Steak Caesar Salad with Grilled Romaine Lettuce
Steak Caesar Salad with Grilled Romaine Lettuce is one of our all-time favorite summer salads! You've got to try this Grilled Caesar Salad!In this version of a classic Caesar salad, I use grilled romaine lettuce that is first brushed with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. The still-crunchy grilled romaine lettuce is finished with shaved Parmesan, croutons, Caesar dressing, grilled venison steak, and pickled red onions. I'm a huge fan of pickled red onions on this grilled Caesar salad because it adds a flash of color and a touch of acid to the dish. I rubbed the steaks with equal parts kosher salt and sugar to encourage a rich Maillard browning and caramelization. Grilling the steak over high heat and flipping it every 2 minutes during cooking helped develop some attractive grill marks during the relatively short cooking time. I removed the venison from the grill when it reached an internal temperature of 130 degrees F, let it rest for 10 minutes, and then sliced the steak against the grain to maximize tenderness.HOW TO GRILL ROMAINE LETTUCERomaine lettuce is known for its mild flavor and crisp texture and has sturdy leaves that make it more tolerant to the heat of a grill compared to other types of lettuce. Grilled romaine lettuce adds a smoky char to this version of a grilled Caesar salad that is perfect for your next summer BBQ or picnic.1. Place the romaine hearts on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to trim off root ends, leaving bases intact so the layers stay together. Cut romaine hearts in half lengthwise. Under cool water, rinse thoroughly between layers to remove any dirt. Transfer romaine to a dish towel and pat dry. Brush olive oil on the lettuce and season all sides with kosher salt and black pepper.2. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Grease the cooking grates with tongs using a paper towel dipped in olive oil.3. Place the romaine lettuce on the grill and cook until well browned, about 4 minutes. Flip romaine and grill until the other side is lightly charred and leaves are softened, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter. HOW TO GRILL VENISON STEAK ON GAS GRILLGrilling is my favorite way to prepare venison steak, and what better way to use this protein than on top of a grilled Caesar salad. I’ve had great success with backstraps, tenderloins, eye of round, top round, and bottom round steaks. Having said that, I can’t stress enough how much I want you to try tenderizing your venison steaks with my favorite kitchen tool – a Jaccard meat tenderizer. I use the Jaccard to prepare all the steaks going in our family freezer, as well as every steak I cut for clients. I’ve had nothing but compliments from everyone I’ve recommended it to. And it made the bottom round deer steaks I used for this steak Caesar salad recipe melt-in-your-mouth tender.1. Place 1 pound of venison steaks on a cutting board and tenderize with a Jaccard meat tenderizer. Pat steaks dry with paper towels. Combine 1 teaspoon each kosher salt and sugar in small bowl. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt and sugar mixture on 1 side of steaks and press gently to adhere. Flip steaks and repeat with the other 1 teaspoon salt and sugar mixture. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.2. Turn all grill burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot, about 10 minutes.3. Clean and grease the grill cooking grates with tongs using a paper towel dipped in olive oil. Use 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper to sprinkle on both sides of steaks. Important note: Steaks will now be moist but do not pat dry again.4. Set wire rack on rimmed baking sheet. Arrange venison steaks on grill, close lid, and cook, flipping steaks every 2 minutes and moving steaks as needed for even cooking, until meat registers 125 to 130 degrees F using a meat thermometer, about 6 minutes total. Transfer venison steaks to wire rack on rimmed baking sheet and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.I love using grilled venison steak to top fresh summer salads like this grilled Caesar salad. My wife and daughter and I eat a ton of salads during the short summers here in North Dakota, and this is one of our all-time favorites! Our garden is exploding this time of year, and adding a protein like venison steak is a great way for me to enjoy both the farm-to-table and field-to-table experience on the same plate. I also love this venison salad dish because I can get a refreshing summer meal on the table in a short amount of time that will have everyone full and satisfied. MORE GREAT VENISON RECIPESIf you love this venison steak Caesar salad recipe and are looking for more great ideas on how to cook with some of that venison in your freezer, be sure and check out these family favorites:Big Mac TacosEasy Pizza Roll UpsDeer BBQ Sandwiches with Pimento CheeseShawarma Spiced Deer ShanksVenison Rogan JoshVenison Shank Frito PieVenison Tikka MasalaVenison Pinchos MorunosCONNECT WITH ME AND JOIN OUR WILD GAME COOKING COMMUNITYIf you make this Steak Caesar Salad Recipe, I’d love for you to join our community and connect with me so we can all see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! When you post a pic of your finished dish on Instagram, be sure and use the hashtag #wildgameandfish and then tag me @wildgameandfish so I can share it on my Instagram stories.Did you enjoy this Steak Caesar Salad with Grilled Romaine Lettuce Recipe? Be sure to leave a 5-star rating RIGHT HERE!
Ingredients
GRILLED STEAK INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound venison steak
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- olive oil
CAESAR DRESSING INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
SALAD INGREDIENTS
- 2 romaine lettuce hearts
- olive oil
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 lemons
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved
- 1 cup croutons
- 1/2 cup pickled red onions
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients.
- Place the venison steaks on a cutting board and tenderize with a Jaccard meat tenderizer. Pat steaks dry with paper towels. Combine 1 teaspoon each kosher salt and sugar in small bowl. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt and sugar mixture on 1 side of steaks and press gently to adhere. Flip steaks and repeat with the other 1 teaspoon salt and sugar mixture. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the Caesar dressing. In a medium bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, anchovy paste, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup of the olive oil until thickened. Set aside.
- Place the romaine hearts on a clean cutting board and use a sharp knife to trim off root ends, leaving bases intact so the layers stay together. Cut romaine hearts in half lengthwise. Under cool water, rinse thoroughly between layers to remove any dirt. Transfer romaine to a dish towel and pat dry. Brush olive oil on the lettuce and season all sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Turn all gas grill burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot, about 10 minutes. Clean and grease the grill cooking grates with tongs using a paper towel dipped in olive oil.
- Use 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper to sprinkle on both sides of venison steaks. Important note: Steaks will now be moist but do not pat dry. Brush both sides of the steak with a little olive oil.
- Set wire rack on rimmed baking sheet. Arrange venison steaks on hot grill, close lid, and cook, flipping steaks every 2 minutes and moving steaks as needed for even cooking, until meat registers 125 to 130 degrees F using a meat thermometer, about 6 minutes total. Transfer venison steaks to wire rack on rimmed baking sheet and let rest for 10 minutes.
- While the steaks are resting, slice the lemons in half and sprinkle the open ends with 1/2 teaspoon of sugar each. Place them on the hot grill and cook until lemons have caramelized, about 6 minutes.
- Meanwhile, brush romaine lettuce evenly with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Place the romaine lettuce on the grill and cook until well browned, about 4 minutes. Flip romaine and grill until the other side is lightly charred and leaves are softened, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter.
- Using a sharp knife, slice thin the venison steaks and place on top of the grilled romaine lettuce.
- Drizzle with Caesar dressing and sprinkle with Parmesan, croutons, pickled red onions, and black pepper. Garnish with grilled lemons and serve immediately.
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