What's Cooking: Spend Valentine’s Day in this year with a steak dinner at home

Whether because of work, kids, church activities or other obligations, many find it difficult to find time for date night — much less in the middle of the week.

And with Valentine’s Day falling on a Wednesday this year, many couples may be following the trend to spend the popular date night in.

At New York Butcher Shoppe in Cahaba Heights, those looking to make their own romantic meal can find a variety of items to create a steakhouse experience in their own kitchens, said Jim Moeller, who runs the franchise location.

“People are finding the value of staying at home,” he said.

“You don’t have to worry about getting a table or making reservations, parking — you don’t even have to get dressed up,” he added with a laugh.

The store opened in the Heights Village shopping center in 2010, and for the last few years has offered a Valentine’s Day dinner-for-two special.

“Each year we’ve done this, it’s gotten bigger,” Moeller said.

Even for those whose kitchen specialty is “making reservations,” Moeller said it’s worth it to stay in.

“We look at it as, you can cook your steak better than anyone else can, that’s my opinion,” he said.

The first step, he said, is knowing what to look for at the butcher shop or grocery store — and what not to look for. The USDA grades beef as “Prime,” the highest quality; “Choice” a less expensive, but still good quality; to “Select,” which Moeller said is generally less tender and lacks the flavor higher-quality steaks have.

Moeller recommended looking for a “Prime” or “High-Choice” steak, and that he is partial to Angus, which is what his shop sells.

Then, it’s all about the marbling.

“I think people make a mistake when they look for steaks because they look for red, and they want to stay away from the fat, when actually that’s the opposite of what you want to look for,” he said.

The more red the color of a steak, Moeller said, the tougher it will be.

Instead, he said shoppers should look for small white flecks of fat throughout the piece of meat. “That fat there melts into the meat and actually bastes the meat, and it makes it really tender and juicy,” he said.

Moeller said a popular cut for Valentine’s Day day is the standard 8-ounce filet mignon, but that ribeye and strip steaks are easy to prepare as well.

When the time comes to prepare the steak, Moeller suggested taking the meat out of the refrigerator 30-45 minutes before cooking. While within the food-safety window, letting the meat lose some of its chill will help the steak cook more evenly, he said.

Seasoning is also important, Moeller said, suggesting the standard use of liberal amounts of salt and pepper.

To cook a steak like the pros, Moeller suggested two methods.

The first is to heat a cast iron pan on medium-high heat, then place the steak in ⅛-¼ inch of oil. Sear on each side for three minutes, then move to a preheated, 300 degree oven.

Cook for about 10 minutes, then let rest for at least 15 minutes.

For those using a grill, Moeller suggested turning on the heat to only one side, searing the steak on each side for three minutes, then moving the meat to the other side of the grill to cook indirectly for about 10 minutes.

Moeller said those looking for a particular level of “done” can follow Certified Angus Beef brand’s temperature guidelines:

Rare: 125 degrees Fahrenheit 

Medium Rare: 135 degrees

Medium: 145 degrees

Medium Well: 150 degrees

Well: 160 degrees

Moeller said New York Butcher Shoppe will offer a special of two filets, two twice-baked potatoes, a salad and four dinner rolls for $42.99.

“You’re getting the same quality as what you’d find at a high restaurant, for a fraction of the price.”