Gochujang Is The Ingredient Your Next Ribeye Steak Needs, According To Bobby Flay - Exclusive
Ribeye is one of those steak cuts that seems to have everything going for it; stunning marbling, robust flavor, tender meat, and an impressive bone to boot. To some, all that is needed to coax perfection from this chop is to season it and pan sear, broil, or grill it to medium rare. Then there's Bobby Flay, a chef known for his spicy approach to Southwestern cuisine.
Flay, who certainly knows a thing or two about bringing the heat when it comes to meat, recently gave an exclusive interview to Tasting Table senior editor Alexandra Cass, discussing a range of topics including his newly opened French restaurant, Brasserie B in Las Vegas. While Flay hews closely on the menu to French classics, there are plenty of flourishes that remind diners who is at the helm. Those include liberal use of spices and other stylistically atypical ingredients, such as a ribeye kissed with the unique flavor of Korean gochujang.
"It's literally one of the best ingredients in the world," Flay says. "I've been able to create a glaze using it. And so basically we spice-rub the rib eye, we cook it, it gets really crusty, and then, when it's coming off the grill, we slather it with this gochujang glaze, which [has] got spice to it, it's got sweetness to it, and it has that fermentation to it."
Gochujang brings the heat and so much more
If you're unfamiliar with gochujang, it is high time to wake up to one of the punchiest ingredients there is. A fermented paste of dried chile powder, glutinous rice flour, fermented soybeans, and salt, this sticky, sweet, spicy paste is bursting with a tangy flavor that is moderated with deep umami richness. Uses abound as this versatile condiment can be added to dipping sauce, marinades, glazes, soups, stews, noodles, rice, and more.
What makes ribeye such a perfect foil for gochujang is its incumbent robust profile. The beefy flavor of the ribeye moderates the bold flavors of the gochujang in just the right way, while the spice enlivens the palate in the face of the steak's rounder notes. If ribeye already gives you the meat sweats, get ready to add a healthy dose of the heat sweats with Flay's take.
You may also be wondering what a chef with Flay's pedigree is doing behind the line of a brasserie. It's a style of bustling, lively restaurant that has long been beloved by him and Las Vegas is a perfect fit, he tells us. And he's pouring his heart and soul into Brasserie B as evidenced by the room dedicated solely to making his two-day french fries and the dish on the menu he named after his daughter.
Click here for more information, or to make reservations at Brasserie B, located in Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. It is open daily from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for brunch and 4:30 to 10:00 p.m. for dinner.