Bourbon Marinated Steaks

There is a strange phenomenon in Rochester, NY: as soon as the temperature climbs above the freezing mark it seems like everyone starts wearing shorts and tank tops. Our southern friends and family would probably be shocked at the sheer numbers of exposed limbs when it is only 50 degrees, but after such a long winter any little bit of sun makes Rochesterians go a little coo-coo.

A few weeks ago my kids had a week off from school for “spring break.” I don’t think that Mother Nature got the memo though, because it snowed. My seven year old lamented, “When will it be warm?” My five year old did his best to convince me that it was “NOT to cold to go to the beach!” And my 1 1/2 year old pressed his little face against the window and cried, “Owwww-siiiide!” The poor thing desperately wanted to get out of the house–we were all a little stir-crazy.

By the end of the week it had “warmed up” into the high 40s and I couldn’t keep them inside any longer. They played in our backyard for hours–blowing bubbles, drawing with sidewalk chalk, running up and down our hill. I was bundled up in a sweater and coat, trying hard to share their enthusiasm for the outdoors. While the prospect of digging in the dirt didn’t excite me much, the realization that we could start grilling again did perk me up.

There is something so relaxing about grilling. My husband insists that the only way to grill is with a beer in one hand, which definitely increases the relaxation factor. An added bonus is that you can watch the kids romp around with glee while you prepare dinner, so excited to be outside that they are forgetting to bother you.

Bourbon Marinated Steaks (adapted from The Complete Meat Cookbook)

1/2 cup bourbon (I like Wild Turkey or Jim Beam)

4 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon brown sugar

4 Tablespoons olive oil

4 ribeye or strip steaks (see Notes below)

salt & pepper

vegetable oil (for the grill)

 

Season steaks with salt & pepper. Mix together the remaining ingredients in a large, low casserole dish. Place the steaks in the marinade and turn over a few times to coat. Let marinate at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.

Heat grill to high. Clean grill with a stiff grill brush. Dip a folded piece of paper towel in some vegetable oil and rub the oil on the hot grill grates (use tongs to do this). Grill steaks until cooked to your liking, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare.

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Notes: Both ribeyes and strip steaks work well with this marinade. I personally like ribeyes and my husband likes strip steaks, so we cooked one of each (the ribeye is in the first main photo by itself, and on the left in the photo where they are raw; the strip steak is on the right in the raw photo).