Salt-Crusted Porterhouse *Recipe #13 Page 57*

Be

This was a really good recipe for steak and it has a great presentation! It was tender and flavorful and much quicker (for the immense size) than grilling. The crust was very easy to make and I think these steaks would be great for entertaining. After you apply the salt crust and pop them in the oven you are free to do whatever. The oven does all the work for you. However, I would check the steaks after 15 minutes (or less depending on the size). I was trying to achieve a very pink medium and I ended up getting medium to well-done. Next time, I will start checking the temperature of the steak with my meat thermometer after maybe 10 minutes. We ate these particular steaks alongside Tyler's Ultimate Onion Rings. It was a restaurant-worthy meal. I am grateful for that because the steaks alone were $40. I suppose I should learn a lesson in sending a man to the store to buy steak. Why wouldn't he come back with the largest steak in the store?

RECIPE

2 - 18 oz. Porterhouse Steaks (1-1/2 " thick) *mine were about 20 oz. and 30 ozs.

extra virgin olive oil

freshly ground black pepper

6 egg whites

3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

2 bay leaves

3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves only

4 sprigs fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley

3 sprigs fresh sage, leaves only

4 sprigs thyme, leaves only

3 cups kosher salt * I found I needed more to make a thicker paste*

Allow steaks to stand at room temp for about 20 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and season with black pepper. Preheat oven to 475. in a large bowl whisk egg whites until slightly foamy. In a food processor (or by hand if you are me) combine garlic, bay leaves, rosemary, parsley, sage, and thyme and pulse until finely chopped. Add herb mixture and salt to egg whites and mix well until it holds together like paste.

Place steaks in center of large cast-iron skillet or roasting dish and mound salt paste on top and around the sides of steaks. Roast about 15 minutes for med-rare (I would check temp around 10 mins.). Your thermometer should say 125 when inserted for medium rare. remove from oven and let stand for 7-8 minutes before cracking salt shell. Slice and serve.