Red, White, & Blue Steak Salad

This Red, White & Blue Grilled Steak Salad is a show-stopping dish perfect for a 4th of July gathering or any summer meal that calls for bold flavors. A thick-cut steak, rubbed with a rich black garlic and red wine vinegar paste, then seared to a perfect blue rare, forms the savory heart of this salad. Paired with crisp romaine, sweet heirloom tomatoes, sharp red onion, and a balsamic drizzle, you’ll be wanting to make a salad for this hotdog holiday

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 8-12 minutes, plus time for steak to rest
Special Equipment: grill

Ingredients

• 1 ½-2 lb thick-cut steak such as ribeye, sirloin, or New York strip, at least 1½ inches thick

• 3 cloves black garlic, or roasted garlic

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp red wine vinegar

• 1 tsp dijon or spicy brown mustard

• 1 tbsp black peppercorns, coarsely crushed, more if needed

• Kosher salt to taste, start at 1 tsp

• 2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped

• 2-3 medium heirloom tomatoes, sliced or cut into wedges

• ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced

• Blue Cheese or feta, optional garnish

• Balsamic Drizzle

• Jalapeno Bacon Ranch

Directions

1. Prepare the Steak: In a small bowl, mash the black garlic cloves with a fork until a paste forms. Stir in the olive oil, mustard, and red wine vinegar until well combined. Pat the steak thoroughly dry with paper towels. Evenly rub the black garlic paste over all sides of the steak. Generously sprinkle the crushed black peppercorns and sea salt over the entire surface, pressing gently to adhere. Let the steak sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes while you prepare the grill.

2. Grill the Steak: Preheat your grill to high heat, around 500-600°F or higher. Once hot, place the steak on the grill grates. For a blue rare doneness, grill for 2-4 minutes per side, depending on thickness and desired crust. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check doneness, aiming for an internal temperature of 115-120°F for blue rare. The center should be cool and deep red.

3. Rest the Steak: Transfer the grilled steak to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let it rest for at least 10 minutes. Do NOT skip the resting step. After resting, slice the steak very thinly against the grain.

4. Assemble the Salad: On a large platter or separate dishes, plate the romaine. Top with tomatoes and onion. ed heirloom tomatoes and thinly sliced red onion. Arrange the sliced grilled steak over the salad. If using, sprinkle generously with crumbled blue cheese or feta cheese. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve with your homemade Bacon Jalapeno Ranch dressing!