Grilled Steak, Blue Cheese & Balsamic Pizza: A Gourmet Journey for Your Taste Buds
Prepare your senses for an unforgettable culinary experience with this grilled steak, blue cheese, and balsamic pizza. It’s more than just a meal; it’s a vibrant symphony of flavors and textures, a truly gorgeous mess that promises to delight with every single bite. This isn’t your average weeknight pizza; it’s a gourmet masterpiece, perfect for elevating a special occasion or simply treating yourself to something extraordinary.
There’s something inherently right about starting the new year, or any new chapter, with bold flavors and ambitious cooking. And when it comes to infusing dishes with incredible depth and complexity, balsamic vinegar stands out. Truly, anything touched by the magic of balsamic immediately feels elevated, sophisticated, and utterly delicious. Its rich, tangy, and slightly sweet notes can transform even the simplest ingredients into something extraordinary. This pizza harnesses that power to create a truly memorable dish.
In case you couldn’t tell, I am deep in the throes of a renewed love affair with balsamic. Oh yes, balsamic is back, baby, and it’s bringing all its glorious acidity and sweetness to the party. A good balsamic reduction is a game-changer, concentrating those wonderful flavors into a thick, glossy glaze that drizzles beautifully and adds a vibrant zing to savory dishes. It’s an ingredient that never ceases to impress, offering a versatility that makes it a staple in any well-stocked pantry. Its ability to balance richness, cut through fats, and add a complex finish makes it ideal for this robust pizza.
Embracing the New Year with Culinary Adventures
Who else is excited to start the new year with fresh perspectives and exciting endeavors? This girl certainly is! I have an overwhelming feeling that this year is going to be an exceptionally exciting one, full of growth, new experiences, and delicious food. The mere fact that we all outlived the infamous Mayan calendar must be a good indication of positive things to come, right? It feels like a clean slate, a perfect opportunity to set new goals and embark on personal challenges, whether they are in life, work, or the kitchen.
Is anyone else committing to any New Year’s resolutions? Mine tend to be pretty lofty, often involving grand plans that fizzle out by February. So, for 2013 (or whatever year you’re tackling these resolutions!), I’m keeping them quite minimal and achievable. For example, eating a little less cake (a perpetual struggle for any dessert lover), truly committing to working out more consistently (you know, more than just a couple of times a month), and, most excitingly for my culinary spirit, delving into some more difficult and rewarding cooking techniques. It’s about pushing boundaries, learning new skills, and savoring the satisfaction of creating something truly remarkable from scratch.
One such resolution, and a cornerstone of this incredible pizza, is making pizza dough from scratch. No more relying solely on the convenient mixes that come in those little boxes. While those serve a purpose, there’s an unparalleled sense of accomplishment and a superior texture that comes from kneading dough yourself. It’s a fundamental skill that unlocks a world of possibilities for homemade pizza, focaccia, and other baked goods. The process itself can be therapeutic, and the end result is always worth the extra effort, delivering a crust that is both crispy and chewy, with a depth of flavor that store-bought options simply can’t match.
Yep, with resolutions like these and a pizza recipe this good, this is going to be a fantastic year, filled with delicious discoveries and personal triumphs. This grilled steak, blue cheese, and balsamic pizza isn’t just a meal; it’s a celebration of bold flavors and the joy of homemade cooking. The crispy crust provides the perfect canvas for tender, perfectly grilled New York strip steak, which offers a robust, savory foundation. Melted Parmesan and crumbly blue cheese introduce layers of creamy, pungent, and sharp notes that beautifully contrast with the richness of the steak. And then, the balsamic reduction – a sweet, tangy, and deeply concentrated glaze – ties all these elements together with an elegant finish. Finally, a generous scattering of fresh arugula adds a peppery bite and a refreshing green crunch, cutting through the richness and brightening the entire dish. It’s a complex yet harmonious flavor profile that will leave you craving more.
The Art of the Perfect Pizza Components
Crafting the Homemade Pizza Dough
Embarking on the journey of making pizza dough from scratch is a rewarding resolution that truly elevates this recipe. The process begins with simple ingredients: flour, water, salt, yeast, and a touch of sugar. Using a stand mixer simplifies the kneading, allowing the dough hook to do the hard work of developing gluten, which is essential for that signature chewy texture. The initial mix and rest period allow the flour to fully hydrate, making the dough more pliable. Then, introducing the yeast and sugar awakens the dough, leading to a vigorous kneading session that results in a glossy, smooth, and elastic dough. The slow rise at room temperature, sometimes taking up to two and a half hours, is crucial. This extended fermentation develops complex flavors in the crust, giving it a depth that quick-rise methods can’t replicate. This patient approach ensures a pizza base that’s truly exceptional, ready to perfectly crisp on a preheated pizza stone.
Grilling the Steak to Perfection
The star of this pizza, the New York strip steak, demands respect. Choosing a good quality cut is the first step. Grilling it briefly in a hot sauté pan, just five minutes per side for medium-rare, ensures a juicy, tender interior with a beautiful sear. It’s important not to overcook the steak, as it will have a brief second stint in the oven on the pizza. Allowing it to rest after cooking, tented loosely with foil, redistributes its juices, ensuring every slice of steak on your pizza is as succulent as possible. This perfectly cooked steak provides a hearty, savory counterpoint to the other rich flavors.
The Magic of Balsamic Reduction
The balsamic reduction is the secret weapon in this pizza’s arsenal. It’s surprisingly simple to make: just simmer good quality balsamic vinegar until it’s reduced by half, then stir in honey and a dash of black pepper. This process concentrates the vinegar’s natural sweetness and acidity, transforming it into a thick, syrupy glaze that adds an incredible depth of flavor. This glossy reduction isn’t just a garnish; it’s an integral component, drizzling over the finished pizza to provide a tangy, sweet, and complex finish that brightens the rich steak and pungent blue cheese. It’s an elegant touch that screams gourmet.
Assembling Your Masterpiece
With your homemade dough perfectly risen, your steak resting, and your balsamic reduction cooled, it’s time for assembly. Preheat your oven with a pizza stone to a scorching 450 degrees Fahrenheit – this intense heat is key to achieving a crispy crust reminiscent of a professional pizzeria. Gently roll out your dough, using your fingers to coax it into the desired pizza shape. A few pokes with a fork prevent large bubbles from forming, ensuring an even bake. A sprinkle of kosher salt enhances the crust’s flavor. The initial bake of the crust until lightly golden provides a sturdy foundation. Then, a generous layer of shaved Parmesan melts beautifully, creating a cheesy base before the rich steak, creamy blue cheese chunks, and fresh, peppery arugula are added. The final drizzle of balsamic reduction ties everything together, creating a visual and gustatory delight.
Pairing & Enjoyment
To truly complete this gourmet experience, pair your grilled steak, blue cheese, and balsamic pizza with a vibrant pomegranate negroni! The bitter notes of the negroni and the tartness of pomegranate complement the richness of the steak and the tang of the blue cheese beautifully. Alternatively, consider a robust red wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Zinfandel, which would stand up well to the bold flavors, or a crisp, dry rosé for a lighter contrast. A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette could also serve as a refreshing side, cutting through the richness of the pizza and adding another layer of freshness.
This pizza is a testament to the fact that taking a little extra time and putting in a bit more effort in the kitchen can yield truly spectacular results. It’s a dish that impresses, satisfies, and makes any meal feel like a special occasion. So, go ahead, make that dough from scratch, grill that steak to perfection, and create this unforgettable pizza. You—and your taste buds—deserve it.
table of contents
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Grilled Steak, Blue Cheese, & Balsamic Pizza
ingredients
- 10 oz. New York strip steak
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 2/3 cups water room temperature
- 1 1/4 tsp table salt
- 1 1/2 tsp instant or rapid-rise yeast
- 1 1/4 tsp sugar
- 5 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
- 3/4 cup Blue Cheese
- Handful of arugula
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
instructions
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Using a stand mixer fitted with dough hook, mix flour, water, and table salt together on low-speed until no area of dry flour remains, 3-4 min. Turn off mixer and let dough rest for 20 min.
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Sprinkle yeast and sugar over dough. Knead on low-speed until fully combined, 1-2 min. Increase mixer speed to high and knead until the dough is glossy and smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 6-10 min.
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Using fingers, coat large bowl with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Transfer dough to prepared bowl and pour 1 Tbsp oil over the top. Flip dough over once so that it is well coated with oil. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let dough rise at room temperature until nearly tripled in volume and large bubbles have formed, 2-2 1/2 hrs.
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One hour before baking, preheat oven to 450 degrees and place pizza stone on the middle rack.
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Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in saute pan over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Remove from heat, tent with foil, and allow to rest.
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Bring balsamic vinegar to boil in small pan, then reduce heat to medium. Cook until vinegar is reduced by half. Stir in honey and pepper.
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Turn dough out onto prepared surface along with an oil in the bowl. Roll out (I used my fingers) into pizza and let it relax for 5-10 min. Using dinner fork, poke surface of dough 30 to 40 times and sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake in oven until slightly golden, about 10 minutes.
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Remove crust from oven, sprinkle with Parmesan. Return to oven and bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. Meanwhile, slice the steak.
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Remove from oven, add sliced steak, chunks of Blue Cheese, and arugula. Drizzle with balsamic reduction.