3 Steaks for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is just over a week away. If you are like me the last thing you want to do on Valentine’s Day is fight the crowds at a restaurant, spend too much for mediocre food, feel rushed by a waiter who just wants to get the table turned for the next couple, pay a babysitter, and on the list goes. Why not stay home and cook a nice steak for Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day is one of the few times of the year which give you a great excuse to splurge and maybe spend a bit more than you normally would on a quality steak rather than what  you find at the grocery store. A quality piece of meat can definitely take your meal to the next level and for a once or twice a year treat it doesn’t have to be all that expensive either.

I hate to say it but Valentine’s Day probably isn’t the day to pull out the 3 pound Tomahawk steaks. Generally speaking you are probably going to want to go with something a bit smaller, a bit easier to cook, and something that is versatile. You also want something that is a bit more romantic than a giant slab of meat with a bone sticking out of it.

With those criteria in mind here are the three steaks I would recommend for Valentine’s Day:

This post is monetized with affiliate links. If you buy something through them I get paid. And I buy more steaks. Don’t forget to use code FREEAFF to get free shipping from Snake River Farms as well. You will need to get your order placed by 1 PM EST on Tuesday to get your steaks delivered by Friday if you want to avoid expedited shipping charges. 

#1 Steak for Valentine’s Day – Filet Mignon

For many people it doesn’t get any better than a filet mignon. The filet mignon is the most tender steak you can get. It is also fairly lean so it appeals to a wide range of eaters who might not appreciate the fattiness of a nice ribeye. Most filet mignons are also on the smaller side. 6, 8, and 10 oz sizes are the most common cuts so they won’t leave you too full for the rest of the evening’s activities.

Since filet mignons (which are cut from the tenderloin) are so lean there are a couple things to keep in mind. First, they can overcook very quickly. If you or whoever you are cooking the steak for likes their steaks anything medium or above opt for a different cut. If you take a filet mignon to medium or medium well you will have a very dry steak. Second, they don’t have the strongest beef flavor. But that is OK because there are plenty of sauces that pair well with a filet. My personal favorite is an au poivre sauce (a peppery cream sauce) but a bernaise sauce works well too. You can add some sauteed mushrooms if you want as well.

Personally I would just use salt and pepper, cook it in a 225 degree oven (or the cool side of a 2 zone grill) until the internal temperature is 110 and then sear the outside in a very hot cast iron skillet or over some hot coals for a minute or two per side. The resulting steak will be a nice medium rare and that is about perfect when it comes to a filet mignon.

It can be hard to find good filet mignon in your local grocery store meat case. Most butcher shops will carry filet mignon but this is one of those steaks where you really want prime grade meat and that can be hard to come by. For my money Snake River Farms is your best option. Their quality is hard to match. Snake River Farms carries prime grade but they also have their American Wagyu grade which is a step above prime.

#2 Steak for Valentine’s Day – Japanese A5 Wagyu

For most of us this year Valentine’s Day will mean a nice meal at home. And if you are stuck home you might as well splurge on some Japanese A5 Wagyu beef. But get ready for some sticker shock… The steak pictured above is some Japanese Ohmi Beef which is the oldest brand of A5 Wagyu from Japan. You can get 2 16 oz ribeyes or striploins for $350 (or about $11 per oz).

Does that seem expensive? Well, of course it is. But if you were to order a steak like this at a restaurant you could easily spend $50 per oz so buying it and cooking it at home is a great way to experience this amazing cut of beef.

Cooking $350 worth of steak might seem intimidating but I got you covered: How to cook a Japanese A5 Wagyu Steak. Basically you just want to sear these steaks in a cast iron, carbon steel, or stainless steel pan on the stove. No grill needed, no reverse searing, no sous vide. Just salt it and cook it in a medium hot pan flipping often until you get a nice crust on the outside and the internal temp is ~125-130.

2 16 oz Japanese A5 Wagyu steaks is easily enough for more than two people so treat the kids as well.

Pursuit Farms also has a ton of other great Japanese A5 Wagyu options. Or for other options: Where to buy Japanese A5 Wagyu Beef.

#3 Steak for Valentine’s Day – Tomahawk Steak

OK, I said I wouldn’t talk about Tomahawk Steaks but what the heck? Any guy would love to see a big slab of meat on his plate this Valentine’s Day. And I know quite a few women who could put one of these away too.

These American Wagyu tomahawks from Snake River Farms weigh in at around 2.75 pounds and sell for $135 each. Serve a couple of these steaks for Valentine’s Day and you are sure to have a memorable night.

Any of those three steaks will make this Valentine’s Day special. Tons of restaurants are closed across the country so a nice dinner at home will be a welcome addition.

If you are looking for something special to add to your Valentine’s Day dinner why not pick up some lobster tails or lobster rolls from Luke’s Lobster?