How To Grill A Denver Steak
Remove your Denver steaks from the refrigerator 30 minutes in advance and let them come to room temperature. Allow your grill to heat while the meat comes to room temperature.
Season your Denver steak with salt and pepper or your preferred herbs and spices. Cook your Denver steak for approximately 4-5 minutes on each side. Allow the Denver steaks to rest for 10 minutes before slicing them against the grain.
Where To Find Denver Steaks
Even though it has been over 10 years since its grand release, it is still not a cut you are likely to find prewrapped in the meat section of your local market. You may need to head for your local butcher and see if they have knowledge of this cut and know how to prepare it for you. If you get a raised eyebrow and a shoulder shrug. Move on. If this is not cut correctly you will only waste your money or you will have to change your plans from grilling to using acrockpot.
Online is still a little challenging too. An Amazon search for Denver steak will bring you many images of alternative steaks and steak knives but at the time of this article, not one Denver Steak supplier appeared.
You might think, Oh, I will just look for a Zabuton Steak and again you will only findZabuton cushions, great for sitting on while you figure out how you can get your hands on either steak.
This is one of those times where you are going to have to look beyond amazon and find a special butcher online. Dont worry, I have you covered.
First up is Crowd Cow.Denver Steak is available fromwww.crowdcow.com as the demand requires. So basically, if it is not available you will see a join the waitlist button, and when the demand is reached they will cut and deliver to the people on the list. So perhaps you may need that Zabuton Cushion after all. But if your timing is right, you may only need to wait a day or two for your Denver steak to arrive.
How To Cook Denver Steak
Before you begin cooking Denver steak, assess how it was cut by the butcher. For maximum tenderness, the Denver steak needs to be sliced across the grain. Ideally, the butcher will separate the front section from the rear section before slicing each part into steaks. Doing it this way creates a triangular piece of meat and allows every steak to be sliced across the grain. But producing uniformly-sized steaks from a triangle means trimming off the points, which go into stew meat or ground beef, meaning less profit.
Therefore, what often happens is that the butcher will simply slice the muscle into steaks from back to front. This is the fastest technique and it produces the most steaks with the least amount of waste. Unfortunately, that means the steaks won’t be uniformly sliced against the grain, so they could be chewy. For that reason, be very careful to avoid overcooking them, as this will just make them even tougher.
You can cook Denver steaks on the grill, stovetop, or stovetop-oven combination. If grilling, you will want to marinate the meat first and grill over medium-high heat the stovetop will take 2 to 3 minutes for medium-rare and a few minutes longer for more well done. If you choose to first sear on the stovetop and then roast in the oven, plan on 325 F for 5 to 7 minutes for medium-rare. No matter which method you choose, searing iteither at the start or end of cooking timeis ideal.
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Where To Buy Denver Cut Steak Online
If you cant seem to find Denver locally, or you havent got the time to search for it, fear not, as there is a simple solution. Thankfully there are online meat-markets, where you can browse and order the cuts you want from the comfort of your home.
Here are three online outlets that sell the Denver steak:
What’s The Best Way To Serve
Against-the-Grain Cut Denver Steak
As I mentioned in the upper section, the best way to serve the denver cut is having in mind to always cut against the grain. This rule applies to almost every steak but a lot of people forget to apply it.
If you don’t cut it against the grain, the possibility of drying out is higher and the meat can end up chewy.
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What Is A Denver Steak
The Denver steak, also known by the names Denver cut, under blade steak, or chuck steak, comes from the cows front shoulder. While the chuck area is known for containing beefy-flavored and fatty cuts, the Denver steak is different.
The chuck subprimal muscle is tough if it is not slowly cooked at a low temperature. However, the chuck muscle is divided by a large bone, and the meat that surrounds the bone requires less preparation than the rest of the shoulder. It is like finding a rare diamond.
Even though the Denver steak isnt something new, it is not as popular as the New York strip or Tenderloin steak. It takes a strong hand and an experienced butcher to remove the blade-shaped bone, divide and remove the muscle, and pull out the steak.
How To Store A Denver Steak
If you arent preparing and eating your steak immediately, it helps to know the best ways to store it properly. You can keep the steak in the refrigerator for up to five days or freeze it for a more extended period. With a Denver steak, you can freeze it for three-four months.
The best way to maintain its taste and freshness is to remove it from the original packaging and put it into a freezer bag. Also, remove as much air as possible to keep its rich flavor if you have vacuum-sealing bags, that would be even better.
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How To Grill Denver Steak
Heat grill to high.
Cook for approximately 3 minutes on each side or until steak reaches your desired cook. See notes for cooking temperatures.
Optional: quarter turn each side halfway through cook time for grill marks.
Remove steak from pan and place on a plate to rest for 5 minutes. Place a piece of foil lightly over the top to retain heat while resting.
Whats The Best Way To Cook A Denver Steak
Like a filet mignon, a Denver steak has almost no fat cap. What makes it different is its remarkable amount of intermuscular fat marbling, which keeps it juicy as it cooks. That means you can cook it to medium, and itll still taste great.
Prepare a Denver steak simply with salt and pepper or use your favorite spice blend or seasoning. Cook it over a hot grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side and let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing it. If you dont have a grill, fire up your cast-iron skillet, and itll taste just as good.
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How To Cook Denver Steak On A Grill Or Smoker
The Denver is often at risk of being over-prepared or overcooked due to its links with the tough chuck primal, which has many thinking it needs to be slowly cooked and tenderized.
According to Woerner, the Denver is unrivaled for flavor and should be treated as simply as possible, so, just as the discoverer would, follow these simple steps for the grill:
Nutritional Benefits Of Denver Steak
If you are searching for a healthy cut of red meat, the Denver steak is a great choice. It is a rich source of protein. Each3-ounce serving of Denver steak has a whopping 22 grams of protein.
Furthermore, Denver steaks can give you 60 percent of the recommended daily amount of zinc. Zinc is a necessary element for the immune system. With a generous amount of iron, each serving of Denver steak contains 180 calories and only 4.4 grams of saturated fat.
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Great Quality And Flavor For Budget Price
The Denver cut steak is one of the best kept secrets and is an outstanding alternative to the pricey Ribeye. A key element to the Denver steak is the skill of the butcher cutting it. With the low price, I didn’t have great expectations of the Hassell version. But I wanted to give a Texas ranch the business.
When I received the Denver steaks they were individually vacuum sealed and all exceeded the advertised 8oz. The steaks were well marbled and appeared to be skillfully cut. I prepared them Sous Vide for 2 hours at 132degrees and seared them on a gas grill. The steaks were fantastic. Were they A5 Wagyu? Likely not. Were they superior to USDA Prime, absolutely and for a fraction of the price. One of the simple tests I have for a steak is serve it seasoned only with Kosher salt and black pepper to a guest who usually slathers their steaks in butter and elaborate seasoning. Every one of them said it was the best steak they ever had. If you like your steaks medium or longer, this is not the steak for you. This steak has to be served rare to medium rare or it can be chewy. The Hassell Denver steak is the best value online by far!
Smoked Spatchcock Chicken With Smokey Barbecue Sauce
Because whereas chicken is often prepared with the breast side up, spatchcock makes for much quicker roasting. Its also convenient, as the flattened chicken can rest directly on the grill grates, in a baking pan or on an oiled rack during cooking.
This recipe uses a brine for extra juiciness. The smoked spices in the rub add flavor and help create a nice crispy exterior. The Memphis-style barbecue sauce that coats and drips off the chicken while it bakes is the real star of this recipe, though. Its hearty, sweet and smokey with a nice kick of heat.
You Will Need Three 8-Ounce Jars of Your Favorite Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients:
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History Of The Denver Steak
Though this steak has been around for more than 10 years, it is still very difficult to find. One could say it is the endangered species of the steak world. In fact, Denver steaks did not exist until 2009.
Denver steaks true origins are difficult to understand. Some people attribute this beautys origin to The Beef Checkoff Program financed by the Cattlemans Beef Board. The Beef Checkoff Program aimed to discover and promote new and possibly more economical cuts of meat.
Meat science educators from the University of Florida and the University of Nebraska conducted a research project in the 1990s, and the Denver steak was born.
Though this seems to be Denver steaks history, the historical record shows another steak called zabuton, which closely resembles Denver steak. Zabuton is a rare Wagyu steak whose roots stem from Japan.
The name zabuton translates to flat cushion, which alludes to the distinct shape it is served as. This cut of wagyu is usually cut into thin slices and cooked for as little as 8 seconds. Furthermore, cuts from the same region of the animal can be found all over the world.
Size Is Not Everything
When it comes to Denver steak, bigger is not better. Zabuton steaks, which are also cut from under the shoulder blade, are cut very thin. Zabuton steak is cut with the muscle grain and quickly seared leaving the inner steak merely warmed up. Then it is cut thinly against the grain and served with a soy sauce-based sauce. Similar to sashimi.
Denver steaks are cut cross-grain from the start so as you cut the beef after it is on your plate you are cutting with the grain. Therefore, you mustnt start with a thick steak. Your steaks should be ½ to ¾ thick and no more. A 1-inch steak could end up tough and hard to chew. So, opt for thin not thick when it comes to Denver Steaks.
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How To Cut A Denver Steak
The Denversteak cut is a giant top sirloin with a muscle that is big enough to fill a Denver sandwich. If you take a look at the picture below, its safe to say, no matter how many beef cuts youve been exposed to, the denversteak will be one of the largest youve probably seen.
By definition, a Denver steak is a large, round-muscle piece of meat that you eat as is. Not a part of the steak is wasted. It all gets eaten, whether it be the steaks slice at the front of the steak, the two round end pieces, or the full Denver sandwich.
Where To Buy Picanha
Snake River Farms sells some American Wagyu picanha with some insane marbling and texture. They cost $75 for about a 2.5 lb piece of meat. Order your picanha from Snake River Farms.
Porter Road carries this cut as well but since there are only 2 per animal they tend to sell out somewhat quickly. But Porter Road butchers and restocks their supply most days so if you miss out check again the next day. Their picanha runs $36 and it is in the 3.8-4.2 lb range. Order your picanha from Porter Road.
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Where To Buy A Denver Steak
You probably wont find a piece of Denver steak in your local supermarket store or your local steakhouse either. However, there is a good chance you can find Denver steak at your local butcher shop, especially if your butcher is well-known for selling quality steaks.
If you cant find it in your local butcher shop, you should try the internet. There are a few excellent online beef providers known for sourcing cuts of steak like the Denver steak.
Some of the best online butchers for purchasing steak are Snake River Farms, Porter Road, Holy Grail Steak Company, and Crowd Cow.
Where To Find It & Where To Buy It
The denver cut is considered rare and not every butcher knows it. As I explained in the History section, it is mainly ‘discovered’ in the 2000’s in a Beef Checkoff Searching project.
It is only recently gaining popularity and the easiest way to find this cut of beef is online or at a local meat supermarket.
Be prepared that an inexperienced butcher will not know or probably don’t know how to cut it from the chuck beef primal. It requires skills to butcher it as the muscle fibers at the front run in a different direction than the ones in the rear.
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What Is So Magic About Medium
At the temperature of 130 135F, the fats from the marbling begin to melt into the meat. The muscle fiber relaxes and there is still moisture in the center. Marinates and rubs are drawn in and you have a nicely browned to a crisp exterior and a soft moist interior. Its the tipping point where everything comes together but as the temperature rises moisture is lost and the muscle begins to get rigid.
Getting Your Denver Steaks Tender
The Denver steak is nearly the same cut as the Zabuton steak popular in Japan. When people hear this, they may be a bit misled into thinking this is an amazingly tender beef. However, there is a skill to making tough meats tender. Lets look at some of the top ways to get your Denver Steaks tender and full of flavor.
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Chimichurri Marinade And Sauce
Cooking Temperatures: Rare steak, cook to 125 degrees F, Medium Rare to 135 degrees F, Medium to 145 degrees F, Medium Well 155 degrees F, Well Done to 160 degrees F.
Flank Steal, Flap Steak and Skirt Steak: If you cannot find this exact cut, these cuts are similar substitutes. Follow same cooking instructions.
How To Prepare & Cut A Denver Steak For Cooking
Before you cook it, you need to make sure that the butcher has properly cut it. For best results, this cut needs to be sliced across the grain.
A good butcher should separate the front section from the rear section before slicing it into small steaks. This will create a triangular shape piece, which will allow every steak to be sliced across the grain.
The triangle way of cutting will produce the best results but will make the corners to be trimmed, which mean less profit.
Denver Steak Cuts
If your butcher hasn’t sliced the triangle way, then it will be simply sliced from back to front. This is also good but a few slices will not be against the grain, causing them to become chewy if overcooked.
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