Serves 4

We like this sauce with strip or rib-eye steaks, but it will work with any type of pan-seared steak.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
We love the ultra-rich flavor and glossy consistency that a classic French demi-glace (a savory, full-bodied reduction traditionally made from veal bones and stock) adds to a sauce, but making it is a time-consuming process usually left to the expertise of professional cooks. We wanted to find a shortcut for making demi-glace at home, so that we could use it as the base of a sauce for crusty, pan-seared steaks. Chopping up vegetables (to increase their surface area, thus providing more opportunity for flavorful browning) as well as adding mushrooms, tomato paste, and seasonings to red wine and beef broth was a good start, but it wasn’t enough. To replicate the meaty flavor and unctuous gelatin given up by roasted bones, we sautéed ground beef with the tomato paste and stirred powdered gelatin into the final reduction.

You might need to buy:
  • white wine
  • HERB SAUCE:
  • vegetable oil
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • STEAKS:
  • brandy
  • BRANDY AND GREEN PEPPERCORN SAUCE:
  • unsalted butter
  • minced fresh tarragon
  • minced fresh parsley
  • white wine vinegar
  • minced fresh chives
  • Ground black pepper
  • Table salt
  • chopped fresh thyme
  • heavy cream
  • red wine vinegar
  • Ground black pepper
  • Table salt
  • unsalted butter
  • chopped fresh thyme
  • balsamic vinegar
  • ruby port
  • PORT SAUCE:
Belongs to denaseki Beef Kebabs 

Serves 4 to 6
To ensure evenly sized chunks, we prefer to purchase whole steak tips (sometimes labeled “flap meat”) and cut them ourselves. However, if you have long, thin pieces of meat, roll or fold them into approximate 2-inch cubes before skewering. (For more information, see related How-to-Cook.) Two and one-half pounds of blade steak can be substituted for the flap meat; if using, cut the steak in half and remove the gristle that runs through it. You will need four 12-inch metal skewers for this recipe. Our preferred brand of beef broth is Rachael Ray Stock-in-a-Box All-Natural Beef Flavored Stock.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Most beef kebabs are dis­appointing, with overcooked meat and vegetables that are either raw or mushy. We wanted to develop a foolproof approach to creating meaty kebabs that looked and tasted like the real thing: chunks of beef with a thick, caramelized char on the outside and a juicy, pink interior, all thoroughly seasoned by a marinade and paired with nicely browned, tender-firm vegetables. For the meat, we chose well-marbled steak tips, with their beefy flavor and tender texture. For the marinade, we included salt for moisture, oil for flavor, and sugar for browning. For even more depth, we used tomato paste, a host of seasonings and herbs, and beef broth. We chose three grill favorites for the vegetables: peppers, onions, and zucchini. Grilling the beef kebabs and vegetables on separate skewers over a two-level fire, which has hotter and cooler areas, allowed us to cook the vegetables over a lower temperature while the beef seared over the hotter area.

You might need to buy:
  • finely grated zest from 1 lemon
  • MARINADE
  • BEEF AND VEGETABLES
  • ground black pepper
  • sugar
  • table salt
  • tomato paste
  • beef broth
  • chopped fresh rosemary
Belongs to denaseki Beef Kebabs 

Serves 4 to 6
To ensure evenly sized chunks, we prefer to purchase whole steak tips (sometimes labeled “flap meat”) and cut them ourselves. However, if you have long, thin pieces of meat, roll or fold them into approximate 2-inch cubes before skewering. (For more information, see related How-to-Cook.) Two and one-half pounds of blade steak can be substituted for the flap meat; if using, cut the steak in half and remove the gristle that runs through it. You will need four 12-inch metal skewers for this recipe. Our preferred brand of beef broth is Rachael Ray Stock-in-a-Box All-Natural Beef Flavored Stock.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Most beef kebabs are dis­appointing, with overcooked meat and vegetables that are either raw or mushy. We wanted to develop a foolproof approach to creating meaty kebabs that looked and tasted like the real thing: chunks of beef with a thick, caramelized char on the outside and a juicy, pink interior, all thoroughly seasoned by a marinade and paired with nicely browned, tender-firm vegetables. For the meat, we chose well-marbled steak tips, with their beefy flavor and tender texture. For the marinade, we included salt for moisture, oil for flavor, and sugar for browning. For even more depth, we used tomato paste, a host of seasonings and herbs, and beef broth. We chose three grill favorites for the vegetables: peppers, onions, and zucchini. Grilling the beef kebabs and vegetables on separate skewers over a two-level fire, which has hotter and cooler areas, allowed us to cook the vegetables over a lower temperature while the beef seared over the hotter area.

You might need to buy:
  • sugar
  • table salt
  • tomato paste
  • beef broth
  • MARINADE
  • finely grated zest from 1 lemon
  • chopped fresh rosemary
  • BEEF AND VEGETABLES
  • ground black pepper

Serves 8

In step 5, the cooled frosting stays soft and spreadable longer than other recipes, but it will harden over time. If the frosting does begin to stiffen, you can microwave it for about 10 seconds (or until it returns to a spreadable consistency).

For SALTED CARAMEL FROSTING substitute 3/4 tsp salt for 1/2 teaspoon salt as per http://thepastamanblog.com/post/6486780930/salted-caramel-frosting

Pairs with:
Chateau Ste. Michelle Late Harvest Chenin Blanc
The crisp acidity of chenin blan serves to brighten the sweet caramel.

You might need to buy:
  • vanilla extract
  • CAKE:
  • packed dark brown sugar
  • FROSTING:
  • salt
  • baking soda
  • baking powder
  • all-purpose flour
  • granulated sugar
  • salt
  • heavy cream
  • vanilla extract

Serves 6

You might need to buy:
  • Salt and pepper
  • ground cinnamon
  • orange juice
  • dried cranberries
  • vegetable oil

Serves 4
Straight from the grill, the cheesy center of the Jucy Lucy will be molten hot. Be sure to let the burgers rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Minneapolis taverns are famous for serving a sandwich called the Jucy Lucy, a moist beef burger stuffed with American cheese. Replicating the Jucy Lucy recipe seemed easy enough—simply seal a slice of American cheese between two beef patties and throw it on the grill. But our burgers, cooked to well-done to melt the cheese inside, were dry and tough. Or worse, the cheese melted through the meat, leaving an empty cavern where the cheese had been. We wanted to figure out how to keep the Lucy juicy and hold the cheese inside. To keep the cheesy center of our recipe in place, we created a double-sealed pocket by wrapping a chunk of cheese inside a small beef patty and then molding a second patty around the first. Grilling the burgers over medium heat fully cooked the burgers and melted the cheese inside. Adding a panade—a mixture of bread and milk mashed into a paste—to the ground beef kept the burgers moist and juicy.

You might need to buy:
  • pepper
  • percent lean ground beef
  • salt
  • garlic powder
  • milk

SERVES 4
This chicken can be served with a simply prepared vegetable for a light dinner. It can also be used in a sandwich or tossed with greens for a salad. The chicken should be marinated no less than 30 minutes and no more than 1 hour.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Our perfectly grilled chicken breast recipe had to produce moist, tender chicken whose flavor could stand on its own. We discovered that placing the breasts on the cooler side of the grill and covering them with a disposable pan trapped the heat and kept the breasts moist while cooking. To finish our grilled chicken breast recipe, we gave the breasts a quick sear afterward on the hot part of the grill for color and true grilled flavor.

You might need to buy:
  • water
  • Ground black pepper
  • Salt
  • sugar
  • Dijon mustard
  • LEMON-PARSLEY VARIATION
  • Vegetable oil for grill rack
  • CHIPOTLE-LIME VARIATION
  • minced fresh parsley leaves
  • olive oil
  • fresh lemon juice
  • FOR CHARCOAL GRILL
  • minced fresh tarragon leaves
  • olive oil
  • grated orange zest
  • fresh orange juice
  • Dijon mustard
  • ORANGE-TARRAGON VARIATION
  • minced fresh cilantro leaves
  • olive oil
  • minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
  • fresh lime juice

SERVES 4
This chicken can be served with a simply prepared vegetable for a light dinner. It can also be used in a sandwich or tossed with greens for a salad. The chicken should be marinated no less than 30 minutes and no more than 1 hour.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Our perfectly grilled chicken breast recipe had to produce moist, tender chicken whose flavor could stand on its own. We discovered that placing the breasts on the cooler side of the grill and covering them with a disposable pan trapped the heat and kept the breasts moist while cooking. To finish our grilled chicken breast recipe, we gave the breasts a quick sear afterward on the hot part of the grill for color and true grilled flavor.

You might need to buy:
  • sugar
  • water
  • Salt
  • Ground black pepper
  • minced fresh parsley leaves
  • olive oil
  • fresh lemon juice
  • Dijon mustard
  • LEMON-PARSLEY VARIATION
  • Vegetable oil for grill rack
  • FOR CHARCOAL GRILL
  • minced fresh tarragon leaves
  • olive oil
  • grated orange zest
  • fresh orange juice
  • Dijon mustard
  • ORANGE-TARRAGON VARIATION
  • minced fresh cilantro leaves
  • olive oil
  • fresh lime juice
  • minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
  • CHIPOTLE-LIME VARIATION
Belongs to denaseki Monterey Chicken 

Serves 4
We skewer the onion slices with a toothpick to keep them from falling apart on the grill. You won’t need an entire red onion for this recipe; you can use the remainder to make Pico de Gallo (see related content).

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
This chain-restaurant favorite combines honey-mustard chicken breasts, bacon, and melted Monterey Jack cheese. For a grilled version, we butterfly boneless, skinless chicken breasts to provide more surface area for tasty char, and we marinate them in a simple mixture of honey, Dijon, salt, and pepper. While the chicken cooks on the hotter side of the grill, we let red onion slices—basted with the reserved fat from cooking the bacon—soften on the cooler side of the grill. To finish, we slide the chicken away from the fire and top it with the smoky onions and a mixture of cooked diced bacon and spicy shredded pepper Jack cheese.

You might need to buy:
  • Dijon mustard
  • honey
  • Lime wedges
  • 1/2-inch-thick slices red onion
  • Salt and pepper

Serves 4
To minimize flare-ups, trim excess fat and gristle from the steaks before grilling.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
In order to achieve a respectable crust, the exterior of our Char-Grilled Steaks had to be dry. After trying numerous drying-out methods, including salting and aging, we considered the freezer. The freezer’s intensely dry environment sufficiently dehydrated the steaks’ exteriors, and since we were only freezing them for a short time, the interiors remained tender and juicy.

We rubbed the steaks with a mixture of salt and cornstarch before freezing. The salt assured they were well-seasoned, and cornstarch—a champ at absorbing moisture—allowed us to cut the freezing time in half.

You might need to buy:
  • Pepper
  • salt
  • cornstarch