José Andrés’ recipe for Basque-style grilled rib eye steaks, also known as txuleton, yields 4 servings and requires about 1 hour and 30 minutes of total time. The dish is commonly found in steak houses and cider houses across the Pais Vasco region in Spain.
The main ingredient is a thick rib eye, preferably from Rubia Gallega, a breed of cattle native to the northwest of Spain. If Spanish-style txuleton is not available, a butcher can cut a rib eye to a minimum thickness of 1 1/2 inches.
Cooking txuleton involves tempering it throughout the process. This means leaving the steak in a warm place, such as the top section of a grill, until it reaches room temperature. The grill should be heated to a temperature of 100°F to 110°F.
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Once the steak is tempered, it can be cooked over high heat to achieve a nice crust on the outside while keeping the inside medium rare. This can be done by placing the steak closer to the coals or by using an adjustable grill rack.
The recipe requires 2 bone-in rib eye steaks, each about 2 inches thick, as well as extra virgin olive oil, white onion, sherry vinegar, kosher salt, butter lettuce, piparra peppers, and pimientos del piquillo confitados.
The steaks are brushed with olive oil and cooked on a grill or in a cast-iron pan in the oven until they reach an internal temperature of 105°F. They are then removed from the heat and set aside to rest before being seared over high heat to form a crust.
While the steaks are cooking, the onion is sliced and soaked in cold water before being tossed with olive oil, sherry vinegar, and kosher salt. The onions are then set aside until the steaks are ready to be served.
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To serve, the onions, lettuce leaves, and piparra peppers are combined in a large salad bowl and tossed with olive oil, sherry vinegar, and flaky sea salt. The steaks are sliced and placed on a platter, seasoned with flaky sea salt and pepper, and served with the salad and confited piquillo peppers.
In the north of Spain, it is common to find vaca vieja, or “old cows,” which are slaughtered at a ripe old age and dry-aged for a month or two before being grilled.
For those looking to try this recipe at home, using high-quality olive oil and fresh produce will make a big difference in the final product.
