Thanks to all for the suggestions!!
Well we went a tad overboard as there was only the two of us, we've really not been able to dine out for the past 9 months so we were "due". Ordered NY Strips from Allen & Flannery, but also picked up a package of Prime strips from Costco asI was there....don't laugh, they looked very good.
I have way too many vintage Griswold cast iron pans that see frequent use when my wife is out of the house, she allowed their use that night based on a compromise!
So she seasoned 1 of each with salt, (we only ordered 1 each from the mail orders as I would rather not freeze prime beef...I may be off here...edumacate me please), placed them in the oven at 225 until the desired temp, (well below final temp) and then took them out to the side burner on the grill where a large dry cast iron pan had been heating for about 10 minutes. Steaks went in and then I placed 2 tbl of butter in the pan after two minutes, flipped, spooned the butter over the steaks, and pulled off after an additional 2 minutes. Perfect char! The smoke on the patio was impressive, with no kitchen ceiling/walls/light fixtures to scrub later! (Now you see why she doesn't like to leave me alone at home.)
We have recently moved and had a small wine collection that we had the opportunity to go through. Hmmm the Cardinal looked tempting as did the Tignanellos, or the 4 year vertical of Cinq Cepage but I pulled out a 94 Australian Shiraz and to be safe, opened up a 2015 Rioja Riserva...as well as a Ripasso. No we did not drink three bottles, we love to do flights at home but we would concentrate on the Shiraz first as it was more than likely past it's prime. The two others would be fine opened the next day or two.
Well....the 94 was fabulous but faded rather quickly as we had decanted. It was fine for about 10 minutes in the glass then most of the fruit and tannins evaporated...still good, just not as good as the first few sips. Odd, the Shiraz was great w/the Costco steak!!
I love Rioja and consider Ripasso one of the more interesting wines for not a ton of money and both worked well with the dry aged steaks. Boy red wine with steak, really went out on a limb huh??
We could tell the Costco by taste vs the dry aged but frankly, it was pretty darned good. Each mail order steak cost more than the 4 pack from Costco...but the two mails order steaks were head and shoulders better than the Costco, but compared to Wegmans beef or Price Choppers Black Angus, (my go to day to day), the Costco steaks were excellent. My wife isn't a huge fan of dry aged beef but she liked the Flannery, she'd eat it again....(actually she did, slightly warmed for lunch on a bed of arugula).
Fun night, expensive but the cost was tempered by the fact that we've not dined out in ages as mentioned, the wines were already in the house and it cost less than the two of us having a similar meal w/one good bottle of wine....and we would have had to settle for a lesser quality steak in my hometown! Plus I was able to sip a nice brandy after and not worry about the drive home.
One thing I learned...and I'm embarrassed to say this....I thought Gallaghers in NY had closed permanently...I saw Allen's are a purveyor to Gallaghers.
Need to get back there as soon as this madness is behind us!
Happy new years all!
