Recipe: Jack and Diane Steaks with Whiskey Butter

JACK AND DIANE STEAKS WITH WHISKEY BUTTER

2 bone-in rib-eye steaks,* about 1 pound each and at least 1-inch thick
Olive oil
Kosher salt or your favorite spice rub
Freshly ground pepper, optional
Whiskey butter (recipe follows)
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Build a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill.

Allow the meat to come to room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. Wrap the meat in paper towels to get rid of excess moisture. Just before grilling, remove the towels and brush both sides of the steaks with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Place the steaks on the grates over medium-hot heat and grill for about 5 minutes. Turn the steaks and continue cooking for about 5 more minutes for medium-rare. Remove the steaks from the grill.

Place a slice of the compound butter on each steak and allow it to rest for at least 5 minutes, but no longer than 10 minutes, before serving.

When ready to serve, spread the melted butter around on top of the steaks and place another piece of cold compound butter on each steak. Serve the steaks warm with the butter. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

*Bone-in rib-eyes are also known as cowboy steaks.

WHISKEY BUTTER
Makes 2 logs (1 cup)

Good for Seasoning: Beef (cowboy or any other steak); chicken; pork chops

"I created this butter for my take on Steak Diane. Because I am a southerner, I chose Jack Daniel's instead of the traditional French Cognac. The key is soaking the shallots in the whiskey so that the flavor is deeply ingrained in the butter."

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 shallots, minced soaked in 2 tablespoons Jack Daniel's or other whiskey for 5 minutes
3 teaspoons minced curly fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Jack Daniel's or other whiskey
1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
Fine-ground white pepper

In a medium bowl, mash or stir the butter with a fork until it is smooth and slightly fluffy. Add the shallots soaked in whiskey, parsley, Worcestershire, mustard, Jack Daniel's, salt, and pepper. Mix together, mashing with the back of the fork to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated. Mix well. Taste for seasoning and adjust if desired.

Roll the butter in plastic wrap and smooth out to form round logs about 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Refrigerate until hard and easy to cut into pieces.

Makes 4 servings
Source: Soaked, Slathered, and Seasoned by Elizabeth Karmel