Chasen's hobo steak

2 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 New York steak 3-inch-thick
Freshly ground pepper
1 Strip beef fat *
1 cup Salt
2 tablespoons Water
Sourdough French bread **
½ cup Unsalted butter

Directions

* Beef fat - ¼-inch-thick, as wide as steak is thick or several smaller pieces of fat.

** Sourdough French bread - cut into 3x1 1/2x4-inch slices, toasted.

Season steak to taste with pepper. Wrap fat around steak to cover sides completely but not top or bottom of steak. Tie around sides with 1 string near top or bottom of steak. Tie another string over steak to hold fat securely. Combine salt and water to make mush.

Mound mush over top of steak, covering meat completely.

Place steak under broiler and broil 8 to 10 minutes, depending on size. Remove salt crust, keeping crust in 1 piece. Turn steak over and place salt on other side. Broil another 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove steak from oven and discard salt and fat.

Slice meat, cutting slightly on diagonal. Heat butter in chafing dish or large skillet until foaming and lightly browned. Place meat, few slices at a time, in foaming butter. Cook to desired degree of doneness.

Allow about 1 minute on each side for rare. Place each slice of meat on 1 slice of toast and spoon some hot butter over.

Each serving contains about: 415 calories; 863 mg sodium; 111 mg cholesterol; 23 grams fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 30 grams protein; 0.07 gram fiber.

Source: Maude Chasen of Chasen's in Beverly Hills provided the recipe in 1978.

The method of finishing the steak in a chafing dish at the table is typical of Continental service, which one rarely sees today.

(Chasen's is one of the few restaurants in Los Angeles still practicing table-side service.) The use of fat and a salt crust is a classic flavoring trick for sealing meat juices. Both the fat and salt crust are discarded before the steak is finished. It's a great steak to serve when company comes because it can be cooked ahead and finished just before serving.

NOTE: Chasen's closed its doors in early 1995.

Presented by: Rose Dosti, L.A. Times Culinary SOS column, 12/3/94, page H28.

Recipe By :

From: Dan Klepach Date: 06-16-95 (159) Fido: Cooking

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