any suggestions

[lolly mackenzie]

I picked up a bottle of '96 clos Du Val Cab at my local shop and would like to serve it to my hubby for our anniversary. We had this wine ( a '94) when we were in Napa in 96 - actually my husband had it as I was 3 months pregnant at the time - and he loved it then. I would appreciate any intersting ideas. He is a big lover of red meat. I thinking a nice rack with a roasted garlic and rosemary rub....anyone?

[Innkeeper]

Steak or roast beef is the only things to keep Californian Cab under control. If it was a rib rack of beef you had in mind go for it. Racks of lamb, on the other hand, scream for syrah.

[Thomas]

I concur. The day before, get a good cut of filet mignon wrapped in bacon; marinade it in buttermilk overnight and then, drain it and rub it with crushed garlic, black pepper and olive oil and let sit on the counter until ready to cook.

Heat a cast iron skillet to blazing; then, throw the filet on for 1 1/2 minutes, flip and cook another 1 1/2 minutes, turn off heat and cover for one minute (rare) or two minutes (medium)--ain't no such thing as a well-done piece of beef, only shoe leather...

Saute some onions and green peppers to go alongside--maybe an ear of corn (but do not eat the corn with the wine).

[lolly mackenzie]

Filet mignon sounds fabulous! What is the buttermilk key? Never tried that. We have the best beef in the world her in Calgary -Alberta Beef - Oil and cattle ranching country. I generally treat it very simply, some herbs, olive oil and garlic and a good grind of pepper, only because it is so beautiful done 'naked'. I am curious about the buttermilk though. My guess would be tenderizing? Although I can't imagine that the filet would need tenderizing? I have used milk to poach fish before - to remove fishy-ness and coconut milk to do the same.

[Thomas]

The buttermilk is a tenderizer, but one that seems to give a new dimension to the meat. Yes, a good filet should be fine without tenderizing, and yes, buttermilk is good for white meat and seafood, but just try the buttermilk thing and see how sublimely the beef cuts and slides down the gullet. You may not even need a knife.

[Innkeeper]

Would do the same thing except substitute an inexpensive red wine for the buttermilk. It not only tenderizes it, but takes the bad things out of it. Drain, discard the wine, pat dry, and proceed with Foodie's directions.

[hotwine]

"We have the best beef in the world her in Calgary -Alberta Beef"

BSBSBS! The best BEEF in the world speaks Texan!

[winoweenie]

Hotsie, don't be so provincial and protective. You're both wrong. We have the best beef in the world rite here in Phoenix. Comes from Kobe, Japan. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img] WW

[lolly mackenzie]

I don't know hotwine - ask any Texan living in Calgary - and there are many...the beef here is hard to beat.

[Botafogo]

I do my major beef eatin' at the incredible Churrascurias of Brasil where uniformed Gauchos carve endless amounts of rangefed Argentine beef of every cut imaginable for one fixed price (usually less than $10.00!!!) and that stuff is hard to beat. Did have some amazing Kobe Beef at Matsuhisa last month though....and the Piemontese Beef at Celestino Italian Steakhouse here is the bomb too...man, I'm getting hongry!

[winoweenie]

Musta' had my dummy shades on when first reading this. What kinda' filet would ever need marinating? WW

[Innkeeper]

The bad things in red meat that the red wine marinade takes out are the bad eicosanoids. Once you've done that, red meat is not bad for you anymore.

[lolly mackenzie]

Which brings me back to my 'naked' beef. This cut of beef filet- Alberta that is - should require very little . I find that marinating a good tenderloin of beef or pork for that matter - for more than an hour or so, can make it down right mushy. But I like the buttermilk idea for some other cuts. I will most definately try this method with some tougher cuts.

[Thomas]

you all have the right to do what you want, but do not forget the phrase, "New York Sirloin"--good beef in these parts too.

IK, you got that right about the bad things in beef--all beef--yet, I find that the taste of wine marinade can sometimes be intrusive; it needs a delicate balance of the right amount of time and the right wine.

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 08-21-2001).]

[winoweenie]

Great beef, a good rub of any quality, a gorgus RED and as Fred sang, " Heaven, I'm in Heaven". WW

[hotwine]

As mentioned on another thread a few months ago, I once tried marinating a steak in a wine reduction, and ruined a good cut of beef. I won't be doing THAT again! No marinades, no sauces. Just a light dusting of dry rub and a good hot fire.

[zenda2]

A hot fire or a hot skillet, cracked black pepper & sweet Hungarian paprika. As that beef comes off the fire, add a nice hunk of garlic-thyme laden maitre d' hotel butter on top.

[hotwine]

Thanks anyway, Zenda, but we banished butter from our diet a decade ago (and how we used to love escargot drowning in garlic butter!).
No, we no longer fry anything. Our purpose in grilling (and smoking) beef is to render and expel fat solids as much as possible.

[RAD]

...only to char it with carcinogens! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]

Just kidding!!! Couldn't resist!!! There's nothing I like better than a big grilled steak! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]

RAD

[hotwine]

No charring allowed, either, RAD. It's got to be done j-u-s-t right. Practice, practice, practice.