Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #778853 in Books
• Published on: 2003-11-14
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 256 pages

From Amazon.com
The mania for healthy, low-fat eating has led to the demonization of what was once an icon of the American culinary tradition, the steak. Food writer William Rice, author of Where to Eat in America has committed the modern-day heresy of producing a paean to what he calls the "forbidden fruit" with Steak Lover's Cookbook. Although he may be preaching to the converted, he has created a wonderful book. Passionate about his subject, he waxes eloquent about his favorite cuts of meat, provides suggestions on the best foods to serve a prior to a big porterhouse, and offers up a host of recipes, classic and modern.

From Publishers Weekly
Rump. Loin. Skirt. Hoof. Chuck. Flank. Butt. Sometimes it's hard to tell whether food journalist Rice gets greater pleasure from writing these meaty monosyllables or from eating the cuts of beef they name. He's a modified beef purist, which means he accepts the proposition that it's permissible to apply more than fire to a good cut of meat. He'll subject a porterhouse to a sherry-shallot vinaigrette, whip up a Thai marinade for a flank steak or dress a rib-eye steak with a pinot noir buerre rouge. The book is divided into sections devoted to the various cuts of beef, beginning with the tenderloin (and the filets into which it is often cut) and closing with the cheaper cuts like chuck. Rice offers solid, simple recipes for every part of the cow, from an elegant steak au poivre ("The True Steak," made with filet mignon) to Chicken-Fried Cube Steak with Pan Gravy. There are also recipes for sides like Steak Fries Without the Frier and Okra with Toasted Onions and Cumin. Although many of the preparations require a good outdoor grill, Rice is a big fan of pan-frying in a mixture of butter and olive oil. He broils, too (though most home broilers simply won't do a prime cut of meat justice). With sidenotes on favored steakhouses, shopping tips and ample cow lore, this cookbook offers plenty for both the casual and the committed carnivore to chew on. Author tour.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Hard on the heels of Janeen Sarlin and Diane Porter's The Meat Lover's Cookbook (LJ 12/96) comes Rice's steak book, and?judging by the number of steakhouses that have opened in Manhattan in the last few months alone?not a moment too soon. Rice's tribute to steak offers delicious recipes for "Uptown" and "Downtown" cuts, along with several dozen appetizers and side dishes and a handful of desserts. Some of the beef dishes are from restaurants, including Steak a la Stone from the famed Palm; others are the author's own: Bloody Mary Steak and Sauce, Superior Steak Hash. With mouthwatering recipes and a passionate, witty, and informed text, this is recommended for most collections.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Yummm... Steak...
First, I have to say that this cookbook has the best guide I've ever found to figuring out the doneness of a cut of steak without having to slice it open and let out those wonderful juices. That alone made its purchase worthwhile. The rest of the book is organized by cut of steak. There's the tenderloin chapter, the T-bone chapter, porterhouse, strip or top loin, rib, rib-eye, sirloin, chuck, etc. Each chapter starts with information on that particular cut: what its texture and taste are like, how large and thick it tends to be, what it may be called by your butcher, and how it can best be cooked. If you really want to turn out the best steaks in town, it's hard to find a better resource than this cookbook!

Some of the recipes in here are fairly standard. For instance, in the tenderloin chapter you'll find the classic "Steak au Poivre," or peppercorn steak. Some recipes are twists on classics: such as Surf and Turf, Asian Style. Rice pulls recipes from various cuisines, such as Stuffed Filets with Ancho Sauce, Steak and Noodles Vietnamese Style, and Three-Pepper Fajitas. You'll also find a few recipes that won't quite fit your standard view of steak: Asian Beef Salad with Cucumber, for instance, or flank Steak Sandwiches with Red Pepper-Dill Ketchup. Some are his own recipes; others are from various other chefs. You'll also find appetizers and side dishes, from Beer and Cheese Spread to Mango Guacamole.

New and interesting things are done with steak in this book; it's about as far as one can get from slapping it on the backyard barbecue two minutes before the football game. These are sumptuous and inventive dishes. But I think Mr. Rice realized that if he was going to put out a steak cookbook, he would have to cater to that other crowd as well. So every now and then you'll find him exhorting you to "serve it with beer!" (I think that last quotation should be imagined in a deep, manly voice.)

Not every recipe in this cookbook is equally stunning; some are merely mediocre. But the information provided is top-notch, and there are certainly some real prize-winners among the recipes (our favorite is the Bloody Mary Steak and Sauce).

Not as great as expected
I was excited when I first received the book. At first glance it looked compact enough, with large print that is easy to refer to. I was disappointed at the lack of real pictures (it's difficult to follow recipes without a color picture as a guide!). I wanted to learn methods to cook steak. This book basically gives you a bunch of different sauces and side dishes. If you are one of those steakhouse lovers that believe in nothing but salt, pepper, and a hot grill/pan to make the perfect steak, this book is not for you.

Bravo!
I bought this book to help me become a better grill chef. I love a steak cooked on my grill. There are tips for how to grill successfully here, especially on page 26 and page 6. There are several notable tips for insuring a great grilling experience, such as the admonition to use Salt on page 40 and 51. I love the composed butter recipe for T-Bone steaks.

The book is organized by types of "cuts". It is the uptown cuts that interest me the most. The sections about the T- Bone, Porterhouse, Strip, Rib Eye, and Sirloin. There are recipes for each type of cut. There are many asides in this book that describe the history of and tools used in cooking steaks.

I will not comment on the downtown or cross-town recipes because I've not spent much time with them.

I cannot help but favorably recommend a book the mentions a personal favorite steak house of mine in Ponder, Texas.