When Mike and I first started dating, he was professing himself as a vegetarian with vegan leanings and as a good Texas girl with a love for cheese, I frequently wondered whether we would last. Would my love for cheese and meat trump my feelings for Mike? Luckily, it never came to that. All it took was one pan of crispy bacon to bring Mike back to the meat eating fold. He has even learned to love my good friends – brie, cheddar and feta. Sadly though, he stood firm on his hate for steak and beef in general. Apparently the old adage about the way to a man’s stomach and being able to make a good steak didn’t apply to Mike. I was sad for a day or two but quickly moved on to plying him with juicy lamb burgers and sausage tacos. Then, last week, The Amateur Gourmet posted his “Perfect Steak” method and my stifled desire for a good steak was reborn.

As with any high quality meat product, simplicity is best. Get a good cut of meat (I chose a 1 1/2 inch thick prime ribeye), fresh herbs and garlic, a pan that can tolerate high heat and some butter. Yep, this isn’t for the carrot stick eating crowd. It’s meaty, primal and juicy with a side of melted butter. Perfect for the Monday night blues.

Mike and I actually teamed up to make this perfect steak and I caught him saying things like “ok, I LOVE steak” and “this is the best thing I’ve ever eaten”… So girls, don’t lose hope if your guy says he’s a vegetarian or a vegan or even a raw foodist. Try throwing some bacon or this perfect steak his way, he just might bite! Go ahead and watch The Amateur Gourmet video on how to make this steak – we followed it to the T and can stand fully behind it’s “Perfect Steak” tagline.

The Perfect Steak by The Amateur Gourmet

We split one 8 oz steak and served it with a huge romaine salad dressed simply with balsamic vinegar/olive oil/sea salt and some sliced mango. Yum, yum!  Here are a few glamour shots of the finished product. And yes, it’s medium rare but they cover how to tell “doneness” in the video, just in case you’re one of those medium or ::gasp:: well done people.

Enjoy!