{ FRESHcracked }

STEAK SEASONING

Steak is great. Steak doesn't really need any seasoning at all. Maybe a little salt and pepper is all you need - and with the right cooking techniques - your steak is a hit. But if you want to impress people, you're going to need a little bit more than salt and pepper. A-1 Steak Sauce isn't going to save you either - grab your chops.

Montreal Steak Seasoning: Morris "The Shadow" Sherman, a butcher working at Schwartz's Deli in Montreal, Quebec in the 1940's and 50's began using the deli's curing spices on fresh ribs and steak. These seasonings were based on the Jewish pickling spices of Eastern Europe, and the now widely available spice blend also goes by the name Canadian Steak Spice.

*McCormick offers a Grill Mates® version of the Montreal blend available at most grocery stores, however you can always make your own blend out of simple everyday spices, such as black pepper, garlic and onion powder, red pepper flake, and sometimes rosemary or thyme. The traditional pickling version of the spice included whole coriander and dill seed, and most modern versions of the blend include paprika.

Old Chicago Steak Spice: Although this spice blend lacks a clear origin, Chicago is a city known for its steakhouses, and this spice blend is a long-standing tradition of grill enthusiasts from the Illinois region.

*Chicago Steak Seasoning can be found for purchase from companies like Chicago Steak Company and an off-shoot of Weber Grills, Weber Seasonings; and is only slightly more difficult to make than Montreal Steak Steak seasoning. Most notably, the difference between the two is the tart and bitter flavoring of Chicago Steak Spice caused by the addition of lemon zest, citric acid, hickory smoke, and sunflower oil.

Jack Daniels Steak Seasoning: A newcomer to the epicurean scene, Jack Daniels' version of this traditional blend contains no alcohol, nor does it taste like whisky; but nevertheless has been making waves in current culinary markets and is worth noting.

*Dehydrated bell pepper is the main attraction of this spice curation, with other ingredients very similar to Montreal Spice.

It seems only reasonable that FRESHcracked makes a steak seasoning blend also - I think we need one more for this list. First of all, I find Montreal Steak Seasoning to be a bit boring - I can always use fresh garlic, onion and herbs. I can use fresh lemon zest, grapefruit juice, or pure hickory smoke flavoring if I want to do the Chicago-style steak; and before I whip out my dehydrator just to make my own bell pepper powder I want to remind you that people will still ask for things like barbecue sauce, Worchestershire and horesradish no matter what you put on your steak - myself included.

The main thing I wanted to do here is omit both the salt and pepper so I can add them as needed based on the size of the steak and the preferences of the chowhound. Sometimes I cook for people that can't handle spicy food, including black pepper - and the sodium levels can be an issue as well - so I like to keep these separate from my signature spice blends.

FC STEAK SEASONING:

NOTE: Even though your spices are already dried, chopped, minced, and ground, etc., pulse them together in a spice grinder or use a mortar and pestle until they are coarsely blended, starting with the largest herbs and granules first. Goya makes a Sazón seasoning blend of 'culantro y achiote' that can be used in place of the dried cilantro and achuete if necessary, but the achiote also contains chili powder, so you may want to omit the wasabi powder.

Before cooking your desired cut of steak, thinly coat it with oil and rub your bland, boring meat with this FRESHcracked spice blend. Season it with salt and pepper medley as you normally would. I also recommend finishing your steak with a teaspoon or so of butter - and don't forget to add salt and pepper as you see fit - your bags are packed and you're ready to hit flavortown.

FC FUCHSIA:

*Season-All: make this Fuchsia Seasoning and mix it with the steak seasoning evenly - sprinkle that shit on everything.