Outdoor Grilling & Dining

and the very best steak you can eat

Hello my friends,

Food tastes better outside. Would you agree? Especially grilled meat. Over fire. Why is it so much better.

We’re a big outdoor-eating family through the spring, summer, and fall. Part of it is because we live in Central Washington and are surrounded by the Columbia River Basin - reason enough to be outside, cast your eyes to the hilltops, and enjoy the view.

Another big part of it is that food tastes better eaten outdoors. Food that I would never enjoy indoors I’ve happily eaten around a campfire with good company. (Think: brats.)

In this week’s new video, we’re exploring the best steak I’ve ever eaten. Those are not words that this Beef Production Undergraduate takes likely. I’ve shouldered up to amazing beef producers who create an amazing product, heck I’ve even grown my own, but this one takes the cake.

I talk about this more in the video, but if you’re looking to be impressed by your next steak, look to the Denver Steak:

• located in the shoulder (“chuck”) of the steer, surrounded by heavily worked muscles but tucked away safely where it remains tender

• lots of inter-muscular fat (“marbling”) versus thick fat on the edge of the steak which means that flames and too much charring aren’t a problem on the grill

• no bones or funky bits to work/cut around

• Porter Road dry-ages their Denver Steaks, this concentrates flavors and relaxes the meat

• FLAVOR

I can’t explain the phenomenon of outdoor eating, but it’s one that’s proven true for us again and again. Though it’s taken some years (one year we put in the brick flooring, another we put in posts and gardens, etc.) we finally have an outdoor space for grilling the best steak I’ve ever eaten. Our space isn’t fancy, but it works well for us.

When will we stop forcing things to be perfect before we start to enjoy them?

Come along with us as we clean up, rearrange, and set the stage for our first outdoor supper of the year. Maybe you’ll gain some ideas and inspiration for your very own space!

Perhaps for some, it may seem a bit over the top to set the table, put out flowers, light up the grill and the wood-fired pizza oven all for a weeknight meal with “just our family” but that is precisely the point.

If not now, when?

This is how we want to live.

This also happened to be the maiden voyage for my new plates from MadeIn. Turns out, my last set of thrifted dishes had lead in them (nasty!!!!) so I made a swift change to a high-quality set of matching dishes (my first set in my entire life) and I am so pleased with them. I feel like a proper grown up! So I suppose the dishes were reason enough to celebrate. If you’re looking for dishes (sans lead), you can get 10% off your purchase right here.

Life starts now, my friends. Right where you are. Here’s to making the most of it with good food, good company, and imperfect spaces that bring our heart joy.

Cheers,

Shaye