This summer, meat is on the menu

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“Meat is Back, on Plates and in Politics,” read a headline in the New York Times this past April. Just like fashion and ever-changing hemlines, food also comes in and out of favor. Think of the popularity of quiche in the 1980s, or fondue, cupcakes or croissants in the late 1990s.

According to New York Times writer Kim Severson, meat has been “…blamed for poor health, implicated in climate change and attacked for cruelty to animals.” Severson goes on to say that meat “…played the villain while plant-based burgers, grain bowls and four-star vegan dishes took their star turn.”

But, no more. “Meat has muscled its way back to the center of the plate.”

Meat-centric restaurants are popping up all over the country. And, according to recent a report from March, sales of beef, pork, lamb and poultry have hit a record high in the last year. Sales of plant-based meat, which was so in fashion for the past few years, have fallen sharply. For perspective, I wrote a report on vegan burgers from 2019.

So, with summer and Father’s Day on the horizon, I thought I’d experiment with a few meat dishes. These three recipes each rely on a different cooking technique combined with the best flavors of the season.

The first is a classic: grilled ribeye steak. A ribeye is bursting with meatiness and protein, but I decided to add an even bigger burst of flavor: a garlic and herb butter to slather on top of the grilled meat just before it comes off the grill and just after it hits your plate.

The second dish uses a different technique. Pork chops are sautéed in a skillet with spring asparagus, peas and turnips, and then finished off in the oven.

And finally, a third technique for braising short ribs — with fresh ginger, garlic, onions and red wine — until they are falling off the bone tender.

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Why add butter to a rich, fatty grilled steak when there’s so much flavor already in the meat? Take a cue from restaurant chefs: many pan-sear steak in butter, spooning it over the meat as it cooks. Here I grill the steak (in this case I used a boneless ribeye, but any cut will work) and add a touch of big-flavored garlicky-herb butter at the end of the grilling time and then an additional slice of the seasoned butter when it just comes off the grill and rests for a few minutes. The idea is that the butter melts on top of the meat and adds flavor, moisture and a glossy finish. Some chefs add a slice of butter to the plate they’re serving the steak on (letting the heat of the meat melt it) and a slice on top, ensuring super moist meat.

The garlic-herb butter can be made 2 to 3 days ahead of time or frozen for a month. Leftovers are excellent on baked potato, grilled seafood or chicken, bread, or pasta, or can be used to make garlic bread.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

The garlic-herb butter:

• 4 tablespoons salted butter, softened at room temperature
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, very finely chopped (depending on how garlicky you like it)
• ⅓ cup, plus 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh herbs (any combination or all of the following: rosemary, chives, thyme, parsley, basil, and/or tarragon)
• Freshly ground black pepper

The steak:

• Two 1-pound boneless ribeyes or any cut, or a 2-pound steak
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. To make the garlic-herb butter: In a bowl, mash the softened butter with a soft spatula or the back of a kitchen spoon. Add the garlic and herbs, and a generous amount of pepper, and work the mixture together until fully incorporated. Roll into a fat cigar shape and wrap in plastic or a reusable plastic container. The butter will keep for several days and can be frozen for up to a month.
2. Preheat a charcoal, gas or wood fire grill to around 400 degrees. Place the steak on the grill and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Gently flip the steak over and cook for another 4 to 6 minutes, depending on the thickness and cut, or until the meat registers 130 to 135 on an internal thermometer for medium rare. During the last few minutes, add a slice of the seasoned butter directly to the steak while it’s still on the grill.
3. Remove the steak to a cutting board or serving platter and add an additional thick slice of the seasoned butter. Let it melt as the steak rests for 4 to 5 minutes and then slice and serve.

Sauteed pork chops with spring asparagus, peas and turnips

Pork chops might sound heavy for June but in this version, paired with delicate spring vegetables like asparagus, fresh peas, and baby turnips, it’s an ideal dinner.

Serves 2 to 4.

Ingredients:

• 1½ tablespoons olive oil
• 2 thick (about 1-inch thick) bone-in pork chops, about 2 pounds
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh sage
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 10 asparagus, ends trimmed and then stalk and tips cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1½ cups shelled English peas (if frozen do not defrost)
• 6 ounces small spring turnips (also called Hakurei or Tokyo turnips), about 6, cut in half if the size of a quarter or cut into quarters if larger
• ¾ cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon butter

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat a large ovenproof skillet with half the oil and place over medium-high heat. When the oil is just sputtering and hot, add the pork chops and season generously with salt, pepper and half the sage. Cook, without touching or fussing, for 5 minutes. Using tongs, gently flip the pork chop, season with salt and pepper and the remaining sage, and brown on the other side for 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and remove the pork chop to a plate.
3. Heat the same skillet over medium-low heat and add the remaining oil. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the turnips and cook, stirring for 3 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook for another minute and season with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to high and add the wine; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the pork chops to the center of the skillet, surround them with all the vegetables and stir in the peas. Place on the middle shelf of the preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meat is 140 degrees when tested in the thickest part. Remove from the oven and add the butter. When it’s melted, taste the sauce and add more salt, pepper or sage if needed.

Braised short ribs with red wine, onions, ginger, carrots and herbs

You can make this dish a full day or two ahead of time and reheat just before serving. Serve with polenta, potatoes, or noodles to soak up all the rich, delicious juices. Because short ribs are so rich, I like to serve them with thinly sliced radishes for a crunchy texture and bright, fresh peppery flavor.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

• About 1 cup flour
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 pounds short ribs
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 large onion, quartered
• 6 scallions, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives or parsley
• 2½ tablespoons fresh thyme, or 1 tablespoon dried and crumbled
• 3 cups dry red wine
• Garnish: 6 radishes, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives or parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place the flour on a plate and season liberally with salt and pepper. Dredge the meat in the flour on all sides.
3. In a large casserole, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Brown the meat on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
4. Add the remaining oil if needed over low heat. Add the garlic, onions, scallions, and ginger and cook, stirring for 3 minutes. Add the carrots, chives, and thyme, and season liberally with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Raise the heat to high and add the wine allowing it to come to a boil. Let boil for 3 minutes. Add the meat back into the casserole. Cover and place on the middle shelf of the preheated oven.
5. Bake for about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the meat feels very tender when tested with a small, sharp knife. Taste the sauce for seasoning. Serve topped with the chives or parsley and the radish slices.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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