By Brayden is seventy-three weeks old. The apartment is back to its three-person rhythm after the Memphis trip last week. Aunt Linda and Roy are wrapping up their seven-and-a-half-week Tulsa residency — the Residence Inn lease ends Tuesday February 28 and they will move back to Sapulpa Wednesday March 1. Harper and Hadley have settled into a stable rhythm. Aunt Linda will still come to Harper’s twice a week for the next two months but the daily-presence is being phased out.
The homemade steak seasoning is a small spice-blend development project Mama and I are working on for the cafe’s expanded menu — the seasoning will be sprinkled on the steak-and-eggs breakfast plate that Mama is adding to the spring menu (alongside the existing steak-and-eggs-with-pepper-gravy plate, which uses commercial seasoning). The from-scratch blend is one of the small-quality-upgrades Mama is using to differentiate the cafe’s menu from the chain-restaurants that have been opening on the Sapulpa highway over the last two years.
The blend is: kosher salt, coarsely-ground black pepper, smoked paprika, granulated garlic, granulated onion, dried oregano, dried thyme, brown sugar, a small amount of mustard powder, a pinch of cayenne. The proportions are roughly two parts salt to one part each of the others, with the cayenne and the mustard powder at a quarter-part each. The blend is stored in a mason jar at the cafe.
Sunday I made a test batch at the apartment. Dustin grilled a ribeye Saturday night and we used the blend on it. The seasoning was right on the first pass. The blend will go to the cafe Wednesday for Mama’s production-blend.
Aunt Linda’s small twice-weekly Tulsa-visits continue. She arrives at two PM. She stays for two hours. She holds Brayden (and later helps with both kids). She drinks the small cup of coffee I keep ready. We talk through the small week’s family-news. The small visits are the small social-thread that connects the Tulsa-apartment-life to the small Sapulpa-extended-family.
Brayden’s small developmental milestones have been arriving on the small typical-schedule. The pediatrician has been pleased at the small monthly check-ins. The small baby-and-now-toddler life continues to be the small foreground of the small family-of-three rhythm.
Homemade Steak Seasoning
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 5 minutes | Servings: About 6 tablespoons (enough for 4–6 steaks)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, lightly crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
Instructions
- Combine. Add all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk together until evenly blended.
- Taste and adjust. Rub a small pinch between your fingers and taste. Add more black pepper for boldness or more paprika for a deeper, smoky note.
- Store. Transfer to a small airtight jar or spice container. Store at room temperature away from heat and light for up to 3 months.
- To use on steak. Pat steaks dry with paper towels. Press 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of seasoning per side firmly into the meat. Let the steak rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before pan-searing or grilling.
- Pan-sear method. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Add a tablespoon of oil with a high smoke point. Sear steak 2–4 minutes per side depending on thickness, finishing with butter, smashed garlic, and fresh thyme in the pan. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition (per serving, based on 1 teaspoon of seasoning)
Calories: 6 | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Carbs: 1g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 580mg