Wood-Fired Oven, Fit for Company

The high temperature of a wood-fired oven, combined with an herb marinade, gives these steaks an exceptional flavor. For best results, choose steaks on the bone that are at least 2½ inches thick. (Thinner steaks will overcook before the exterior is nicely browned.) Marinate the steaks overnight and let them come to room temperature before roasting. If you don’t have a wood-fired oven, you can grill-roast these steaks
with excellent results (see Cook’s Notes).

Serves 4 to 6

HERB MARINADE

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4–6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 2½- to 3-inch-thick porterhouse or bone-in rib-eye steak (about 3 pounds)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1½ teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

PREPARATION

1. The day before cooking the steak, heat the oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft but not colored, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the rosemary and thyme and cook for 1 minute more. Allow to cool to room temperature.
3. Generously sprinkle all sides of the steak with 1½ teaspoons of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the pepper and place in a zipper-lock bag.
4. Pour the marinade over the steak, seal the bag, and turn and shake the bag to coat the steak. Place the bag in a bowl and refrigerate overnight.
5. The next day, remove the steak from the marinade, shake off the excess, and remove any garlic, leaving the rosemary and thyme on the meat.
6. Let rest at room temperature for 2 hours while you fire up a wood oven.
7. When the oven floor reaches 550°F to 600°F, it’s time to roast the steak. Place the steak in a cast-iron skillet and place in the oven.
8. After about 10 minutes, flip over the steak. It should have begun to brown nicely. About 5 minutes later, begin checking the steak for doneness with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the steak.
9. For rare, remove the steak when it’s 105°F to 110°F; for medium-rare, 115°F to 120°F. Place the steak on a carving board and let rest, loosely covered with aluminum foil, for 10 to 15 minutes.
10. To carve, separate the meat from the bone and cut into ½-inch-thick slices.
11. Arrange the meat on a platter and sprinkle it with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.

ALTERNATIVE CUTS

• Any 2½- to 3-inch-thick tender steak works well, including sirloin cuts, a whole tri-tip roast, a whole culotte, a boneless New York strip, or a 3-pound section of tenderloin roast.
• This recipe works well with a wide range of beef, from lean grass-fed to ultra marbled Wagyu.
• If using grass-fed, aim for rare and reduce the cooking time to about 7 minutes per side.
• For Wagyu, use the same general cooking times, but if you like medium to well-done meat, remove it from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 120°F to 125°F. It will still be juicy, due to its abundant marbling.

COOK’S NOTES

• To grill-roast the steak, set up a charcoal or gas grill for indirect heat. Lay the steak over a medium-hot fire and sear it for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until nicely browned.
• Place a roasting pan or cast-iron skillet over the area of the grill that has no heat and add the steak. Cover the grill and grill-roast for 10 minutes, then begin monitoring the internal temperature.
• Remove the steak from the grill when the internal temperature is 120°F to 125°F for rare or 125°F to 130°F for medium-rare. (The steak will have less carryover heat than one cooked in a wood-fired oven.) Transfer to a platter, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
• For an extra-garlicky treat, make one and a half times the marinade recipe and reserve ¼ cup (before marinating). Drizzle the reserved marinade over the sliced beef.
• You can embellish the steak with any of the flavored butters, which are particularly nice with grass-fed beef. Place the butter on the steak while it is resting, then spoon the melted butter over the sliced beef, omitting the final seasoning with salt and pepper.

LEFTOVERS

• Sliced cold leftovers make great sandwiches.