For many, when you think of Omaha, Nebraska, you think of beef. So it’s no wonder one of the country’s top purveyor of quality meats is Omaha Steaks! Writer Sharon Kurtz shares what she learned about the history of the company and the Omaha Steaks recipes and tips she learned from area chefs to make the most of the meat.
A great steak dinner starts with a great quality of beef like this Monarch Prime served at Monarch Prime Steak House in Omaha. Photo courtesy of VisitOmaha.
Omaha, Nebraska is for Steak Lovers
If you’ve never been to Omaha, you have likely heard a little something about the steaks.
Omaha’s cow-know-how is legendary. Thanks to the Stockyard history, premiere steakhouses and beef heavy- hitters such as Omaha Steaks have helped make Omaha the steak capital of the world. No one will debate if you can find a great steak in Omaha – it’s just in their DNA. If you’re looking for a marbled slice of decadence, travel to the city known internationally for doing steak like no other. Driving to Omaha for a steak is not a trip… it’s a pilgrimage.
Stockyard history
Omaha beef history goes back to the 1800’s when a Wyoming rancher asked a group of Omaha businessmen to consider creating a stockyard.
Western ranchers sending their cattle to market wanted a place to feed and water their cattle before transporting them to the Stockyard Exchange Markets in the east. An Omaha stockyard would keep the livestock from losing too much weight, allowing ranchers to fetch a higher price.
It made perfect sense to build a feed yard in Omaha. Located on the banks of the Missouri River, the city was a growing transportation hub with Union Pacific Railroad expanding to the West. With a water source and plenty of corn and grass, Omaha and Nebraska were a prime location.
In 1884, a small group of investors established Omaha’s Union Stockyard, the first herd to stop in Omaha totaled 531 Long Horn cattle. It did not take long for Omaha to become more than a feeding yard. By 1890, Omaha Union Stockyard was ranked third in the United States for production and shipment of cattle.
As the beef industry continued to grow in Omaha, some of the world’s leading meatpacking plants opened next to the successful stockyards. The locals could now purchase some of the best beef in the country from smaller butcher shops throughout the city.
This brings us to the story of Omaha Steaks.
Omaha Steaks – 100 Years in the Heartland
It all began with a father and son who left Riga, Latvia, in 1917. After passing through Ellis Island, they boarded a train going West and got off when the land looked like Latvia farm country. They had discovered Omaha, Nebraska, their new home.
Omaha Steaks began as a small-scale butcher shop in downtown Omaha. Still a family operation, the business was handed down from the generations and grew like gangbusters. In 1953, they initiated their first mail-order venture, and are now one of the world’s most esteemed meat purveyors. Starting its mail-ordering venture in the early ’50s, the company soon reached global proportions. Today, Omaha Steaks is still family operated by the 5th generation Simon Family.
Virtual Tour with Omaha’s Top Chefs
Of course, any trip to Omaha for a meal would have to include a steak, even if it is a virtual trip.
Several food and travel writers were lucky enough to participate in a virtual tour of Omaha’s world-renowned steak houses; the recipients of tips and techniques from Omaha’s best chefs. A webinar was organized by Visit Omaha and sponsored by Omaha Steaks. We were all given gift certificates by Omaha Steaks to order our own steaks to prepare after learning the tricks of the trade. During our webinar, we met three Omaha chefs that demonstrated their steak-making secrets.
Omaha’s Top Restaurants and Chefs
It’s tempting to believe steak is inherently delicious, but there’s more to a cut of beef than simply quality. Preparation is key, and Omaha takes it seriously. Each chef showed us their take on preparing a decadent cut of beef in their own restaurants. We then took the tips that they taught us to make our own Omaha Steaks at home.
Meet the chefs behind these Omaha Steaks Recipes & Tips
Dante’ Pizzeria Napoletana – Chef Nick Strawhecker
Chef Nick Strawhecker of Dante Pizzeria Napoletano. Photo courtesy Dante Pizzeria.
Chef and owner Nick Strawhecker’s background is very impressive. Trained in Europe, he specializes in authentic, Neapolitan pizza and rustic Italian cuisine. Chef Nick prepared a bone-in ribeye steak in a woodfired oven that he uses for baking the restaurant’s authentic Neapolitan-style pizza.
After tempering the steak at room temperature for two hours, he seasoned it with diamond crystal salt and fresh cracked black pepper liberally. He prepared a hot cast iron pan with olive oil and slid it into the woodfired oven, which had reached a temperature of 700 degrees. When the pan was sizzling hot, he added the meat and cooked its center to approximately 115 degrees for a rare steak. Removing the steak from the oven, Chef Nick allowed it to rest for about five minutes before slicing across the grain.
The steak Nick prepared looked incredible. I could hear the sizzle as he cooked the steak among the hot coals, as I could almost smell that incredible aroma through the computer monitor.
Chef Nick’s Tip: At home, the key is a good cast iron skillet that you preheat on a stove, oven, or grill.
V. Mertz Restaurant – Chef Jake Newton
Chef Jake Newton of V. Mertz Restaurant. Photo courtesy V. Mertz Restaurant.
A love of food came early for Chef Jake Newton with his first cooking lessons given by his mother. A native of Omaha, Jake went on to sharpen his culinary skills at a university in Denver. He eventually made his way to Europe, where he worked and dined in some of the world’s finest restaurants. Today, he’s the head chef for V. Mertz, located in Omaha’s historic Old Market Entertainment District. The restaurant has been part of Omaha’s culinary scene for more than 40 years.
Chef Newton began with a very dry boneless ribeye steak by removing all the moisture. He seasoned liberally with salt and cracked black pepper, searing both sides of the steak on the hottest cooktop surface to create that crust and caramelization. Once the steak had developed a nice exterior crust, he finished it in a 450-degree oven for about five minutes. The final rest was about 15 minutes before slicing across the grain to serve.
Chef Jake’s Tips: Use canola oil in the pan, it heats nice and hot. Move the pan to another hot spot to maintain its high temperature.
Kitchen Table – Chef Colin Duggan
Kitchen Table, a restaurant owned by Chef Colin and his wife Jessica, believe the most important things in life happen around the kitchen table. Before moving back to Omaha to open the restaurant, the couple spent time in San Francisco perfecting their culinary skills. Kitchen Table’s menu changes almost daily and is full of locally-raised seasonal food. Almost everything, including bread and jam, is made in- house.
Chef Colin prepared a large, Teres Major steak for our demonstration. It was a very versatile and large steak meant to provide several servings. Chef Colin began by trimming the steak’s silver skin, leaving some of the fat for added flavor. Seasoning the beef with in-house prepared seasonings, he instructs to rest the steak; the longer, the better. After preparing a scorching cast-iron skillet on the cooktop with butter and herbs, he seared the steak to create a beautiful crust. Once cooked to the desired temperature and removed for a brief rest, the steak is sliced and used for several different recipes in the restaurant.
Chef Colin’s Tip: Season steak up to 12 hours before cooking to infuse maximum flavor
My Home Kitchen Cooking Experience with Omaha Steaks Recipes
Applying the tips and techniques of each chef, I set out to prepare two boneless ribeye’s using a cast-iron skillet, preheating the pan and firing up the heat to get the steak’s best sear and caramelization. After spooning a bubbling knob of butter over the steaks for added richness, I transferred each to my 450-degree oven to finish. After they rested, I sliced the steaks across the grain and served over a Greek Orzo Pasta Salad (here’s the recipe).
Cooking ribeye steaks at home, sizzling in the pan. Photo by Sharon Kurtz.
It was so flavorful and delicious, I decided to prepare the bacon-wrapped fillets the same way on my range top. The Chef’s tips of seasoning well and searing over high heat made all the difference. I learned so much from each of the three Omaha Chefs, I’m now equipped to achieve steak perfection every time!
A bacon-wrapped filet, cooked as recommended was delicious. Photo by Sharon Kurtz.
Thank you to VisitOmaha for hosting this Steak Lovers Virtual Media Tour, and to Omaha Steaks for the providing a e-gift card for purchasing steaks for this event.
If you go:
COVID-19: Reopening Information – Omaha’s reopening is beginning slowly. The health and safety of residents and visitors is top priority, and attractions, restaurants, bars and retail shops are reopening in phases. Visit the site for more information.
About Visiting Omaha
Shop for Omaha Steaks
— Story by Sharon Kurtz
Hungry for more? Get a chef’s recommendation on a cast iron skillet that would cook up Omaha Steaks recipes really well. Slice up some perfectly-cooked steak over Sharon’s recipe for a Greek Orzo Pasta Salad.
Pin these tips for cooking great steaks to your favorite Pinterest board so you don’t forget them.
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