A succulent, juicy steak cooked to perfection always manages to put a smile on the face of even the pickiest eater, says Gregg Carano, an accomplished chef as well as general manager and vice president of the Eldorado Hotel Casino.
To cook the perfect steak, he says, you must begin with a good choice of meat. To demonstrate his point for NevadaHome, he chose three New York steaks and a filet mignon.
“When you’re choosing a steak at the market, look for a pinkish-red coloring in the meat,” he says. “The coloring tells you that it’s fresh. For a New York steak – that’s my favorite,” he grins, “you also want to see marbling throughout. That tells you it’s going to be juicy.”

New York steaks
Carano believes that open flame is the best way to cook a New York steak. You want to sear the outside of the meat, he says. “If the steak is fresh with lots of marbling,” he explains, “you don’t need to add anything to it but a little salt and black pepper rubbed onto the outside.” The first steak is prepared in this way and set aside.
The second New York steak has been marinated in a little olive oil, freshly chopped garlic, salt, black pepper, lemon juice and fresh rosemary. It should marinade for two to three hours. This herb seasoning offers a more delicate, subtle flavor to the meat. Carano adds that this marinade is also perfect for more lean cuts, such as a London broil.
The third steak is rubbed with “Gregg’s Rub,” a mixture of equal parts cumin, paprika, chipotle powder (or cayenne), black pepper, brown sugar, onion powder and garlic powder. The result is a slightly southwestern flavor with a some kick.
Now for the grilling.

Carano places the three New York cuts over the open flame. “These three steaks are each over an inch thick. That’s a good thickness,” Carano says. “If it’s cut too thin, it’s easy to overcook. Everybody has their personal preferences, but for the best flavor, I suggest cooking rare to medium-rare. The most common mistake made in cooking steak – any steak – is overcooking it. You don’t want to do that. It makes the meat dry, chewy and tasteless.”
 

Filet Mignon
While the New York steaks are grilling, Carano begins the filet mignon. He cuts the fillet into two equal sizes, then rubs both with black peppercorns. Next, he heats the vegetable oil in a saucepan until it’s hot, places the two pieces in the oil, browns on both sides, then removes them from the pan. He adds the shallots and butter to the pan and quickly sautés.
Carano removes the pan from the flame and advises, “You want to be sure not to add the cognac while the pan is over the flame.” While the pan is removed from the flame, he pours the cognac. “After adding the cognac, you place the pan over the flame and flambé.”
He offers an impressive demonstration. Flames burst from the pan and dance upward for several seconds. “This creates a glaze,” he explains. The sauce displays a light caramel color.
Next, he adds the heavy cream, then places the fillets back in the pan and tosses them until they are completely covered in the sauce.
For presentation, Carano pours a little of the sauce onto the plate, then adds the filets and tops with the remaining sauce. He adds a side of Gregg’s Garlic Fries to accompany the dish. Of course, for the perfect complement to this meal, he suggests a choice of one of the many wines that the Ferrari-Carano winery offers.
In the words of the Carano family, this is the Italian ideal – food, family, and love.

Susan M. Botich is a Minden-based freelance writer.