The Denver Steak! The Denver Steak comes from the serratus ventralis muscle which is part of the Beef chuck or the shoulder of the cow. Because the Denver Steak is positioned directly underneath the shoulder blade bone it does not get used much and thus is one of the more tender parts of the beef chuck. Combine that tenderness with the great chuck flavor & texture, and then add in the Wagyu marbling which can be seen on the picture...well just strap in and enjoy the ride because this is steak at its very best!
Denver Steak
There are a few ways to cook a Denver Steak and the techniques below describe tried and true cooking methods for the home cook who appreciates perfectly seared crust on a medium rare Denver Steak!
Denver Steak Marinade & Reverse Sear Technique:
Marinade Recipe:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 garlic clove, smashed
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon ground or fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- Mix up the marinade in a bag 6 to 8 hours ahead of time and refrigerate. Do not put the Denver Steak in the marinade yet!
- Place the Denver Steak in the marinade no more than 45 minutes before grilling.
- While the Denver Steak is getting happy in the marinade get the grill set up with a hot and cooler side so that you can do a reverse sear.
- After 30 to 45 minutes in the marinade pull the Denver Steak out of the marinade and pat it dry.
- Lightly salt and pepper the steak and place on the cooler side of the grill.
- Grill the Denver Steak on the cooler side until it reaches 130 degrees and then move to the hot side and sear each side of the steak for 1 minute on each side.
- Once each side of the steak is seared properly pull it off the grill and let rest for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes slice the Denver Steak thin and across the grain and serve.
- Enjoy your Denver Steak!
The Sous Vide Technique:
The Sous Vide Cooker can be used to cook the Denver Steak! The trick is to salt and then Sous Vide the Denver steak.
Instructions for the Sous Vide cook:
1. Salt the Denver Steak on both sides and let rest on a rack in the refrigerator for an hour.
2. After an hour either vacuum pack the Denver Steak using a Vacuum Sealer Machine and put into Sous Vide container or proceed with #3:
3. Put Denver Steak into a Ziplock bag (zip top of bag most of way shut and then slowly insert the bag into the Sous Vide Container filled with water, when the water level nears the top of the zip lock bag seal off the rest of way).
4. Set the Anovo Sous Vide Cooker to cook the steak at 125 degrees.
5. After two hours pull the bag out of the Sous Vide and the steak out of the bag and pat the Denver Steak dry with paper towels.
6. Put a little pepper on both sides if desired and then sear the Denver Steak off for 1 to 2 minutes on each side either in a hot cast iron skillet or on a hot grill.Once the sear is completed remove the steak from the grill and slice it thin and across the grain. Because the steak has been Sous Vide'd it does not require the 5 minute rest period and can be sliced immediatly.
Enjoy your Woody Wagyu Denver Steak!
Serious Eats has a great Denver Steak Spice Rub and & Grill recipe...try it and enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, toasted
- 1 teaspoon coriander seed, toasted
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed, toasted
- 1 teaspoon cumin pods, toasted
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 taspoons)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 1 Sirloin Tip steak, 2 to 2 1/2 pounds
- Kosher salt
Combine pepper, coriander, fennel, cumin, red pepper flakes, and oregano in a mortar and pestle and grind until coarsely crushed. Alternatively pulse in a spice grinder or food processor until coarsely crushed (not powdered). Transfer to a small bowl. Add garlic and oil and mix with a fork to combine. Rub spice paste over all surfaces of the Denver Steak, massaging it to work mixture into crevices.
Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Alternatively, set half the burners on a gas grill to the highest heat setting, cover, and preheat for 10 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate.
Season both sides of the Denver steak liberally with salt. Place over hot side of grill and cook, turning frequently, until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 125°F and a charred crust has formed on the surface (if threatening to burn, cook over middle of grill or over cool side of grill as necessary), about 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes.
Cut the Woody Wagyu Denver steak into thin slices against the grain and serve!
The suggested side for the Denver Steak is coming soon1
A nice Chappellet Cabernet would go great with the Woody Wagyu Sirloin Tip Steak! The Chappellet is a bold and fruit forward wine with structured tannins that pairs well with the Denver steak prepared either with the Marinade or with the Spice techniques!