High School Prom and a Flat Iron Steak

I had the pleasure of chaperoning the High School prom in May. What a kick. No matter if you hated high school or loved it there is something about being at the prom. I loved the prom of course, Prom Queen Buena High School 82, go Bulldogs. So there I was watching over the little darlings and they had a catered dinner brought in by the cutest little restaurant in Lone Pine, The Merry Go Round. Yes, it is round - you have to love Lone Pine. Ivonne Bunn cooked the best Flat Iron steak I have had in a while they also now offer the greatest Chinese food, only in Lone Pine.

You ask what is a Flat Iron? Well it is a relatively recent cut of meat that was developed by the research team of the University of Nebraska and the University of Florida working with the National Cattleman’s Beef Association, using Beef Checkoff Program dollars (glad to see those bucks going to good use). They call their program “Value Cuts” and the Flat Iron is the crown jewel. The beef cut is really a top blade steak from the tender top of the blade roast. The roast is separated into two pieces to remove a thick, tough, gristle. What you get is the second tenderest cut of meat from the steer, next to the tenderloin.






Why do they call it a Flat Iron? Some say it got its name by looking like an old flat iron others say the French called the thick gristle “iron hard” and that might be where it got the name. Who really knows where the name came from, but I think it's catchy and easy for people to remember and does it ever taste terrific. If you have never had one, try one next time you are at a restaurant or if you want to grill up a great steak this is the one for you. They take marinate extremely well and just melt in you mouth.

Back to the prom, the boys looked handsome in their suits and tuxes, and the girls beautiful in their gowns and then there were the shoes even Carrie Bradshaw from Sex in the City would be proud of. - Brenda