T-bone Steaks with Board Sauce

Imagine how easy dinner could be if you mixed – right on a chopping board – a handful of raw ingredients that play well together and then dragged your steaks through that spontaneous ‘sauce’. Feel free to substitute your favourite fresh herbs and types of oil and vinegar.

2 well-marbled, top-quality T-bone steaks, each about 450 g/1 lb and 3–4 cm/ 11/4–1½ inches thick
2 tablespoons extra-virgin
olive oil
2 teaspoons sea salt

BOARD SAUCE
2 small shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained and finely chopped
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons high-quality extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, preferably 10 years old
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Place the steaks in a single layer on a baking tray and pat dry with kitchen paper. Rub the oil into both sides of the
steaks and then season them evenly with the salt. Leave to stand while you prepare the board sauce and the barbecue.

2. Arrange all the board sauce ingredients, including ½ teaspoon of the pepper, in a pile in the centre of a large chopping board, pouring the oil and vinegar in the centre of the pile. Let the pile stand while you preheat the
barbecue and grill the steak, or for up to 1 hour.

3. Prepare the barbecue for direct and indirect cooking over medium-high heat (200°–230°C/400°–450°F). Brush the
cooking grates clean.

4. Grill the steaks over grilling/direct medium-high heat, with the lid closed, until cooked to your desired doneness,
10–12 minutes for medium rare (51°–54°C/125°–130°F), rotating and turning the steaks once or twice. To cook the steaks longer, slide them to the indirect heat side of the barbecue.

5. Meanwhile, use a wooden spoon to mix the sauce ingredients together gently on the board into a juicy, chunky
mixture.

6. Spread the board sauce into a layer large enough to accommodate both steaks side by side.

7. Use tongs to transfer the steaks to the chopping board, laying them flat on the sauce. Season the tops with the
remaining ½ teaspoon pepper.

8. Use the tongs to move the steaks around so they pick up some of the sauce flavourings, then turn the steaks
over. Leave to rest, uncovered, for 3–5 minutes.

9. Cut the meat away from the bone.

10. Next, cut the meat across the grain into 8 mm/3⁄8 inch thick slices. As you cut the meat, turn each slice back and
forth in the board sauce until it is nicely coated with the flavourings. Season with salt and pepper if needed and
serve immediately.

This recipe is from Weber’s Barbecue Bible by Jamie Purviance