Rib-Eye meets whiskey in this delicious Irish Whiskey Steak dish that is divine with Irish Colcannon; on St. Patrick's Day...or any day!
I won't deny that my typical meal for St. Patrick's Day used to be one thing only. This amazing Reuben Sandwich. I've never prepared a slab of corned beef or steamed a pan of cabbage to plop on a plate in celebration of this Irish holiday. But things change and I've got something new to love and it's this Irish Whiskey Steak!
There's a lot to acknowledge in this post, several things that came together to see this dish come to fruition. It was inspired by the receipt of some Concannon Irish Whiskey. Concannon Irish Whiskey was developed as a collaboration between Livermore Valley-based Concannon Vineyard and Ireland's Cooley distillery.
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Distilled and blended at Ireland's only craft distillery with American consumers in mind, this special project is a unique expression of Concannon's American and Irish roots. A refined blend of malted barley and corn, Concannon Irish Whiskey is craft distilled then matured in bourbon barrels for a minimum of four years.
Petite Sirah wine barrels are transported from California to Ireland, where a portion of the whiskey is then finished for four months before blending. Known as 'the Concannon Effect' this gives Concannon Irish Whiskey a uniquely fruity character that allows this whiskey to stand out from the crowd.
With a full, clean taste delicately balanced between honey sweet, citrus and malt flavors, and a fresh oak finish, Concannon Irish Whiskey can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or in a variety of premium cocktails. Of course I thought it perfect to use in a whiskey marinade for steaks to be served with Irish Colcannon for St. Patrick's Day and it truly was perfect.
The beef is another story altogether. I was invited as a member of the media to attend a symposium that was put together by staff at Colorado State University titled 'Beef + Transparency = Trust.'
It was a program that provided in depth information to a wide range of people in our state including restaurateurs and media people involved with food the chance to both see and hear about cattle production in the state of Colorado and meet people intimately involved with that production, from the cattle ranchers to the feed lot managers to the ultimate beef processors.
I left that day with a heightened sense of awareness about the entire process and a great deal of respect for the people involved and their dedication to the roles they play in providing beef to consumers.
One highlight of that event was the appearance of Dr. Temple Grandin; a most amazing woman and one who not only loves a great steak but is passionate about seeing that the animals who provide us with that resource are treated humanely; it is her life's work.
We were also blessed that day to hear from Sara Shields, a fourth generation Colorado cattle rancher who shared with us the very personal side of cattle ranching and her love of what they do, filled with both hard work and compassion, it brought some of us to tears.
I wanted to purchase some Colorado beef, talk to a rancher and make a dish for the blog before writing this article. I was introduced to Todd Inglee who brought that same level of commitment that we saw in Sarah; a true passion to work the land and raise cattle and do it well. Todd even came to my home, we had a long conversation and he left me with some samples of the beef they produce.
Soft spoken, warm and so passionate about what he does, I seriously could have talked to Todd all day long; I've definitely gone from totally uninformed to feeling like I have a much better knowledge of some of the aspects of cattle ranching in Colorado; especially a smaller family organization like Todd's.
Intimately involved in the stewardship of their cattle, I learned even more about the differences in the way cattle are brought to market; Ralston Valley beef are grass fed and finished with grain; providing what many believe is the best combination of great taste and the right amount of marbling.
He met some of my friends; we met his charming boys and I love that he and his kids all got to sample some of their beef I had prepared . When a cattle rancher says you prepared beef perfectly, well I think I blushed because that was the best compliment ever!
My hope is to one day visit a ranch and write my own story but today I must share with you this recipe. Todd's Ribeye steaks combined with an amazing whiskey sauce using the Concannon Irish Whiskey is accompanied by the aforementioned dish of Irish Colcannon with Bacon.
I may have jumped the gun on this Irish dish but I will be doing it again for St. Patrick's Day. It is a definite 'Oh My Yum' moment. I do worry that Todd has spoiled me a bit. Seriously and amazingly tender beef. This was a fantastic meal; I might have even enjoyed a Guinness on the side!
Irish Whiskey or Liqueur Cocktails
PIN IT! 'Irish Whiskey Steak'
