A fabulous spinach steak! Spinach is not only one of the tastiest cuts of beef, it's also one of the cheapest. Read the article and find out how to cook a baby spinach to perfection, you will also find some precious ideas that will allow you to marinate it and accompany it, enhancing its rich and intense flavor.
Ingrediants
Californian-style baby spinach
- 1 Spinach steak (450-700 g)
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (30 ml)
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
Baked Spinach with Red Wine Sauce
- 1 steak of baby spinach (450-700 g)
- 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (15 ml)
- 1 tablespoon of safflower oil (15 ml)
- 60 ml of red wine (to your taste, but of quality)
- 120 ml of water
- 2 tablespoons of butter, cut into 4 small cubes (30 g)
- 2 teaspoons of peppercorns, broken or coarsely ground (10 g)
- Salt and Pepper To Taste.
Sautéed Spinach in a Pan
- 1 steak of baby spinach (450-700 g)
- 60 ml of soy sauce
- 60 ml of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 tablespoons of water (30 ml)
- Salt and Pepper To Taste.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: California-style baby spinach
Step 1. Prepare the meat
Dry it using absorbent paper and brush it with extra virgin olive oil. Massage it with your hands using the mixture of salt, pepper and garlic, then let it sit for about an hour.
Step 2. Turn on the barbecue
Whether you are using a gas or wood barbecue, prepare 2 different cooking zones: one with direct heat, with a very high temperature (about 230 ° C), and one in which the temperature is medium-low, about 120 ° C.
Step 3. Cook the steak slowly
Place the meat on the coldest part of the grill, with the thicker side facing the hottest part of the barbecue, and cook with the lid closed. Turn the meat every 20 minutes, until it has reached a core temperature of 43 ° C at its thickest point. Depending on the size of the cut of meat and the temperature of the grill, it should take about 30-40 minutes to cook.
Step 4. Finish cooking
When the core temperature of the meat has reached 43 ° C, move it to the hottest part of the grill and brown it for about 5 minutes on each side.
Step 5. Let it rest
Remove the meat from the grill and wrap it in a sheet of aluminum foil, let it rest for about 5-10 minutes. In this way the juices will be redistributed in the fibers of the meat and will not be lost during the cut.
Step 6. Slice and Serve
Cut the steak in half and observe the direction in which the fibers of the meat develop. If the muscle bundles run lengthwise, turn it 90 ° C and cut it perpendicular to the fibers, into slices about 0.5-1cm thick.
Step 7. Serve on the table
Accompany the dish with toasted bread, grilled or fried potatoes, a green salad and a good glass of red wine.
Method 2 of 3: Baked baby spinach with red wine sauce
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 245 ° C and organize it by placing a shelf at the top
Step 2. Prepare the meat
Dry it using absorbent paper and brush it with extra virgin olive oil. Massage it with your hands using the salt and pepper mixture.
Step 3. Brown the steak
In a cast iron, or deep-bottomed skillet, pour a tablespoon of safflower oil and heat it over medium-high heat until shiny. Brown the meat on all sides for a total time of about 3-5 minutes.
Step 4. Finish cooking
Place the skillet in the pan and cook the steak for about 10 minutes if you want it lightly rare. Remove the meat from the oven and let it rest for about 5-10 minutes after wrapping it in aluminum foil. In this way the juices will be redistributed in the meat and will not be lost during the cut.
Step 5. Make the sauce
Return the pan in which you cooked the meat to the heat and add the red wine. Stir to deglaze the juices at the bottom. Cook for a few minutes, or until the sauce has reduced by half.
- Add the water and the remaining meat juices on the plate, bring to a boil and cook for 3-5 minutes. The sauce will have to be reduced by half again.
- Add the butter and mix with a whisk until completely melted.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper according to your taste.
Step 6. Slice and Serve
Cut the steak in half and then into 0.5-1 cm thick slices, perpendicular to the direction of the fibers.
Step 7. Serve on the table
Arrange a few slices of meat on each serving dish and toss with the wine sauce. Serve the meat with french fries, a green salad and the same wine you made the sauce with.
Method 3 of 3: Sautéed Baby Spinach
Step 1. Marinate the meat
In a large bowl, mix the extra virgin olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, pepper and water to make a well-blended marinade. Dip the meat in the sauce and turn it several times on all sides to season it evenly. Cover the bowl with cling film and put it in the refrigerator to rest for at least 4 hours. When about 2 hours has passed, flip the meat over to the other side.
Step 2. Prepare a pan
Pour 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and heat it until it becomes shiny. Remove the meat from the marinade and dry it with paper towels before placing it in the pan.
Step 3. Brown the meat
After putting the meat in the pan, do not touch it for about a minute, then you can turn it over and cook it on the other side for another minute.
Step 4. Cook the steak
Reduce the heat to medium and cook the meat for 6-12 minutes, turning it occasionally. The cooking time will vary according to your tastes.
Step 5. Serve on the table
Slice the meat perpendicular to the direction of the fibers, creating slices about 0.5-1 cm thick. Serve the meat accompanied with roasted new potatoes, a spoonful of horseradish sauce and a good glass of red wine.
Advice
- It is very important to slice the baby spinach in the opposite direction to the fibers of the meat. Otherwise, you will get a very tasty steak, but with a stringy and chewy texture.
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Try accompanying your dish with a sauce. This cut of meat goes perfectly with sauces and vegetables, here are some suggestions:
- Chimichurri sauce
- Grilled mushrooms and onions
- Sauce with Gorgonzola
- Butter
- Barbecue sauce
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Cook to taste. Spinach is a very tasty cut of meat, but which may not please everyone (very tender if served rare or slightly more cooked). Help yourself with this useful cooking and temperature guide:
- Blue: internal temperature from 45 to 52 ° C
- Very rare: core temperature 53 to 57 ° C
- Rare: core temperature from 58 to 62 ° C
- Slightly rare: core temperature 63 to 68 ° C
- Medium cooking: internal temperature from 69 to 74 ° C
- Almost well done: internal temperature from 75 to 81 ° C
- Well done: internal temperature 82 ° C
