Walmart's New USDA Choice Steaks‏: Review

I was invited to participate in Walmart’s Memorial Day BBQ Webcast featuring their new USDA Choice Steaks with recipes from award-winning Chef Eric Lackey, winner of the Walmart Kingsford Choice Steak Challenge in Tampa.

•Customers across the country can now enjoy Walmart’s premium selection and wide assortment of top quality USDA Choice steak, including T-bone, NY Strip, Filet, Rib eye, and Top Sirloin, at a great price.
•Walmart selects the best USDA Choice cuts, tender-ages the steak to perfection, they make sure it undergoes rigorous USDA inspections for quality and safety. Only 1 in 5 steaks qualify for Walmart’s USDA Choice Premium Beef label.
•For other fun recipes and more information, visit www.walmart.com/steak

Watching the webcast, I learned a few new tips, here are some other tips to know:

- when choosing steaks, you want great marbling and a nice thin fat cap for optimum flavor

- steaks should be at room temp. for optimum grilling

- add salt no more than 2 minutes before grilling to avoid drying out the meat

- grill steaks using a meat thermometer for desired doneness: Rare 125-130' F, Medium Rare 130-135'F, Medium 135-145'F and Well 155-170'F

- flip steaks using tongs not a fork, since it will loose valuable juices when pierced

- cover steaks loosely with foil and let rest for 3-5 minutes to allow juices to distribute evenly

Chef Eric shared with us, three of his grilled recipes for Grilled Ribeye with Everglades Rub, Grilled Beefsteak Tomato with Himalayan Pink Rock Salt and Coca-Cola Balsamic Marinated Bermuda Onion. Here is the Grilled Ribeye with Everglades Rub below. My Walmart store only had a few choices of USDA steaks to choose from so I picked up some NY Strip or is it Top Loin? (top photo)the label says both actually, but they sure look good either way. My store also does not carry the Everglades seasoning so I'll just use some all purpose seasoning instead. I can't wait for dinner tonight, LOVE LOVE LOVE grilled foods.

Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook and even Instagram (mommyimhungry) for my review follow up of the grilled steaks later tonight! Photos posted now: http://instagr.am/p/LMMnPPPjoX/

Grilled Ribeye with Everglades Rub
serves 4

Ingredients:
4 Walmart Choice Premium T- bone Steaks

Dry Rub:
4 ounces roasted garlic paste (roast garlic in oven until golden brown and soft to mash)
4 tablespoons Everglades seasoning (found at some Walmarts)
1 teaspoon coffee, ground
1 teaspoon brown sugar
¼ teaspoon dry thyme
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all dry rub ingredients. Set aside.
Rub steak with 1 ounce garlic paste on front and back. To prevent burning, do not get garlic paste on bone.
Divide dry rub seasoning for four steaks and thoroughly rub each steak and place in GLAD® food storage container in refrigerator for 3-4 hours, or longer if you prefer (up to 24 hours).
Preheat the grill using Kingsford® charcoal, until briquettes are consistently ashed over.
Remove steaks from refrigerator.
Put steaks on the grill and leave in one position on direct heat for 4 -5 minutes, rotating to get nice grill marks and even flavor profile. Follow this timeline for medium rare.

Check out the webcast for these recipes and great tips:

Live video from your Android device on Ustream

Grilled Beefsteak Tomato with Himalayan Pink Rock Salt Crust
Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes

INGREDIENTS
4 large vine ripe tomatoes, preferably large beefsteak
4 ounces Himalayan pink rock salt, or rock sea salt
4 ounces olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Trim off top and bottom of tomato to remove core for grilling.

2. Rub each tomato with 1 ounce oil and 1 ounce salt. Let stand in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

3. Preheat the grill using Kingsford® charcoal, until briquets are consistently ashed over.

4. Find hot spot and grill tomato until it starts to blister on top and bottom, about 4 min. Move to medium heat and cook until tender to touch (not mushy and collapsing), about 8 minutes.

Recipe created by Chef Eric Lackey of Flamestone American Grill in Oldsmar, Fla. on behalf of the Walmart Choice Steak Challenge presented by Kingsford® charcoal and Coca-Cola©.

Coca-Cola© Balsamic Marinated Bermuda Onion
Makes: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes, overnight
Cook Time: 8-10 minutes

INGREDIENTS
2 jumbo red Bermuda onions
1 12-ounce can Coca-Cola©
2-3 cups hot water
1 cup balsamic vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Leave ends on onion (can trim) and cut in half. Peel away paper-like skin. Place in GLAD® food storage container.

2. Mix Coca-Cola and vinegar. Pour soda-vinegar mixture into food storage container with onion. Add as much hot water as needed to submerge onions. Marinate overnight in refrigerator.

3. Preheat the grill using Kingsford® charcoal, until briquets are consistently ashed over.

4. Remove food storage container with onion in soda-vinegar mixture from refrigerator.

5. Find nice medium heat and grill onion 20 minutes, turning occasionally. Before removing from grill, find hot spot to char onion and caramelize natural sugars for a few minutes to finish.

Recipe created by Chef Eric Lackey of Flamestone American Grill in Oldsmar, Fla. on behalf of the Walmart Choice Steak Challenge presented by Kingsford® charcoal and Coca-Cola©.

*Disclosure* I wrote this review for "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" about Walmart's New USDA Choice Steaks‏. The product(s) in this review were provided to me free of cost from a giftcard for the purpose of conducting my review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation. Product info & stock images provided by PR or Co.