Bourbon and Brown Sugar Marinated Steak

Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 1:41 pm

Bourbon & Brown Sugar Marinated Steak

Serves four.

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup bourbon or other whiskey
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar, preferably dark
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. hot sauce, such as Crystal Hot Sauce
1-1/2 to 2 Ib. New York strip steaks ** (about 1-1/2 inches thick) or flank steak

Prepare a medium-hot grill fire. Meanwhile, combine the soy sauce, bourbon, brown sugar, mustard, and hot sauce in a large zip-top bag. Seal and shake to combine the ingredients and dissolve the sugar. Add the steaks to the bag, seal, massage to cover the steaks with marinade, and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature.

When the grill is ready, remove the steaks from the marinade and shake off any excess, but don't pat them dry. Reserve the marinade. Grill the steaks until good sear marks appear, 3 to 4 minutes. With tongs, rotate the steak 90 degrees (to get a Crosshatch of grill marks) and continue grilling until grill marks form and the edges are a little crisp, another 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the steaks and grill the other side in the same way until the exterior is nicely seared and the steak is cooked to your liking, 10 to 1 2 minutes total cooking time for medium rare. Let the steaks rest for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour the marinade into a small saucepan and boil over medium-high heat until syrupy, about 3 minutes (watch carefully to prevent burning). For strip steaks, slice thickly or serve in chunks. For flank steak, thinly slice the meat across the grain. Serve with a drizzle of the sauce.

**
New York strip

a.k.a. top loin, New York steak, shell steak, strip steak, sirloin strip, Kansas City steak

The official name for this steak is top loin, and it comes from the middle back, called the short loin, which is located on the exterior surface of the spinal column. Confusingly, it goes by at least 20 names. (In California, it's called New York steak. In New York, it's often called shell steak or strip steak.) Whatever it's called, this steak is tender and well flavored and you will pay accordingly. For evenly seared steaks, buy one or two large, thick steaks (rather than several thin ones), and cut them into servings after cooking, especially if you like meat rare or medium rare.