Well, to be perfectly honest, there is not much you can do to make the New York Strips more tender before cooking, besides trying to marinate them in an acidic marinade (like Red Wine Vinegar, Italian Dressing, etc).

The SECRET is to buy your New York Strips from a butcher shop that dry ages their beef. 99% of chain grocery stores sell box beef. This is meat cut from the factory and vacuum packed and then shipped across the U.S.

Dry aged beef is whole quarters or sides of beef that are hung in the butcher shops' cooler for 10 to 20 days and allowed to age without vacuum packing are using any tenderizing agents.

If you can find a butcher shop that sells meat this way, you should have the most tender Strips in Sonoma! But you will pay a premium price. But you do get what you pay for!

Monday, October 13, 2003 02:04 PM