“Dry-Aged” NY Strip Steak
Dry-aging is a great way to infuse meat with flavor and create tenderness.
If there’s one skill I think every home cook should have, it’s how to make a delicious steak. My dry-aged New York strip steak will elevate your steak game to new heights of greatness. “Dry-aged” is the goal here, but in far less time than it traditionally takes to properly dry-age a steak. Dry-aging is a way to infuse meat with flavor and create tenderness, much like you’d experience at a classic steakhouse. My shortcut dry-aging process achieves similar results right at home, and the meat is chef-kiss-worthy!
Japanese koji rice is treated with mold (don’t worry, it’s a good kind of mold) that, when put in close contact with a protein, like a steak, gives the meat a dry-aged flavor. I start by coating my steaks in koji rice that’s also been seasoned with salt and black pepper. The steaks will sit on a wire rack atop a baking sheet and spend 24 hours in the refrigerator. All of this simulates the dry-age process that typically takes several days or weeks in a more traditional setting.
After 24 hours, the steak comes out of the refrigerator and sits on the countertop to come to room temperature. This is important because room-temperature meat will cook more evenly and it preserves the tenderness. The koji crust will crumble off the steaks and now they’re ready to cook.
A hot cast iron pan is an ideal vessel for making these steaks. A good (and quick) sear on both sides will caramelize and crust the meat with char and then I put them into a warm oven while I use the same pan to make a rich and flavorful whiskey sauce.
All good things start with butter. Butter dives into the pan and melts, awaiting its friends to join the sauce bath. One of these friends is whiskey. Whiskey has a smokey sweetness and when combined with heavy cream, beef stock, and shallots turns into a luxurious sauce that’s a delicious accompaniment to the dry-aged steak.
And there you have it! A “dry-aged” steak served with a beautiful whiskey-cream sauce. My Dry-Aged NY Strip Steak is best enjoyed with an Iceberg Wedge Salad, Oysters Rockefeller, Crispy Potato Latkes with Creme Fraiche , and Levain Cookies.
"Dry-Aged" NY Strip Steak
Ingredients
- 6 - 7 oz. NY strip steaks
- 1 1/2 cup koji rice
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
For whiskey cream:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 shallots, finely minced
- 1/3 cup whiskey
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Coat each steak with crushed koji mixture and place steaks onto a wire rack lined sheet tray. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Remove "dry-aged” steak from the fridge and let it come to room temp for 30 minutes.
- Scrape off koji crust and place steaks onto a parchment lined sheet tray.
- Preheat a cast iron pan over high heat for 3 - 4 minutes then add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
- Use a paper towel to dry any moisture from the steaks. Sear steak for 2 - 2 ½ minutes on one side, then flip to cook for 1 - 2 minutes on the other side.
- Remove steak to a sheet tray and repeat with remaining steaks. Place in a preheated oven to finish cooking for 2 - 6 minutes.
- In the same cast iron skillet, adjust to medium-low heat.
- Add butter to the steak pan and let it melt.
- Add shallot and garlic and cook for 1 - 2 minutes, then add whiskey. (Be careful of flambé, so turn off heat, then reignite.) Cook until mostly evaporated.
- Add cream, beef stock, mustard and season with a little salt and cracked pepper.. Reduce heat to low and cook for 8 - 10 minutes or until sauce coats the back of a spoon. Pour over steaks. Garnish with parsley. Enjoy!