Hunk of Beef Monday: Restaurant style steak

The secret is out!

It's the week of Valentine's Day!! Men are you still scrambling trying to figure out what to do on Tuesday? (Yes Valentine's Day is Tuesday, for those that weren't sure!) Well today I'll offer you a little help. How about you combine Valentine's Day and "I Heart Beef" month into one meal and really impress your Valentine?! A majority of Americans agree the best way to say "I love you" to your sweetheart on Valentine's Day is with a steak! And since lean beef is good for your heart, you are also saying I love you by serving a heart-healthy dinner. Thanks to Pinterest I'm about to clue you in on a big secret when in comes to cooking steal-- they way the professionals do it!

Here it is... Restaurant style filet Mignon

2 8 ounce filet mignons

4 teaspoons kosher salt

4 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

1 stick butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon thyme, chopped

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

Take 1/2 stick of butter, softened, and mix well with the peeled, chopped garlic, the chopped herbs, and the lemon zest. Form into a log and refrigerate. Generously season the filet’s with salt and pepper, approximately 1 teaspoon of seasoning per side.

Heat the remainder of the butter (1/2 stick) and the olive oil in a cast iron skillet to a screaming hot temperature. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Sear the filets in a screaming hot pan for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until a nice brown crust has formed. While the steak is searing, continue to spoon the residual butter in the pan on top of the meat while it’s cooking. Once both sides are seared, place in the center of the oven for about 6-8 minutes, depending upon how thick your steak is. In the last minute of cooking, take the log of compound butter and slice a nice thick piece to place on top.

Your steak will be ready when it is approximately 135 degrees in the center, or when you push lightly on the top center of the steak and it gently and slowly bounces back. (Note, this is medium rare kids. Some people don’t like to eat cows while they are mooing, so clearly you can cook longer if your afraid of the pink.)

Treat your sweetie to a nutritional powerhouse meal. On average, one 3-ounce serving of lean beef is only 154 calories yet a naturally rich source of 10 essential nutrients - including protein, iron, zinc and B-vitamins. There are more than 29 lean cuts of beef (a cut for everyday in February), including favorites like Flank steak, Tenderloin, 95 percent lean Ground Beef and T-Bone.

Roses are Red

Violets Are Blue

I Heart Lean Beef

And so should you!

Good Luck!

N.Starr