The Douglas Sirk Steak

Name: The Douglas Sirk Steak
Prep time: 30 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American diner
Ingredients: 1 strip steak or ribeye, about 1 inch thick; 1 tablespoon neutral oil; 2 tablespoons butter; Salt and coarse pepper; Crinkle-cut fries and a vanilla shake, to complete the booth

Serve when

Serve it 'bloody as hell,' the way Vincent orders it at Jack Rabbit Slim's, right before the twist contest.

In the movie

Theatrical

00:26:35 Jack Rabbit Slim's: Vincent orders 'the Douglas Sirk steak... bloody as hell,' Mia orders the Durward Kirby burger and the five-dollar shake, and the fifties-diner dinner becomes one of film's great dates.

Jack Rabbit Slim's is a wax museum with a pulse, and Vincent's steak order — named for the great melodrama director — is the film winking at its own retro cool. Rare steak, five-dollar shake, and the twist: the whole scene is a diner menu with a body count.

Ingredients

1 strip steak or ribeye, about 1 inch thick
1 tablespoon neutral oil
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and coarse pepper
Crinkle-cut fries and a vanilla shake, to complete the booth

Method

Salt the steak 30 minutes ahead; pat dry.
Sear in a screaming cast-iron pan, 2 minutes a side for the full 'bloody as hell' spec (or 3 for medium-rare cowardice) — call it 125°F at the center if you're measuring, 130–135°F for the coward's cut.
Butter-baste for a final minute.
Rest 5, slice, and plate diner-style — fries on the same plate, no garnish pretensions.
Best eaten in a booth shaped like a convertible, before dancing.