Perfecting Steaks at Home: Chicago Steak Company
Steak at home has never tasted so good.
Ordering in from that local spot again? We get it- your favorite place for a nice steak is not fully open yet and you are looking for a legit steak to have at home. We found a company that ships steaks right to your door- Chicago Steak Company and when it comes to quality, they are raising the stakes (see what we did there?)
Chicago Steak Company delivers high quality steaks direct to your door. All their steaks are aged for four to six weeks to develop the complexity of flavor demanded by 5-star restaurants, steakhouses, and discerning steak lovers- like you. Each steak is trimmed by butchers the old-fashioned way, hand-carved with expert precision to remove extra tissue and fat. The result is an exceptionally tender and flavorful steak, bite after beefy bite.
Our crew had a hankering from some good ole’ quality steaks and so we had a few steaks shipped out for the ultimate grub-off review. Roll your sleeves up and get out your steak knives gents.
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
First- its key to know what quality level exists for steaks- you may be a steak expert but for the newbies out there steak quality can make or break the taste and cut you eat! Chicago Steak Company features 4 key meat qualities for you to choose from: Premium Angus Beef, USDA Prime Wet Aged, USDA Dry Aged, and American Wagyu Beef. All the qualities and their “cuts” featured on Chicago Meat Company:
-QUALITY OF THE CUTS-
Our first impression of the quality of the cuts/selection offered by Chicago Steak Company comes down to various method, choices, and meat qualities that are offered.
Grade: Chicago Steak Company only offers USDA Choice and USDA Prime steaks. USDA Prime beef (the highest quality grade you can buy) represents only 2% of all American beef. USDA Choice is the second highest grade assigned to beef that has slightly less marbling than USDA Prime.
Hand Selected and Hand Cut: Even within the USDA Prime and Choice grades there are differing qualities. Variations in marbling, texture and color are just a few of the variables that can affect flavor and tenderness. Chicago Meat Company carefully selects their beef from the top of the grade to ensure that they are delivering on their promise of excellence.
Aging: Aging meat is a process that breaks down a steak and makes it more tender and flavorful. Meat is placed in special, temperature & humidity controlled refrigerators that are carefully monitored. The meat ages in this environment while its natural enzymes break down the steak. There are two types of aging – Wet and Dry.
Wet Aged Beef: The wet-aging process is carried out with the meat carefully packaged to prevent oxidation. Because wet-aged beef isn’t exposed to air (like its dry-aged counterpart), it doesn’t lose as much moisture through evaporation; and the result - delicious, flavorful and tender meat.
Dry Aged Beef: The dry-aging process begins in a strictly controlled temperature and humidity level–where beef ages for approximately 28-40 days. As moisture decreases and the meat consequently shrinks, the remaining flavor intensifies.
Our crew was sent 2 style cuts: The Wet Aged Filet Mignon and the Wet Aged New York Strip (or Boneless Strip) Steaks. When the dry iced packaged box arrived with the steak we were like kids in the candy shop. Inside we found our 4 cuts of meat, vacuumed sealed and flash frozen to lock in the quality. Each cut was Wet Aged and labelled for easy identification of the meat cut and weight. The bright red, white, and marbling of the steaks were mouth watering. After a few days in the refrigerator to thaw, our crew was ready to fire up the grill (and the pan) for our test.
Our initial duuude impression: The color, marbling, and size of these steaks are mouthwatering
TESTING IT OUT
Getting ready to fire up the grill or the pan is just one step to perfecting the perfect steak. Chicago Steak Company kicked out this video to help create The Ultimate Steak Experience:
Diving into the steak cuts and preparation for the feast, we thought we would highlight the various meats we will be preparing/reviewing:
Wet Aged Boneless Strip Steak
KEY FEATURES:
GRADE: USDA Prime Wet Aged
WEIGHT: 10oz, 12oz, 16oz, 20oz
AGED: 4-6 weeks to enhance flavor & tenderness
PACKAGING: Individually wrapped & vacuum sealed
INDIVIDUALLY REGISTERED with its own unique registration number
New York steaks (also referred to as Boneless Strip Steak) is one of the most popular cuts at Chicago Steak Company. Cut just below the ribs in the short loin primal, this satisfying meaty steak has a strong texture and subtle flavor. Hand selected, hand cut, the strip steak comes from the short loin of the animal, right behind the rib area. This area isn’t an especially muscular area, so the cut remains tender.
-HOW WE COOKED-
On the Grill:
Preheated Grill to high
Seasoned thawed/room temp steak with salt, pepper to taste
Lightly oiled cooking surface
Seared steak on one side (flip when juices began to bead on the surface)
Sear other side
Touch test for “done-ness”
Rest for 7 min, then cut
On the Stovetop:
Preheated oiled Cast Iron skillet to high
Seasoned thawed/room temp steak with salt, pepper to taste
Seared steak on one side (flip when juices began to bead on the surface)
Sear other side
Cover and toss in oven for 5 minutes
Touch test for “done-ness”
Rest for 7 min, then cut
From the moment that sear started we could smell the amazing flavors of the meat. The coloring, smells, and texture coming to its form was perfection. After we let it rest, we sliced open our first cut from the grill. We cooked our steaks to medium/medium rare, and the tenderness was on point. The knife cut through without any force and the texture and flavor was legit AF. In comparison to the pan seared/cooked method, we preferred the pan method over the grill, as we could pick up more of the marbling/fat flavors and juices. Overall, the Strip Steak had the perfect amount of grit, was easy to cut, and the tenderness was an overall 10/10. Hands down these the flavor was amazing!
Wet Aged Filet Mignon
KEY FEATURES:
GRADE: USDA Prime Wet Aged
WEIGHT: 6oz, 8oz, 10oz
AGED: 4-6 weeks to enhance flavor & tenderness
PACKAGING: Individually wrapped & vacuum sealed
INDIVIDUALLY REGISTERED with its own unique registration number
Filet Mignon is deemed to some as one of the most tender steaks money can buy. Slowly wet-aged for the muscle to hone to perfection, the Chicago Steak Company’s tender USDA Prime Filet Mignons are "Simply the Best" Filets that can be purchased online. Their chefs hand-pick the filets so that only the most flavorful prime selections are available for purchase. With each slice scrutinized to ensure the quality of these USDA Prime Filets will be the morsel of goodness, these steaks are top pick for many steak houses and home chef’s.
-HOW WE COOKED-
On the Stovetop:
Preheated oiled Cast Iron skillet to high
Seasoned thawed/room temp steak with salt, pepper to taste
Seared steak on one side (flip when juices began to bead on the surface)
Sear other side
Add butter on top, cover and toss in oven for 5 minutes
Touch test for “done-ness”
Rest for 7 min, then cut
On the Grill:
Preheated Grill to high
Seasoned thawed/room temp steak with salt, pepper to taste
Lightly oiled cooking surface
Seared steak on one side (flip when juices began to bead on the surface)
Sear other side (butterfly if needed)
Touch test for “done-ness”
Rest for 7 min, then cut
Shut. It. Down.- These cuts were freaking delicious. The thick and juicy filets seared up so nice we almost didn’t want to cut into them. The amazing smells and visual look of these cuts were far better than anything we have had in a long time. We cooked our steaks to medium/medium rare, and the tenderness was on point much like the Strip Steaks. The knife cut through like butter and the sear lines and done-ness in the middle was gorgeous. The pan seared/cooked method was again our favorite as the adde butter melted over the meat added an element of flavor we can’t put into words. Overall, the Filet had the perfect amount of buttery-smoothness, was easy to cut, and the tenderness was an overall 10/10. Hands down these the flavor was amazing!
The overall experience of cooking up both steaks from Chicago Steak Company was everything we hoped it would be. Finding a way to bring quality home steaks to the backyard has never been easier- or more flavorful.
For more grilling/searing tips you can visit Chicago Steak Company’s Cooking Guides for tips, tricks, and temperature guides for the perfect steak every time.
STANDOUT FEATURES
Chicago Steak Company has some really great features if you are considering grabbing some steaks for home.
Only the top 2% of USDA beef qualifies for USDA Prime classification- and it is delivered right to your door
The variety of cuts and steak sizes is really diverse and can fit any carnivores desires
They offer not only steaks- choose from surf n’ turf, burgers, pork chops, chicken, and ribs
Chicago Steak Company has a wide range of how-to videos, articles, seasoning tools, and more to keep your grill game going all year long!
BONUS FEATURES
What, legit steaks delivered to your door not enough for ya? We get it- why just be stoked over steak when there are more features like Articles, Steak U T.V., Recipes and Cooking Instructions? Chicago Steak Company has your whole grill game covered.
You can also earn points as part of their Steakalicious Rewards Program! Use these points to earn gift cards to your favorite national brands. No rewards card needed, simply register for an account on their website and make sure to login before placing your order and watch the rewards roll in!
Chicago Steak Company Overall duuude Factor: Bring the best meats home with Chicago Steak Company!
Price: Varies based on Cut/Size of Order +get FREE shipping on your first order through duuude!
BRAND INFO
Since 1865 with the founding of the Union Stock Yards, Chicago has been at the heart of high-quality American meats. Chicago Steak Company proudly carries on that tradition. They specialize in hand-cut, Mid-West raised, Premium Angus USDA Prime beef - cut by Chicago butchers with five generations of experience. In short, the very best steaks your money can buy.
“We raise, trim, and age our steaks using centuries-old techniques, then vacuum seal each individually, locking in the flavor and freshness. ”
Learn more about Chicago Steak Company and see how you can get the grill going!
