BLACK & BLEU AND STEAK ALL OVER – A MAIN COURSE SALAD

Black & Bleu & Steak All Over with Clear Creek Beef's flat iron steak

​Peanut butter + jelly. 
 
Macaroni + Tillamook cheddar cheese. 
 
Summer nights + s’mores. 
 
A soft kiss + a tight hug.
 
Combinations.  Partnerships.
Things that go better together, or things that become better when they’re matched up.  You know what I’m talking about...you can probably add a half dozen more combinations without any effort at all.
 
I’m going to suggest a combo that becomes better when put together, one that should definitely go to the top of your list: 

Steak + salad.
 
Let me tell you how I got there...
 
Recently, I giddily unpacked a delivery of various cuts of prime Clear Creek Natural Beef—tri-tip, rib eye, ground beef, ribs, flat iron.   The preparation options seemed endless, and although my mouth was watering with the possibilities, I knew I wanted to create something worthy of the meat and pleasing for my family.
 
First, a little background... I cook for my growing family of four, and they’re definitely the toughest customers I’ve ever found.  I care about providing them healthy meals—not just once in a while, but every time they sit down at our dinner table.  Where their food comes from, and how it’s prepared, is quite important to me.  In a nutshell: I love to grill great quality beef because it allows me to show my family how important each of them is to me.  
 
Clear Creek Beef fits this description to a ‘T,’ giving our family a tasty, healthy, enjoyable meal every time out...including leftovers (leftovers are a rarity at our house, however)!
 
So, as I looked over our freezer full of Clear Creek Beef trying to decide my course of action all of these thoughts went through my head:
 
...with great beef comes great responsibility.
 
...grill something healthy, that everyone will enjoy.
 
...remember, time is precious today—you have two lawns, three shrub hedges, and tree trimming to get after today.
 
The freezer chill narrowed my focus.   Great beef...healthy meal...limited time.   I grabbed a package of beef and closed the freezer; I had my answer—flat iron steak salad!  
 
In my opinion, warmer weather doesn’t naturally lend itself to heavy meals, so we like to add cooled or cold veggies to our dinner menu, pairing protein and fresh vegetables with a leaf salad.  Combining all of that into an ultimate steak salad is a no-brainer!
 
Perfectly seasoned with ‘The Rocks’ All Red Meat Dry Rub by @whiskeybentbbq, the Clear Creek Beef flat iron was grilled quickly over high heat on my Traeger Grill.  Combined with a platter full of three types of lettuce, roasted peppers, sautéed mushrooms, tomatoes, radishes, and a generous helping of blue cheese crumbles, this salad is definitely a marriage of flavors that made the whole experience greater than the sum of its parts.  In fact, I’d go so far as to say it created a FLAVOR EXPLOSION (we enjoyed this on Independence Day, after all)!
 
For a family that enjoys dining al fresco (fancy for “out on the patio”) as much as possible when the Oregon weather allows, this was the ideal summer meal. 
 
A combo worthy of inclusion in the “great partnerships in history” discussion, for sure.
 
Enjoy!

Black & Bleu & Steak All Over

​Black & Bleu and Steak All Over Salad

​Perfectly seasoned wood-fired steak rests on a cushion of leafy greens, paired with generous chunks of blue cheese and a whole mess of veggies, pushing the flavor of this steak salad off the charts.
 
PREP TIME 20 MINUTES
COOK TIME 13-15 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME 35 MINUTES
SERVINGS 4-5

[ Ingredients ]
​
·       1.5-pound Clear Creek Beef Flat Iron steak
·       1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
·       Whiskey Bent BBQ “The Rocks” All Red Meat dry rub seasoning 
·       2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
·       2 cups fresh spinach
·       2 cups chopped red/green leaf lettuce
·       1 yellow pepper, roasted, sliced in strips
·       1 orange pepper, roasted sliced in strips
·       3-4 radishes, thinly sliced
·       3-4 Roma tomatoes, sliced, then halved
·       1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
·       1 cup sautéed mushrooms
·       1 tablespoon crushed/chopped garlic
·       1 tablespoon butter
·       ½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
·       Salt and fresh ground pepper
·       2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced to ¼” thickness
·       ½ cup ‘craisins’
·       ¼ cup roasted pumpkin seeds
·       2 tablespoons herb & garlic compound butter


[ INSTRUCTIONS ]

1.     The day before you intend to dine on this delicious salad, sauté 1 ½ cups of button mushrooms (they will reduce to roughly 1 cup once fully cooked) and 1 tablespoon of crushed/chopped garlic in 1 tablespoon of butter and ½ tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.  Season with pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper.  Refrigerate.

2.     Remove thawed steak from packaging, place on a cookie tray or small rack and return—uncovered--to the refrigerator; allow steak to ‘dry’ in fridge for 12-24 hours.

​3.     Remove steak from fridge and trim any membrane or silver skin.

4.     Drizzle ½ tablespoon of the olive oil on one side of the steak, then season liberally with The Rocks dry rub seasoning; flip the steak, repeat on the other side, then refrigerate for at least :30, and up to 4 hours.

​5.     When ready to cook, set temperature to High and preheat, lid closed for 15 minutes.

6.     When the grill is hot, place steak directly on the grill grate. Cook for 7-8 minutes then flip and cook 6-7 minutes more. Remove from the grill when the internal temperature reaches 130℉ when an instant read thermometer is inserted into the thickest part.

A CCB Flat Iron Steak rests after a proper Traeger cook

7.     Place two pads of herb & garlic compound butter on top steak and let steak rest 10 minutes before slicing. (See Recipe Notes & Tips*)

Slice thin and against the grain to maximize tenderness in each bite

8.     While the steak is resting, build the salad. In a large bowl or serving plate, layer greens, radishes, peppers, eggs before spreading craisins and pumpkin seeds. Distribute ¾ of the bleu cheese crumbles over the entire spread.

9.     Top your creation with the sliced flat iron steak. Finish with the remaining bleu cheese crumbles, drizzle of any remaining steak juices, and add a sprinkle of sea salt and fresh black pepper. Enjoy!
​

At our house, the steak went fast- first words heard at the patio dinner table:
​"This steak is AMAZING!"

*[ RECIPE NOTES & TIPS ]*

·      Refrigerator air drying your steak for 12-24 hours will help create a better crust when grilling; it is much more difficult to achieve a satisfying crust when grilling wet steaks
·      Be sure to watch the temperature of your steak while grilling; a well-done steak will not give you the tender, buttery deliciousness you are seeking
·      Slice thin and against the grain to get nice, tender steak in every bite
 
 
#LOVELAUGHGRILL
                                                                                                                                                           
 
 
You can probably tell by his IG name and logo that Oregon holds a special place for Alan.  As a native Oregonian currently living in the Portland area, Alan appreciates the beauty and splendor found in all four corners of the state and finds the Pacific Northwest essence uplifting and enriching. 
 
This inspiration has led Alan to grill and cook in a way that he hopes fills his growing family’s tummies and spirit.  Alan strives to use local ingredients whenever possible, believing that they are fresher, healthier, and make his meals better, and more enjoyable.
 
Inspired by authenticity and passion, Alan believes that quality product made by passionate folks doesn’t just connect you to great stuff, it connects you to great people.
 
Alan blogs about his cooks on Instagram, and can be found @an_oregon_family.  He longs for days of wide-open skies, snow-capped mountain ranges, and endless opportunities.