Select a thick steak – thinner steaks don’t stand up as well to the strong flavors of a dry rub. Try a Pusheta Creek ribeye, T-bone, strip or sirloin, which are all 1” cuts.
Purchase a prepared steak rub or, better yet, make your own tasty concoction. Popular ingredients include onion and garlic powder, mustard powder, cumin, paprika, red chili flakes, cayenne, thyme, and even a bit of brown sugar. Be sure to add salt and pepper (unless you are already using a lot of cayenne or other peppers).
Try the Pusheta Creek basic rub: Grab a zip plastic bag and shake together 3 tbsp kosher salt, 3 tbsp smoked paprika, 2 tbsp onion powder, 2 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp red chili flakes, 1 tbsp coarse ground black pepper, ½ tbsp light brown sugar (optional). Coats up to four steaks.
You’ll need about 3 tablespoons of rub for each steak. Use your fingers to generously massage the rub into both sides of the steak. Give it a good rubdown – about a minute on each side.
Let it rest – at least a few hours, preferably overnight. This will allow the flavors to seep into the meat, making it more delicious.
Grill or broil to your preferred level – but use a slightly lower temperature, or if broiling, move the pan down a level, as the rub can burn.
Enjoy with baked sweet potato and a beautiful salad (with some flowers perhaps? Petals from undyed carnations, nasturtiums, or pansies are all colorful additions to the Valentine’s Day table.)
Happy Valentine’s Day from Pusheta Creek!
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Amanda Liffiton
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