Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Pittsburgh Steak Salad

Pittsburgh Steak Salad
Complexity Level:  Easy

I'm from Pittsburgh, the land of the Black and Gold, the Steelers, the Penguins and yes, also the Pirates (I never lose hope!). 

Of course you knew this, because I have previously talked about the Russian Food Festival, Halupki, Haluski, Pirohi, butter, onions, cabnbage -- the good things in life. 

But today, I wanted to share a really fast and simple recipe that you will find all over the city:  Pittsburgh Steak Salad.


The concept is easy, "Pittsburghers do it with Fries on Top!"... a concept that goes beyond the obvious.  In fact, going home reminded me that you can get sandwiches, salads, desserts, and yes even pizzas, with French Fries covereing and crisping up the goods.

Now, my husband is a Huge fan of the Pittsburgh Food movement, and like the city, he beleives that fries make a good meal, better -- (well fries and bacon!).  And so, in the rare event I can get him to enjoy a salad, he insists and pleads without fail, that if I am to make him a real salad, it needs to be covered in fries.

And so I decided to share this phenomenom in my blog, because living in Utah has shown me that unlike Pittsburgh, this concept is bizarre.  In fact if and when my husband and I go out to eat, and my husband is feeling "Healthy" (aka he gets a salad), we always end up ordering several sides of fries, and then we ritualistically start dumping them over the nicely plated and heartfully served salad.

Yes.  My Husband is obsessed with Crinkle Cut Oven Fries. 
I cook, he wants frozen fries.  Ai yi yi!
In doing so we have embarked upon many conversations that begin with a stranger asking us "What are you doing?!" A question that more often than not sounds as though those asking woner why they haven't tried this before!  And thus a Pittsburgh Salad trend in many places we have lived outside of pittsburgh have begun.

But this salad today is a traditional one you will find gracing many meus in the city of steel.  The only thing missing is the piles or homemade ranch or blue cheese, as my husband is onewho doesn't do the dressing scene.  In place, we drizzle his salad in hot Honey Bacon Dressing, which is Honey, Bacon Greese, and a drizzle of Vinegar.

To make an authentic Pittsburgh Steak Salad you will need the following:

Steak
Fries
Bacon
Lettuce
Red Onions
Cheese (preferably Cheddar)
Dresssing (Prefereably Ranch or Blue Cheese)

The rest falls into place.  Grill the steak until it is medium Rare, then let it sit 10 minutes proir to slicing.  Meanwhile crisp up 4 slices of bacon, then break them into large pieces.  If you want  the hot bacon dressing, save 1 tbsp bacon grease.

Let this sit at least 5 minutes before cutting to maintain the juices.
Place your ingreidents into your salad bowl however you see fit and top with Bacon, Hot fries, Cheese, and steak.  Viola!  You just made an AMAZING steak salad.

Guys -- Your wives or partners ones will be happy when you tell them you ate salad
Ladies -- Your husbands or partners will trick you, it was covered in fries and bacon!

I hope you enjoy, my husband sure did!  Since he couldn't go to the burgh with me, I brought the burgh back to him!

Happy French Fry Feasts!
Best,

5 comments:

  1. This is also amazing with Feta or Crumbled Blue Cheese on top the steak!

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  2. I skip the bacon and add Italian dressing.

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  3. I'm a Pittsburgh girl too and the first time my Hubs had a Pittsburgh Salad he couldn't believe how big it was, but he refused to be "beaten" by a salad and ate the whole thing!

    Love ya Black & Gold!

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  4. Natalie I love that idea. I am a big Italian dressing Fan, its a great dressing to top fries with haha!

    Colleen- It's so true! I love it, I can only imagine how your husband defended himself against the salad, they really are like an entire head of lettuce and then some!

    My favorite place in Pittsburgh to get salads is: Fat Heads! If you are not from the burgh, check out

    http://fatheadspittsburgh.com/menu.php

    They have salads the size of a small country, sandwiches the size of your head, and everything is covered in Pittsburgh Style Goodness!!

    f you HAVE been there, you totally understand! I have my rehearsal dinner there (Ok my husband and I are obsessed lol) Thanks for stopping by!!

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  5. And yes! LOVE YA BLACK N' GOLD!!! hahaha!

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