Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse
Indulge in an exceptional menu inspired by passion for steak and wine
Some trendsetting restaurants are turning back to dry-aging, the old way of handling beef. In late October, Fleming’s added two dry-aged steak options—a Prime rib eye and a Prime New York Strip, aged a minimum of 21 days—to its traditional wetaged USDA Prime cuts.
What’s the difference?
Aging is the process of letting the meat’s natural enzymes and microbes break down the connective tissue to tenderize it. Dry-aged beef is hung or racked in near freezing temperatures for several weeks. It’s only done with an entire carcass or wholesale rib or loin cuts (higher grades of meat with a large distribution of fat content), and there’s a significant loss of weight, as moisture evaporates from the muscle. That’s a good thing, because it concentrates the flavor, but it’s a restaurateur’s nightmare—tying up cash flow in inventory that’s suspended for weeks, literally shrinking as it loses water.
Wet-aged beef “ages” faster in a vacuum-sealed bag, which doesn’t allow the meat to breathe, reducing the amount of water weight lost (follow the money—that’s why most of the meat you buy in the store has been wet-aged). Generally, the public seems to prefer wet-aged, while connoisseur carnivores— and food writers on expense accounts—choose the bolder, richer taste of dry-aged.
There’s yet another new option to ponder on Fleming’s menu, “iron crusted steaks”— cooking them in cast iron, which results in a heavily charred crust, and finishing them in butter with fresh parsley.
So I will be taking a second job to fund my ongoing research. On my most recent visit, I enjoyed Fleming’s traditional preparation—broiling Koshersalt- and-black-pepper seasoned steaks at 1,600 degrees— with one of the Fleming’s classics, the Porcini Rubbed Filet Mignon, a center cut served with grilled asparagus spears and a savory gorgonzola cream sauce.
My companions tucked into the newborn- sized Double Thick Pork Rib Chop (dressed up with julienned apples and jicama tossed in apple cider and a creole mustard glaze) and the Broiled Pacific Swordfish, a linecaught center cut served on a bed of Israeli couscous with pine nuts and fennel cream. We sided it with Fleming’s Potatoes, which combine cream and cheddar cheese with jalapeños to deliver a rich, spicy kick.
Fleming’s has also beefed up its fabulous roster of the world’s best wines with the WINEPAD, a dedicated Apple iPad that allows diners to navigate the extensive list through a variety of sort functions, such as label-specific tasting notes, perfect pairings and Wine Spectator ratings. It demystifies the Fleming’s 100, an award-winning program featuring 100 wines by the glass (about a third of them priced at $10 or less). Sommeliers will be hitting the hard stuff as customers adopt this technology. Working your way through it makes it easier to become an oenophile, but harder to spell it.
191 Inverness Dr. W., Englewood
303-768-0827; flemingssteakhouse.com
