[lawgolfer]

Let's focus on the question!

The Chophouse at Lake Sumter does a fine job.

The same for Prima at Brownwood.

The most interesting steak in TheVillages is the Chateaubriand, a tenderloin strip, at Lopez Legacy CC. It is also a great bargain.

The Lopez restaurant is owned and operated by the same family which has Prima and Havana CC. Their restaurants rarely disappoint.

Having answered the question, I'll offer my opinion on how to cook a steak and which steak to cook.

1. Buy a Porterhouse steak cut a minimum thickness of 1&1/4", preferably 1&1/2". The Porterhouse is the first two or three cuts from the rear of the short loin. As the cuts progress forward on the short loin, the steaks become T bones. The Porterhouse has the N.Y. strip on one side and the filet on the other. Try to get the 1st cut. If you ask the butcher nicely, he may cut one from a side of beef in the cooler or save you one when he next cuts up a side. If he does, remember him at Christmas. Fresh Market is a good place to shop for steaks. On the first Porterhouse, the last inch or two of the bone forming the "T" will not be attached at the bottom.

2. Have the steak at room temperature. If it is chilled or, heaven forbid, frozen, it will cook unevenly due to the presence of the bone. Pat dry and season to your preference. The cooking techniques mentioned by others using a cold or frozen steak will work for a boneless cut, but not one with a bone.

3. Use an oven-proof frying pan or skillet of some thickness as it will hold the temperature better than one which is thin. Add a small amount of oil with a high smoking point. Heat the pan or skillet to a high temperature. Place the steak in the pan and, using thongs, move it around so that it is evenly seared and has a nice appearance. With the thongs, hold the steak upright and sear the edges. Place the uncooked side down and sear it. However, do not sear it to the same degree as the first side as it will continue to sear in the next step. Do not overcook. You are only searing the steak for appearance and to seal the surfaces.

4. Have the oven preheated to 400 or 425 deg. I use 400 to minimize spattering of the oven. Place the pan with the steak in the oven and bake for 3&1/2 to 4&1/2 minutes. After you do this a few times, you'll learn the time which produces the results you like. We like our steaks to be rare to medium rare. I've found that 3&1/2 minutes works well.

Do not overcook! If you are uncertain or it is your first time, make a cut in the steak after removing it from the oven. If you find it to be too rare, put it back in the oven.

5. If you want a sauce, make it in the pan while the steak is resting. Certainly, no good steak requires a sauce. We prefer Steak au Poivre. Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of brandy or cognac. Let the alcohol boil off. Add lots of fresh ground pepper, a pinch of salt, and a cup of cream. Bring the cream to a low boil, whisking constantly until it thickens and will coat the back of a spoon. Add a splash of brandy or cognac, whisk, and set aside while you cut the steak. If necessary, whisk the sauce again before ladling it over the steak.

6. Whether or not you bother with a sauce, let the steak rest on a cutting board (not in the pan) for a couple of minutes, This allows the juices to be absorbed in the steak and avoids having a plate swimming in bloody liquid. If you have a monster appetite, eat all of it yourself. If not, cut the two sides from the bone and serve the filet, the small side, to your significant other. If you want to be fancy and make a beautiful presentation, cut the steaks cross-wise into 1/2' strips and fan them out on the plate.

This is the classic French method for cooking steak and is employed at the finest restaurants. You'll end up with a steak that is crusty on the outside and progressively cooked from each side towards the center. Once you learn the technique, you'l find it makes a perfectly cooked steak and is quite easy. Certainly, it is less trouble than firing up a grill or filling the house with smoke from using the broiler.

Before you criticize my choice of the Porterhouse, you should know that I'm an ag school graduate and that classes in meat grading were included in the curriculum. I spent a fair amount of time in the cooling rooms at slaughter houses with USDA inspectors. Anyone who has done this will second my recommendation of the Porterhouse. It's hard to get a bad Porterhouse. When we were in California, we lived in an area with many dairy farms. I used to buy Porterhouses at a small Mexican market that were cut from older milk cows being culled from the herd. Those steaks were so large, they fell over the sides of the plate. Dinner guests would rave over the steaks we served. My wife would be embarrassed and be mad at me if I told the guests the source of the steaks.