My brother-in-law, Andrew, turned 40, so my sister and I cooked up a special birthday dinner with some help from Vander Farmers.
A 40th birthday deserves a major celebration. In Chicago, we often celebrate birthdays with a night out at one of our favorite steakhouses. Since we were celebrating Andrew’s birthday in Kennebunkport, we decided to create a steakhouse experience at home.
Vander Farms generously sent us some of their American Wagyu steaks. They sent perfectly marbled New York Strip and Rib Eye steaks. Each steak was about 0.9 pounds, and four steaks was just the right amount for six adults to share.
To cook the steaks, first we let the steaks sit out for thirty minutes to come closer to room temperature. Next, we seasoned the steaks with a good amount of sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a touch of steak seasoning. Then we grilled them over high heat. The one thing that was different about grilling wagyu steaks is that as the fat was melting, it caused the flame to flare up a bit more. Just be careful and turn the heat down as necessary.
A grill-safe thermometer was very helpful. After cooking the steaks for about 3-4 minutes per side, the center of the meat reached 120 degrees. At this point, we pulled the steaks from the grill, loosely covered them with foil, and let them rest for 10 minutes. After resting the steaks were medium rare.
We served the steaks with steakhouse-style twice-baked potatoes and some grilled asparagus. We had flirted with the idea of serving the steak with mushrooms or a sauce, but I am glad we didn’t. The steak was so flavorful on its own, the meal didn’t need anything extra.
It was a lovely night celebrating my brother-in-law and a meal I won’t forget!