[FTC Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Certified Angus Beef® brand in conjunction with a social media campaign through Sunday Supper LLC. The recipe and opinions are my own.]

This Mother’s Day, why fight the crowds at some overpriced chain restaurant when you treat mom to what will arguably be the most flavorful steak she has ever encountered – the “Ultimate ooo-MOM-reee Ribeye.” As an added bonus, the steak is prepared outside so there are no dirty dishes or kitchen mess for her to deal with later!

 Developed as part of Grillocracy’s ongoing relationship with the fine folks at Certified Angus Beef® brand, this recipe takes the steak’s existing umami (or savory taste) characteristic to the Nth degree. It all begins by brushing the steak with a light coating of (insert audible gasp) umami rich fish sauce that, although it smells just as you would imagine from the name, adds a deep earthiness with zero residual fish taste after cooking. The steak is then rubbed with a homemade dry rub featuring another umami heavy ingredient – shitake mushrooms.

Now comes the secret to creating the ultimate grilled steak, the reverse sear. Instead of cooking the steak hot and fast, the reverse sear method starts by slowly bringing it to temperature over indirect heat, thus allowing the smoke to really permeate the meat.  Once the steak nears the finish point (which for me is always medium-rare), it is then moved over the fire to give it a nice crust. Since the reverse sear method works best for thicker cuts of meat, I recommend asking your butcher to cut your ribeye to a preferred thickness of 1 1/2 inches but at least 1 inch.

Finally, the steak is given a final umami blast in the form of a tomato and Parmigiano-Reggiano compound butter before being served to a much deserving mom!

ULTIMATE OOO-MOM-EEE (UMAMI) RIBEYE

Ingredients

Shitake Dry Rub

1 1/2 teaspoons shitake mushroom powder*

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

1/2 teaspoon course ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Tomato-Parmesan Butter

2 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons finely grated parmigiano-reggiano

2 teaspoons tomato paste

The Meat

2 teaspoons fish sauce

1 1/2 inch Certified Angus Beef® brand boneless ribeye steak

* About the Shitake Powder. To create your own, grind dried shitake mushrooms in a coffee grinder then pass through a fine mesh strainer to remove any large particles from the powder. Alternatively you can purchase prepared shitake powder such as this one.

Instructions

To create the shitake rub, combine the shitake powder, salt, paprika, granulated garlic, pepper, and onion powder in a small bowl and blend well. Set aside until ready to use.

For the tomato-parmesan butter, place the butter, parmesan, and tomato paste in a small bowl and blend well until the ingredients are fully combined.

Prepare grill for 2-zone cooking, placing pre-heated charcoal briquets on one half of the grill's charcoal grate to create a hot and cool zone. Add 2-3 chunks of your favorite smoking wood to the charcoal then replace the main cooking grate and cover the grill. Adjust the grill's bottom vents to bring the temperature to approximately 325 degrees.

Brush both sides of the steak with fish sauce. Season the steak liberally with the shitake rub. Place the steak on the cool side of the grill as far from the charcoal as possible. Allow steak to smoke until it reaches an internal temperature of 115 degrees.

Remove the steak from the grill and open the vents fully to raise the grill temperature to 450+ degrees. Place the steak on the hot side of the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until the steak is nicely charred and has reached an internal temperature of 127 degrees (carryover heat will bring the steak to medium-rare).

Remove the steak from the grill, plate, and top with tomato-parmesan butter. Serve immediately.