Grilled New York Strips with Ancho Chili-Lime Sauce

 

It's been nearly 6 months since the thermometer last hit 60º in Minneapolis. So today is the day. Time to haul out my bag of Fogo lump charcoal and light a fire. Time for grilling some New York Strips with a little oak and mesquite thrown in for good measure. Oh PK Grill, how I have missed thee.

The recipe has a decidedly Argentine bent. So there is no doubt you need a good Malbec to wash it down. If you want a potato on the side, I'd choose some hearty steak fries. But I think rice as a side dish would be a better choice. You could choose Spanish/Yellow rice as a nice contrast to the heat of the sauce...but I know my wife likes absolute spice bombs. So I'll serve her this tonight with some Mexican Dirty Rice.

INGREDIENTS

For the Sauce

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces, divided

1 shallot minced

2 teaspoons ancho chili powder

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon all-purpose flower

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

2 teaspoons lime juicec

For the Steaks

4 New York Strip Steaks, 12 to 16 ounces each and 1-1/2" thick

Kosher salt

Fresh cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the sauce. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add shallot, chili powder, garlic, flour, cumin, salt, and cayenne and cook until shallot is softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth and bring to simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons butter, 1 piece at a time, until emulsified. Keep warm.
2. Prepare your grill for 2 cooking zones. One zone for direct cooking over high heat and the other indirect. Season steaks with salt and pepper.
3. When your grill is hot, place steaks in direct zone over high heat. Cover grill and cook for 4 minutes. Then flip steaks, keeping them in the direct zone for another 4 minutes with your grill covered.
4. Move steaks to the indirect zone, cover grill and cook for another 4 minutes. Then move steaks to a platter, tent them in foil and let them rest for at least 5 minutes.
5. While the steaks are resting, heat sauce over medium low heat for 5 minutes. Then remove sauce from heat and stir in cilantro and lime juice. Plate the steaks and pour the sauce over them. 

Wine pairing: Malbec