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March 03, 2007
I'm So Ronery
Well, I took my Bride to the airport today. She's going out of town to spend a few days with her pop and daughter is off on a church retreat this weekend so that leaves me all alone.
Well not completely.
But as you can see he's bummed too. While I do have a few friends here to help me pass the time
my main thoughts have turned to food. What to eat... garlic pizza? While that's always a fave I've set my sights higher...
Tenderloin!
I have a hankerin' to have steak au poive for dinner tonight, and I refuse to pay $20 a pound at the store for a few filets, so I bought a whole tenderloin at Costco
and I'm going to trim the beastie myself. It's really not that difficult to do, and as you can see from the price tag it is much cheaper per pound to do this yourself. While $80 is nothing to sneeze at we'll get at least 4 full meals out of a tenderloin this size which makes it an affordable treat. I must warn you Gentle Reader that I'm self-taught in the Sam Peckinpah method of trimming out a filet, however, and I won't object if any of you offer corrections to my technique.
Anyhow, first thing I do is cut off the end of the Cryovac bag and let the excess blood drain.
After it's reasonably drained remove the rest of the bag and behold Jabba's Tongue
Start by peeling off the plastic-like membrane and loose fat
You'll notice that the tip really is not useful for steaks, so I cut off about 3" from the tip and cut it into smallish cubes
Oh, you know what's coming, don't you? Look at that tail all a-blur!
Who's your buddy?
Meanwhile Bing the Ripper™ keeps trimming of sinew and excess fat globs
Trim trim trim
Back so soon?
Dude, if I haven't started drinking yet there's no way you're getting seconds.
Anyhow, now that it's reasonably trimmed I cut off a big hunk of the top for the Chateaubriand that I'll freeze and make at a later date
Finish the trimming on this 3lb or so hunk
and then wrap it first in plastic wrap and then tinfoil for the journey to the freezer
Now back to finishing the liposuction on the filet section
and then slice it into filets roughly 1 1/2" thick
As you can see there's, what, 10 filets? Not bad. So 2 packs of 4 each go into the freezer
and two go on a plate and into the fridge for my dinner.
And now that I've put away the very sharp knife it's time for me to pop open the first bottle
of many
and relax for a few hours before I start cooking.
Cheers!
Posted by Mr. Bingley at March 3, 2007 05:57 PM
Comments
Ooh, Bingley - your sink is so deep. (/husky voice)
Posted by: suzette at March 3, 2007 07:10 PM
Fucking A.
Posted by: colin at March 3, 2007 07:15 PM
Didn't that thing come out of someone's chest in Alien?
Posted by: major dad at March 3, 2007 07:15 PM
Hey suzette! you and sammy have about 30 minutes to get over here before I eat...there's enough!
Posted by: Mr. Bingley at March 3, 2007 08:32 PM
An outstanding looking dinner, sir! And I admire your meat cutting skills. I come from ranching families on both sides and I know good meat cutting skills when I see them.
Not that I have any, mind you, but I know them when I see them.
Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at March 3, 2007 08:45 PM
Timing is everything, Bingley. Next time I see the first shot of one of your Foodumentaries, I'm hopping into the car and gunning it down Rt 35.
Posted by: suzette at March 4, 2007 07:55 AM
Mr. Bingley, you have earned a plenary indulgence for posting this. I sometimes see beef tenderloins like that in the supermarket but have never bought one because I had no idea where to start with it. Thanks to you, I do now, and on my next trip to Dominick's I'm heading for the meat case.
And I hope Mrs. Bingley's visit to Longbourn was a pleasant one ;-)
Posted by: Annalucia at March 4, 2007 10:18 AM
A Goebbels Worming feast, that. But I noticed a major shortcoming: You got no Makers Mark in the booze boutique. How're you gonna ply Suzette with an adolescent come-on without a snootful of quality hooch?
Posted by: Gary from Jersey at March 4, 2007 10:31 AM
You need a fileting knife, I regret to say. That rigid-bladed piece of junk is no good for this, no matter how sharp it may be.
And if I may make a recommendation: A Chateaubriand is *so* much better if it is from the tenderloin's middle ....
These minor quibbles aside, I hope you enjoyed your meal. I raise my fork to you!
Posted by: Felix Kasza at March 4, 2007 10:51 AM
Huhuhuhuhuuuu... Good Lord a'mighty that's MEAT!
Thank the Lord for vegans cuz they leave more cows for the rest of us!
Posted by: richard mcenroe at March 4, 2007 11:20 AM
I think you're right on the knife, Felix; it's sharp as the dickens but not so great at fileting.
Posted by: Mr. Bingley at March 4, 2007 11:31 AM
Unfortunately, Gary, the only bourbon I have is a big jug of Old Grandad; I'm just not a bourbon drinker...although I do prefer Maker's Mark in my Manhattans.
Posted by: Mr. Bingley at March 4, 2007 11:33 AM
I just love that dog! The meat's not bad either.
Posted by: Richard Cook at March 4, 2007 01:39 PM
Thanks for the post... now next time I see a tenderloin I'll know what to do with it! What else might you do with the cubed bits, assuming there's no Man's Best Friend around to feed them to?
Posted by: Dr Alice at March 4, 2007 06:10 PM
Meat. Because you can't spell slaughter without laughter.
Posted by: Dan at March 4, 2007 06:47 PM
She's having a great time, Annalucia, as it's much warmer there than here at Netherfield :)
Posted by: Mr. Bingley at March 4, 2007 06:50 PM
Who was it who said "if God didn't want us to eat animals than he shouldn't have made them out of meat" or somesuch.
Posted by: Mr. Bingley at March 4, 2007 06:52 PM
Dr Alice, I suppose you could stir fry them if you wanted to.
Posted by: Mr. Bingley at March 4, 2007 06:54 PM
you let the blood drain down the sink????? my god, you are such a philistine. it would have been useful in making a mighty fine sauce for the pepper steak or chateaubriand. pffffft - i will never read your posts with respect again
noticed that laphroaig on your drinks table - a tiny splash is delicious in sauces for steak. heightens the meatiness
Posted by: kk at March 4, 2007 09:59 PM
On top of everything else, a bottle of Terrazas. I haven't seen that stuff for ages.
Sweet!
Posted by: Idler at March 4, 2007 10:24 PM
Ditto - I will buy one for tonite !
Posted by: jimmythespiv at March 5, 2007 12:01 AM
It's not blood, you know, just some liquid from cells that broke down while it was cooling its heels in Costco. It does kick up a sauce, but it'll contain protein which means there'll be scum to skim when the sauce gets a-simmerin'.
Unrelated to that, my point is that if you don't like bourbon, give Tennessee Whiskey a try. It's basically bourbon that's been through "The Lincoln [TN] County Process," which involves a run through a very tall charcoal filter. I drink both, m'self, and I can't even afford a Costco membership. Bourbon goes better during and after cigars and bold-flavored meals, but Tennessee Whiskey's good for drinking with any beer and especially for catchinguup, because I'm always arriving at the bar after everyone else.
I admire your Scotch fortitude, as you drink both the peaty and the tawny and the smokey-- most people discriminate (to their peril!). As they go, I'm an Aberlour man. To your health!
Posted by: LAN3 at March 5, 2007 12:39 AM
I like my tenderloin steaks a bit thicker—about 2". The great thing is that here in Costa Rica lomito is more like $10 a kilo. I usually go with a nice cracked pepper crust, then four minutes a side in a skillet.
Posted by: David Gillies at March 5, 2007 06:00 PM