As the year comes to an end, entertaining becomes an even bigger part of our activities! Whether it’s a full feast or nibbles and the perfect sips - hanging out with friends, family and co-workers focus on kicking back and letting great conversation flow! Over the past couple of years during a number of summer and winter holidays, we have connected with Chef David Rose to talk about grilling, Omaha Steaks and some of his greatest tips. You can also hear us chat this summer on our podcast episode of Athleisure Kitchen, which was around the 4th of July. So it’s great that we have the opportunity to chat with him again and to find out what he is up to. In addition, you’ll get to hear from him in our DEC ISSUE #84 (drops Dec 30th) to hear him as well as a few of our other faves in NEW YEAR, N3W YOU!
ATHLEISURE MAG: When we last chatted with you, obviously we were talking about your cookbook EGGIN’ as you were doing a number of TV segments on this, you were heading into Essence Fest in New Orleans and you were going to do a segment which we enjoyed watching for Macy’s 4th of July, so it’s always great to connect with you to see what’s going on with you!
CHEF DAVID ROSE: Thank you! It was such a great summer and I had a great time with so many opportunities from going on TV to food festivals and just hanging out with the community of chefs and food enthusiasts! I always like seeing your face and giving you updates on what’s going on with me and Omaha Steaks.
AM: You’re the grilling man. Does it expedite the cooking as opposed to using other appliances?
CHEF DR: Definitely! For me, when you thaw it out and you get it to room temperature before you cook it, grilling is great. The thing that it comes down to when it comes to grilling is knowing your temperature zones. You want to have a hotter side for searing and a cooler or a lower heat side when you want to get to that nice temp. So what I like doing especially when you get to your bigger steaks – that Tomahawk Ribeye, one of my favorites, 36oz – thrilling and delicious. You want to get that to about 10° below your target temperature. So in my case, I like a good rare/medium rare, so I’ll choose a range between 110° and 115°. This way, I will get a nice hard and long sear on the hot side, let it rest, because you want to let your meat rest for 8-10 mins. Something about that grill, that charcoal, that smoke and the flame – it’s that secret ingredient! That’s my flavor of choice when it comes to cooking on the grill. But even when you use the stove, the oven – it’s going to be a hit with Omaha Steaks!
AM: This is good to know! Nothing is worse than having a gorgeous tablescape, the aromas are in the air, you took those pictures for IG, but the food is varying forms of lukewarm temperatures! How do we make sure that all of it stays hot?
CHEF DR: You are not the only one! Actually, a quarter of Americans say that their top stress in holiday meal planning is timing. It’s all about timing! Everybody wants to have hot and ready food at the same time! If I come to your house, and you say that dinner is at 7pm, not 7:01pm or 7:02pm – we better be eating at 7pm! Do as much prep as you can the day before so that you don’t have to feel like you’re hosting and doing a juggling act with the oven and the microwave! Certain sides and desserts can be prepared the day before and be warmed up right before dinner to save on time so that you can focus on those main items, entertaining your guests and spending time with your loved ones because that’s what the holiday is all about - spending time with your guests.
AM: What is your biggest holiday hack that you can share with us?
CHEF DR: My biggest holiday hack is including homemade and pre-prepared foods. Again, hosting can be stressful, so why add more stress and everyone wants to deliver on deliciousness. So it’s ok to not make everything from scratch. It’s alright, it’s ok and it means less time on the kitchen, less stress and more time at the table with loved ones. So mix up the pre-prepared meals and the items with some scratch meals, there’s no shame in the game and it gives you time to hang out with your family for a moment or two and to just have a great time.
We hope that you got some great tips from Chef David Rose and if you have yet to check out Omaha Steaks for yourself, are looking at rounding out your holiday meals this season or gifting someone, we suggest:Butcher’s Deluxe Feast, Tis The Season Gift Collection and/or Joyful Holiday Assortment.
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