T-bone steak with hot veggies

Depending on who you talk to, a bit of steak can do your muscles the world’s good, seeing as it is packed with creatine and protein. The festive season is an indulgent one, so why not settle for a delicious cut of meat that mitigates damage to your abs, and even provides some benefits? Just remember to swop the chips for veggies!

T-bone steak is a cut of beef that combines both sirloin and strip steak by a T-shaped bone. They tend to be quite big, but once you remove the bone (of which the marrow flavours the steak when cooking), you are left with as little as 180 grams of meat! This contains as much as 42 grams of protein and 28 grams of fat. Cooking steaks with little oil also drastically reduces the unhealthy fat content of the meal.

Here’s a few methods you can cook your T-bone steak:

Broiled

Although braai-ing meat isn’t necessarily something you should do every day if you want to look out for your health, it’s okay to indulge a little over the holiday time. Rub the steak with olive oil, salt and pepper before broiling. If you like yours rare to medium, cooking it over the flames often does the trick best as, as this method warms the steak throughout but doesn’t overcook it. If medium to well done is more your thing, go with the coals. For both methods, seal the steak on both sides and then turn continuously until cooked to your taste.

Grilled

It may sound unconventional, but cooking the steak this way seals in many of the juices and caramelises the steak. Preheat the grill (and the grates) to about 200 degrees celsius, and rub the steak with some lemon juice, salt and pepper. Grill to your liking, turning once.

Pan-seared

Put a steak pan over maximum heat. Once the pan is smoldering, add a little olive oil and cook the steak to your liking. Most nutritionists will tell you that the most benefits from the steak can be derived when it is rare to medium. Season with salt and pepper, and turn as needed.

As for the veg…

Steaming or grilling veg is the way to go here. If you’re doing the steak over the braai, why not opt for salad, or make your own vegetable kebabs? Getting creative is what’s going to ensure that you won’t miss those deep-fried wedges.