I Can Cooking! #11: Steak n' Taters

 Steak and potatoes.  A simple, yet delicious classic.  Granted, potatoes are a relatively recent crop to be put into such widespread culinary use, but the idea of pairing root vegetables of some sort with a big honking slab of meatbeast has been a thing ever since humanity first discovered cooking.

 Now first, a disclaimer:  Yes, I know that grilling can yield tastier results.  But of course, not everyone has a grill (or like me, live in an apartment with no yard to even put one in!).  The idea behind I Can Cooking! is to help fellow amateur chefs to really wow themselves and significant others by being able to create a great meal with stuff most kitchens should have on-hand, and far cheaper than a restaurant.  Besides, grill or no, you can't deny that this looks darn tasty:

Admit it, this makes your mouth water.

Here's what you'll need:

 Steak, potatoes, some other vegetable (optional).  I said this was a simple meal!

 Now, as for the steak itself, I did splurge a bit and got one of those massive Angus steaks... though not a usual thing for me, it was on sale so I couldn't pass it up.  It takes a bit more finesse to cook properly, but the great things about steaks like these is you can give them a decent crust without overcooking the center.  The main thing to remember is, due to the thickness of the cut, you should take it out of the fridge at the beginning of meal prep so it can normalize with room temperature as much as possible while working on the rest of the meal.

Yep, that's pretty much it.

Vegetables!  A.K.A. "the part few actually care about; we want BEEF!"

 Now now, the vegetables are an inseparable part of this dish.  The starchiness of the potatoes provides a nice counternote to the richness of the meat, and the asparagus adds a slightly bitter and sweet note that balances the other flavors beautifully.  It's a classic combo for a reason!  Begin by cutting the potatoes into manageable bite-sized chunks, and coat them with olive oil.

A good even coat should suffice.

 Arrange the potato chunks on a baking tray, giving them enough space to roast properly.  Season with a tiny bit of salt, rosemary, dill, and garlic powder.

Less is definitely more here, with how potatoes soak up flavor.

 The top two reasons why so many claim to not like asparagus is that it's too bitter, and that it has hard bark-like bits that are off-putting.  The bitterness is largely a product of the canned type; fresh asparagus has a far more delicate and pleasant flavor.  As for the bark, this is a pretty easy fix.  The bottom 2 inches or so of the stalk will be a bit drier and older than the rest; and depending on how old the stalks are, may be nearly inedible.  To get rid of this part, simply bend the stalk around that area; you will actually be able to feel a clear delineation between the woody stem and the good part of the stalk.  Once you find that spot, just bend the stalk a bit further and it'll snap at just the right spot.

Prepping asparagus is a snap!  ...Okay, that one was lame even for me.

 Rinse and dry the asparagus, and coat them in olive oil.

Strangely therapeutic.

 Now I know, typically when it comes to roasting vegetables, stacking them is a major no-no... however, due to the shape of the asparagus, it can be stacked decently well while still allowing plenty of air space among them for the steam to escape and the dry heat to reach the stalks.  Season the asparagus with salt and pepper, then toss the tray in the oven at 400 degrees.

Looks all artsy!

I came here for steak!  Where's the beef?

 Vegetables take longer to cook, so it's natural to handle those first and foremost.  But fret not!  Here's the part you were waiting for.  Let's start by seasoning the steak.  Just a bit of salt, pepper, paprika, and onion powder should suffice.  Rub in the seasonings and let the meat sit.

No marinades needed; just a tiny, subtle amount of seasoning is all it takes.

 Now, when to start the steak so everything gets done at once?  Keep checking in on the vegetables; as soon as the slightest bit of browning begins to show up on any of the potatoes, you're safe to start the skillet up for your steak.

There it is!  Right... there.  Yeah.

 Set the skillet to medium-high, and apply butter.

ACTION BUTTER!  Because another ordinary melting butter photo would just be boring.

 Plop down the beastmeat, and let it sit undisturbed for a few minutes before flipping.  The key to successful steak cooking is to disturb the meat as little as possible, so you get some nice browning on the outside and don't lose any of the juices.

Hugebeef is HUUUUEEG.

 Now, the awesome thing about the super-thick cuts of meat is that it gives you more sides you can cook!  In this way, you can apply an nice crust to each of the sides, and also render more of the fat along the sides that you wouldn't be able to otherwise.  Keep cooking until the steak reaches your desired level of doneness.

Sidebeef!

Now, let's eat!

 If the steps were done in order, everything should get done around the same time.  This meal pairs really well with some sort of hearty bread (a good dark rye or, as pictured, olive bread are amazing with it) and a good-quality beer to wash it down with.

Just for a sense of scale, this is only half of that piece of steak.

Or alternately...

  Of course, if mashed potatoes are more your speed than roast ones, that's cool too.  I'll refer you back to a previous I Can Cooking! for how to make the best mashed potatoes you've ever had! 

Alternate serving suggestions hooooooo!

 As for the asparagus, since it'll be cooked via a different method from the potatoes now, here's an cool technique with results that're just as good!  If you have a toaster oven, take the rack from it and and place that over the pot you're boiling the potatoes in.  Put the asparagus on the rack, and the lid over the asparagus, like so:

Kitchen ingenuity!

 This will allow you to steam the asparagus as the potatoes cook; then once the steak is done on the skillet, just finish the asparagus on it to give the stalks some nice browning.



 Special thanks to my buddy Holden Howard for the beer recommendation!  It's some awesome stuff!