Spinalis and Grilled Brussels Sprouts

Local Yocal is a fantastic butcher shop in McKinney Texas.  They have a great philosophy.  If you live in the Dallas area, you have to make a trip up to McKinney for a Steak 101 class. 

One of the cool things about any specialty butcher shop they can and serve some of the unique cuts of meat that you don’t normally get from your local supermarket. 

At Local Yocal you can pick up unusual cuts like the spinalis or the McKinney (Las Vegas) steak along with your usual favorite cuts. The spinalis muscle is the “cap” to the rib eye, and if you haven’t had it, you are missing out. 

This can also be called a Coulotte in France, but that isn’t correct. They are the same but from a different section of the cow.  In my opinion, the spinalis is more marbled and more tender than its calotte sister.

You probably don’t realize it, but you have had this cut, but it was part of the rib eye.  When you are looking at your typical ribeye, this is the part of the steak that is outside of the fat vein that separates it from the actual eye of the steak.

So what is the big deal about this special cut?  It is a pretty amazing cut; it looks like a flank steak but doesn’t need to be marinated.  Also, it has all the flavor of a rib eye with the tenderness of a filet.  So you might be thinking I’ll just get a rib eye and we will be all good.  The problem with that thought is that this a thin cut and if it's not butchered out you only have a very small piece of the amazing cut.  This Spinalis and grilled Brussels sprouts really could be a steak house caliber meal.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs Spinalis
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1.5 lbs Brussels sprouts
• 1 tbs. salt
• 1 tbs. pepper
• 2 tbs. garlic powder
• 4 tbs. olive oil

Cut the ends off of the Brussels sprouts and peal any damaged or wilted leaves.  Drop them into a pot of boiling water and boil for about 3-5 minutes just to blanch.  Then strain and place them into a bowl toss them with the olive oil and spices.  Preheat the grill as hot as it will go, and pour the sprouts on the grill making sure you stand back from the flames. 

Cook them for 8-12 minutes turning often. After about 4-5 minutes place the steak on the grill and cook until the desired doneness turning once. When the steak is done remove from heat and tent with foil.  When the Brussels sprouts are finished, remove and serve.  To serve the steak slice across the meat's grain.