make them pliable, so they don't crack when folded over the cheese. Place 2 pieces of cheese on each tortilla and fold in half. Fold 6 or so tortillas, wrap in foil, and keep warm in the oven.

• Repeat the process for all 24 tortillas. It takes about 10 minutes to heat the folded tortillas in the oven and barely melt the cheese -- don't keep them in the oven too long, or the cheese will ooze out. Pay attention to timing: if you put the tortilla packets in the oven when the steaks are done and let the steaks rest for 10 minutes, that should work out fine. You can leave the tortillas in their foil packets for serving or, if you'd like to be more authentic, wrap them in large cloth napkins or dishtowels.

• To serve, cut the steaks against the grain into strips 3 to 4 inches long and about 1/2 inch thick. Put the bones on a separate platter. Set out the fire-roasted chiles, tortilla/cheese setups, guacamole, and salsas, and encourage your guests to go for it. Pass around the steak bones for true carnivores to gnaw on and toss over their shoulders to the dogs. Beer (preferably Mexican) goes great here, but a spicy Zinfandel would also be delicious.

Original Chuck Steak Recipe


*Here I'd like to tell you about my favorite diet program that uses a lot of the healthy lower GI foods: Isabel de los Rios' 'The Diet Solution Program'.

The Diet Solution Program favours a long term health orientated approach to fat loss, but not offering anyone a quick fix to their weight troubles. It has loads of valuable data and research to support its approach. I personally investigated the program thoroughly and my mum has been using it for a while now. I have to say she got some great results.

The nutrition plan is one of the healthiest we have seen, a strong core focus on vegetables, fruits, vitamin dense foods, lean proteins, select dairy produce and a clear approach to not expecting one diet to work for all body types. So give it a try and let me know how you’re doing.*