When asked how a giant 40 ounce tomahawk rib steak ended up on the newly transplanted Butter's menu, chef Alex Guarnaschelli credited her mother.
"'Pick something and it's something she always said to me growing up. Being a chef is about making choices—pick your protein, pick your cooking method." According to the chef, these mundane choices define someone's personal style. So while a ribeye or New York strip fit well on more delicate menu's, Butter needed something greater—a much larger steak with almost the entire rib bone attached. And while she "loves a grilled steak" Guarnaschelli chose to cook hers on the griddle. The griddle is the ideal surface for what the chef calls "cooking with touch." "I like to interact with my meat," she says, something that is not possible in the same way with a broiled or grilled steak.
Guarnaschelli's steak is USDA Prime beef from Creekstone Farms and dry aged by Pat LaFrieda for 40 days. The industry standard for dry aging is 28 days, but the chef opted for a longer age time because "time is flavor." Indeed, the raw steak has a funky, blue cheese-like aroma. Guarnaschelli seasons the beef simply with freshly crushed peppercorns and Maldon salt before searing it on the flattop and finishing it in the oven. Take a look at the slideshow to see her bring it from kitchen to table:
Butter
70 W 45th StNew York, NY 10036
(212)302-8703
