Classic Steak and Cabernet Pairing

I feel very lazy writing this post...this dinner literally took 15 minutes to cook and required hardly any preparation, but its dinners like these that create the foundation for my blog! Isn't the best meal one that you can enjoy with a bottle of wine within an hour after you get home from work?

The Meal
We stumbled upon a New York Strip Steak on sale at the store. The cut was so thick it was big enough to feed two people. I made the accompaniments to this huge chunk of meat simple and GREEN--a simple green salad and frozen veggies. If you're really hungry, you can whip up some mashed potatoes to go with this dish, but, like I mentioned earlier, I was too lazy this time around.


The Wine
Nothing sounded better with meal at the time than a BIG, rich, classic California Cabernet Sauvignon. To live up to the meat's texture, I suggest picking a Cabernet from Napa Valley--most of them have a big enough body and great depth to pair with a big steak. The Cab I chose was 2004 Meyer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley ($30, can be found at Total Wine & More). Unfortunately I think my bottle had passed its time--there were hardly any tannins left and the cork crumbled into the bottle (fail). But I've had this wine before and I can tell you it is a great wine usually with the structured tannins and velvety depth I was looking for with this meal.
Other options--I'm a fan of Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon with steak as well, they can be a little hot at times but will ultimately provide the strength needed to pair with steak. If you want to venture to imported wines, I'm a great fan of Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon or Argentinean Malbec.

Grilled New York Strip Steak and Sides
How easy is this recipe? Generously season the steak with salt and ground black pepper on both sides. Grill for about 8-10 minutes for medium doneness. Doesn't that look DELICIOUS?

While the steak is cooking, whip up a simple green salad--I cut romaine, carrots, tomatoes, and green onions and topped it with cheese and a store-bought vinaigrette. Try to stay away from a creamy dressing such as ranch or blue cheese as that may overpower the wine.

My second side was frozen veggies heated in the microwave and topped with a nice dollop of butter! Again, lazy, but this was the fastest dinner to whip up. The final product was visually appealing (lots of green on the plate); the only thing I wish I had in the pantry was some fresh french bread to go with this meal. When doing your own version of this meal, be creative and get adventurous. So many different sides will go with steak, but the easiest pairing will always be Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Enjoy!