GRASS-FED BEEF

The dark ales called stout are great served with bison or beef. They also work well as a flavor base for marinating. Guinness is one of the best-known stouts and the most readily available, but any favorite stout will work fine. Rib eyes are the best-tasting bison steaks, but they must be cut at least 1½ inches thick so that you can sear and brown the outside without overcooking the inside. Because bison is so lean, the steaks should be cooked to no more than medium-rare.

Serves 4

GUINNESS MARINADE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Guinness or other stout
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mild molasses
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ½ cup finely chopped red onion
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1½- to 2-inch-thick boneless bison rib-eye steak (1½–2 pounds)
• 24 large cremini mushrooms, stems removed
• 1 large red onion, cut into ½-inch-thick slices
• 2–3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION

1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Place the steak in a zipperlock bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag, turn and shake it to distribute the marinade. Place the bag in a bowl and refrigerate overnight, turning and shaking the bag from time to time.
3. Set up a charcoal or gas grill for indirect grilling.
4. Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry. Reserve the marinade if desired.
5. Brush the mushroom caps and onion slices with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Place the vegetables in a grilling basket (see Cook’s Notes) and grill the steak for 2 to 3 minutes until nicely browned. Flip and grill for 2 to 3 minutes more.
7. Transfer the steak to an area of the grill with no fire, cover the grill, and check the internal temperature after 10 minutes. The steak is done when cooked to an internal temperature of 125°F to 130°F for medium-rare.
8. Transfer the steak to a platter and let it rest while you cook the vegetables.
9. Grill the vegetables for 4 to 6 minutes, turning the basket occasionally until soft and beginning to brown.
10. Briefly grill the bread or toast in a toaster. Take care not to burn it.
11. Lay a piece of toast on each plate, lay a slice or two of grilled onion over it.
12. Slice the steak ½ inch thick and arrange the slices over the onions. Scatter 6 mushrooms over the meat on each plate.
13. Pour any meat juices over the open-faced sandwiches and serve.

ALTERNATIVE CUTS

• Any 1½- to 2-inch-thick boneless bison steak or lean, grass-fed beef steak, such as New York strip, fillet, or sirloin.

COOK’S NOTES

• If you don’t have a grill basket, skewer the mushrooms so that the skewer is parallel to the flat side of the mushroom caps. Skewer the onions as well, with the skewer parallel to the cut side of the onions; you can use two skewers to keep the onions from falling apart and ending up in the fire.
• You can use the leftover marinade as a dipping sauce. After removing the steak from the marinade, pour the marinade into a small pan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle a little of the heated marinade over the steak sandwiches and pour the rest into individual small bowls that diners can dip their meat and vegetables into.
• You can smear any of the flavored butters from over the steak while it’s resting. Smear some of the butter on the hot toast as well.