What else makes for quick and easy sides besides asparagus and baked potatoes? That's pretty much all I've done for my past dozen steaks.

Just remembered corn on the cob is good and easy to do: peel back husk, remove silk, butter/salt/pepper, replace husk, in the oven @ 375 for ~30 mins. Or just remove the husk and wrap in aluminum foil.

zygote,

apologies on the douche thing. i have to stop letting oot make me in a foul mood before posting. however, saying that one thing is definitely is not the best does not imply i know the best thing, merely that i know at least one thing better.

fwiw, i use the snapping method for removing the bottoms.

for non asparagus, non baked potato things:

1) other potato (mashed, smashed, sweet, fries, gratin)
2) brussels sprouts (personally i prefer roasted with pancetta/other bacon item)
3) creamed spinach/char
4) creamed corn

i mean basically anything that a standard steakhouse offers as a side... the above all have the benefit of being easy to make at home with minimal effort or attention so that you can focus on meat.

Sauteed mushrooms is always good with steak imo. I often add onions and always LOTS of pepper. Plain ole steamed brocolli is also one of my favorites. Sauteed summer squash/zucchini is also super easy and good (often add onions to this too).

I posted a bunch in an earlier post but you can also do a risotto or go classic steakhouse and make a creamed spinach.

Alternatively, why not go more protein and make some grilled shrimp or shrimp scampi?

there sure are some senstive douches in this thread

+1 to both of these.

Actually, oven roasting at high heat (450) with olive oil and seasonings is a great way to cook all sorts of veggies. You just need to vary the times and practice a bit to get the right consistency. I generally use the following times

Cauliflower: 20
Carrots: 10
Broccoli: 15
Snap Peas: 4
Asparagus: 5
Kale: 10
Fennel: 10

Macque choux is fantastic with steak.

bam.

Nootka - sweet, this is a good list, thanks. I'll also adjust asparagus to 450 / 5 min. vs. what I do (400 / 10 min.) - see what tastes better to me.

-Al

roasted cauliflower is awesome. can't believe i missed it.

as for why no shrimp on the list, for me it would be because i love the bittman spicy grilled shrimp recipe, which is fast enough that you can cook the steak, take steak off to rest, cook the shrimp, and eat the shrimp and still have time to let your wine breathe or whatever before the steak rest is over. this alleviates the awfulness of those minutes when you are resting your steak where you can smell it and are drooling but can't eat the damn thing.

I mentioned Grilled Pineapple before.

I also really like grilled zucchini to go with it as well.

Picked up a ribeye, onion and squash. Cooked the squash and onions in a pan with olive oil, salt and pepper, and the steak in a skillet using the same. Got a pretty good sear!

What I use that with nearly everything I eat

People who put ketchup on steak dont deserve the privilege of this meat.

+1 on this!! I also pretty much always have a potato too with bacos. Sooo good.

how did you do this?

mine are wired. so i googled how to disconnect them and i'm scared that i'll screw things up because the web says i need to find the right circuit breaker (not sure how i would; plus one lady messed with the circuit breaker in the basement once and cut off everyone's power for hours until utility company showed up) and that i need to "disable your fire alarm system. You most likely will need to contact your monitoring agency or the fire department." my apartment building has a fire alarm system with a hub in the basement.

Just tape a plastic bag around the detector, no need to disconnect.

i don't know why i don't think of these simple things

If I put a dish towel over mine, it doesn't go off. Simple.

The best accompaniment to steak imo is a grilled marinated portobello mushroom. Marinate in oil/vinegar with garlic and salt or, just italian dressing.

Never tried microwaving asparagus but it's tough to go wrong with it in any preparation.

Asparagus sauteed and topped with a bit of hollandaise sauce is niiiice. Or, bernaise sauce which is great with steak.

Blue Cheese mashed potatoes.

Totally agree. It comes in almost any spice rack you can buy, and it always just sits there while all the other spices slowly get used up and disappear, leaving me with this bastard stepchild garlic salt.

The problem with garlic salt is that usually both the garlic and salt are subpar and in a proportion that doesn't work well. Using garlic powder and salting to taste is a much better solution. Somehow I can't get my wife to stop using the stuff though.

zero

Anyone have a good spice rub for steaks? Sometimes I mix paprika with enough oil to make a paste and rub that on, which works OK, but I'd like something better.

If I'm using steak to make something taco-ish, I'll often use a rub. I mix cumin, coriander, chile powder (I have a chipotle powder that I like for the smokiness), a little garlic powder, salt, and when I remember it a little bit of sugar. It works pretty well.

I just use salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and onion powder if I feel like flavoring up. Turns out pretty good for me.

I think you should just use whatever spices you like, with salt & pepper as your base.