History

The Kansas City strip steak was born at the Golden Ox steakhouse in the West Bottoms in 1949, when the Live Stock Exchange held the second-largest cattle market in the country. The cut keeps the bone for flavour but trims more closely than the porterhouse. Plaza III and other Plaza steakhouses standardised the cut through the 1960s; the name persists today on every metro steakhouse menu.

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Make it at home

Yield 2Hands-on 20 minTotal 50 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • Two 16-oz bone-in strip steaks, 1.5 inches thick
  • Kosher salt, coarse black pepper
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 4 sprigs thyme

Method

  1. Salt the steaks generously 40 minutes before cooking; let them sit at room temperature.
  2. Pat dry and season with pepper. Heat oil in a heavy cast-iron pan over medium-high until smoking.
  3. Sear each steak 3 to 4 minutes per side, including the fat cap. Add the butter, garlic and thyme; baste for one minute.
  4. Transfer to a 400F (200C) oven for 4 to 6 minutes to reach 130F (54C) internal for medium-rare.
  5. Rest the steaks loosely tented for 8 to 10 minutes. Cut against the grain to serve.

Tip from the editors. The bone-in cut runs hotter at the bone; pull at 128F if you like medium-rare, carry over takes you to 134F. Compound butter optional but classic in Kansas City rooms.

Where to eat kansas city strip steak

Kansas City strip steak in Kansas City

Golden Ox ★ 4.2

$$$$ Tasting $70 to $100Wine barWest BottomsChef Wes Gartner

Golden Ox in Kansas City's West Bottoms opened in 1949 inside the Live Stock Exchange as the birthplace of the KC strip. Led by chef Wes Gartner.

Book1 to 2 weeks ahead

TipThe stockyards-era dining room is the destination; reservations on Tock. Voltaire is the sister wine bar.

Directions Book

The Capital Grille ★ 4.4

$$$$ Tasting $120SteakhousePlazaChef House chef team

The Capital Grille on Kansas City's Country Club Plaza dry-ages its beef in-house for 18 to 24 days and hand-cuts to order, paired with a 3,500-bottle wine.

Book1 week ahead

TipThe Generous Pour Sunday wine programme is the value. Lunch service runs business-friendly weekdays.

Directions

Anton's Taproom ★ 4.4

$$$$ Tasting $60 to $120SteakhouseCrossroadsChef Anton Kotar

Anton's Taproom in the Kansas City Crossroads is a butcher shop plus steakhouse with grass-fed regional beef, in-house aging and a natural-wine programme.

Book1 week ahead

TipBuy a cut from the case to cook at home and have the kitchen plate it for dinner first.

Directions

Stroud's Oak Ridge Manor ★ 4.6

$$ Fried ChickenNorth Kansas City

Stroud's Oak Ridge Manor in Kansas City sits inside a restored 1840s log-cabin homestead, the second Stroud's location since 1983; the original 85th.

OrderPan-fried chicken with mashed potatoes, country gravy and the cinnamon rolls.

TipMon to Sat dinner, Sun lunch. The line wraps the porch on Friday nights; call ahead.

Directions

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