WAGON STEAK

One can only subside on steak house faire for so long. This last weekend we have been living it ‘High on the Hog’ (cow) while attending The Best of the West Rib Cook-off. It was time to go home but not before a pit stop at Blue Ribbon Meat Company in Sparks, Nevada. We are no strangers to BlueRibbon. They are a destination place to re-fill the ice cave with meaty delights. Our basket was filled with steaks, stuffed pork chops and something new to us. ‘Wagon Steak’

The butcher told us that Wagon steak is a mixture of ground Chuck meat, spices, flavorings (one which was liquid smoke) and all wrapped in bacon. He also explained it should be cooked and eaten like any other steak. That was enough for us. We could not wait to get home and try this new meat product.

We cooked this steak on a medium to high heat on a charcoal fire. We used the kettle top to prevent flair ups that would have been caused by the bacon dripping. I was a little hesitant to cook these steaks to medium rare so they were cooked to 135 degrees producing a medium doneness. A very brief rest and we dug in. This steak was juicy and beefy. They call it a steak but I would say hamburger. The seasoning was perfect except for the liquid smoke.  Maybe my palette is a little sensitive to this ingredient and I would venture to say it was a little heavy handed. The bacon was crisp and yummy delicious. Overall this was a decent burger pretending to be a steak. It was fun to try but will not purchase again unless liquid smoke is toned down.