A Rare History of the Steakhouse

Steak and potatoes, creamed spinach, a stiff drink: the menu at your average steakhouse hasn’t changed for over 100 years. Americans flock to these palaces of meat, whether they’re upscale chains or a neighborhood spot whose décor hasn’t changed since the Reagan administration. Despite some falls in consumption in recent years due to price increases and health concerns, steak is still a very big deal in America. This week we’ll take a look at the steakhouse, an American institution.

Our modern steakhouse has two direct ancestors, the beefsteak banquet and the chophouse. Both arose, interestingly enough, in mid-19th century New York City, a town that got the best beef cuts the country had to offer because only there did diners have enough money to pay for them. Beefsteak banquets were primarily men-only political affairs, held as candidate fundraisers or to celebrate a recent victory. They got their name from what was served: sliced beef tenderloin, each piece placed upon a slice of white bread like an open faced sandwich. The bread slices, however, were rarely eaten and were mainly stacked besides each plate as an informal scorekeeping system for how much beef was consumed by the participants. No self-respecting gourmand wanted to fill up on bread when there was so much beef and beer available!

Chophouses were only slightly more civilized. They appeared in New York City in the mid-1800s to cater to merchants and clerks in need of a hot meal. By all accounts, chophouses were dark and dusty affairs: one of the more celebrated houses was named “Cobweb Hall,” after the décor. These restaurants served a more diverse menu than the beefsteaks. Mutton chops, lamb kidneys and sizzling strips of bacon were all served, alongside mealy baked potatoes and the ever-present tankards of British ale. As one reporter put it, “Those who don’t care for steaks can have chops, those who don’t care for chops can have steaks.” Dessert was apple pie, mince pie or a wedge of Stilton cheese.

The Old Homestead of New York’s Meatpacking District has the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating steakhouse in the country. It served its first charcoal broiled strip just after the Civil War, in 1868. In fact, a surprising number of steakhouses that opened around the same time are still open today: Keens and the Palm chain in Manhattan and the legendary Peter Luger in Brooklyn are all going strong today after a whopping combined 341 years in business. One key to their longevity is the fact that these restaurants were nicer than the chophouses—suitable even for ladies—with a clubby atmosphere and ingratiating waitstaff.

And the menus at these establishments are strikingly similar to what would have been served back at the turn of the century. Hashed brown potatoes, creamed spinach and cheesecake have always had their places at the steakhouse table. But while we think of bottles of hearty Zinfandels and Cabernets as proper accompaniments for a steak dinner, these restaurants never really focused on expansive wine lists. Beer was the beverage of choice up until Prohibition, and after that cocktails ruled the day. Extensive wine lists only appeared in the high-rolling days of the 1980s, when magnums of expensive reds were de riguer for Wall Street honchos.

S-o-o-o-o-o-o sorry. To make amends. Especially for you. Noone else can have this recipe but you,

ROADHOUSE PRIME RIB

MAKE RUB Mix/dissolve 1/4 c ea soy sauce, minced garlic, hickory liquid smoke, 2 tb ea sugar, pepper, k/salt.

PREP Place prime rib loin in baker. Rub seasonings into top/sides, then flip to season bottom.
Saran; steep in fridge 4-24 hours (overnight is best).

COOKING Add 2 c water to oven drip pan, place on bottom oven rack.

FINAL Toss saran; place roaster on middle rack. Cook 30 min to sear, then add meat therm to middle of loin. Reset oven to 250 deg.
Cook to desired doneness. Rare-140 deg internal, med-rare 150 deg, med 160 deg, med-rare 170 deg, well done 180 deg.

SERVE with baked potato, buttered broccoli.

Yes, it is known as Savage River Lodge .......if you're in the area for the holidays. They have a great but quiet footprint for their guests. Cabins, yurts, all manner of outdoor seasonal activities. The owners, Mike and Jan, are eco-friendly (Mike ran for office last year and lost - as a Democrat, of course, but we don't hold it against him), and I haven't been there since Bodhi The Lodge Dog passed away. I am looking forward to meeting the new canine stewards, Koko and Karma. But Bodhi was born to be there. God gave him to all of us for a reason. I was able to get one of the last limited edition hardcover books left of Bodhi's life. Please, just review the website, any of you, there's too much for me to cover here.

Take it from me, after that prime rib, you're going to need chocolate....and plenty of it.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Crust: cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs, tb sugar pinch salt 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter.

Filling: 2-8 oz bars packages full fat cream cheese, cupsugar 2 tb ea flour, cocoa powder, tsp instant espresso powder 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 3 large eggs, 2 large egg yolks, room temperature 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

Glaze: 5 ounces dark or semisweet chocolate (50-70%), finely chopped 1/3 cup heavy cream tablespoon cubed unsalted butter

PREP Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-by-3-inch cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper; lightly butter parchment. Get out your cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream and let come to room temperature for at least and hour before you start baking (this is VERY important to ensure cheesecake is smooth and lump-free).

METHOD Pulse cookie crumbs, sugar and salt. Drizzle in melted butter; pulse until crumbs are evenly moistened. Spread in bottom of prepared pan and press firmly into an even layer; freezer 15-30 min.

Pulse smooth cream cheese bars. Add sugar, espresso powder, salt, pulsing 1-2to combine. Add eggs and egg yolk and pulse til just incorporated, scraping down sides. Add vanilla and sour cream and pulse 1-2 to blend. Micro chocolate on half-power a minute, stirring after every 15 seconds, til mostly melted. Remove from microwave and continue to stir until completely melted and smooth. Slowly drizzle in chocolate through the feed tube of the food processor, pulsing as you go, until chocolate is incorporated and no white streaks remain in batter.

FINAL Remove crust from freezer and pour batter into chilled crust. Bake 55 60 minutes or until center is set but still barely jiggly. Gently run a thin knife around the edge of the cheesecake to release it from the sides (this will help prevent cracking). Turn off oven and prop door open with a wooden spoon; let cheesecake cool in oven an hour, then remove and set on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Once cool, run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake again to release it, then invert onto a plate. Invert again onto a serving plate. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight until firm (you can also glaze the cheesecake before refrigerating overnight, however your glaze will not be as soft or shiny after refrigeration). Pour glaze over top of cheesecake, spreading to edges with an offset spatula. Decorate as desired. Let set for about 1 hour, or refrigerate for 20 minutes or so until glaze is set.

GLAZE Heat cream just bubbly at edges (do not let it boil). Pour over chopped chocolate and let sit for 30 seconds, then slowly whisk, working in concentric circles starting in the middle, until chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Add butter, one cube at a time, slowly whisking until melted and smooth.

CHEF NOTES: To slice, run a large knife under hot water for 30 seconds. Wipe try with a clean towel, then slice. Wipe your knife off after each slice, and run it under hot water again after every 2-3 slices. This will ensure your slices are clean and crisp. Cheesecake will keep, lightly covered in the refrigerator, for up to 3-5 days. Cheesecake can also be frozen, though I recommend freezing it naked and then glazing before serving for the prettiest presentation.

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