A Return to the Homestead

Homestead Steak House

121 East Center Street

Blanding, Utah,  84511

Phone: (435) 678-3456

Website: https://www.homesteadsteakhouseut.com/

Hours of Operation:

Dine In or Take Away

Monday - Friday: 11am - 8pm

Saturday: 4pm - 8pm

Sunday: CLOSED

The usual date night for the Cokenours is Saturday; watching anime, scarfing down pizza, and making fun of the commercials.  However, we happened to go down to Blanding on a Friday night, around dinner time, and decided to visit Homestead Steak House.  We had not been there since before the “Covid years”, and wondered how it had fared.

We were greeted by Linda, who also happened to be our waitress for the evening.  She has only been working at the restaurant for one year, but was knowledgeable enough to answer most questions.  What she did not know, she found out as soon as possible.  She is a very friendly woman, and made our dinner out enjoyable.

A steady stream of diners was going in and out, many from out of state and visiting the area on vacation.  Steak and seafood seemed to be the most requested dishes, but we were in the mood for something simpler.  Roy ordered the Mushroom Bacon Swiss Burger with fries, while I opted for the All-You-Can-Eat Soup and Salad Bar.

Roy let me have a taste of his burger and fries, and have to admit that I was jealous; yes, they were that good.  The burger definitely needed two hands to hold it, but it was the charbroiled taste that completely grabbed me.  The mushrooms are sauteed, and the bacon was crispy.  The fries were awesome; crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, no condiments needed as they were tasty as is.

 

Due to Covid, many restaurants that had salad bars did away with them.  Thankfully, Homestead kept theirs which has a large assortment of vegetables, mixed salads, dressings and crunchy toppings.  Two soups are still served with Friday’s being New England Clam Chowder and Chili.  As much as I like chili, New England Clam Chowder is still my overall favorite, especially when it is chock full of chopped clams and soft potato chunks.  It is a cream-based soup, so very comforting, like a soft blanket around the tongue.

 

The dressings, except French and 1000 Island, mixed salads and soups are housemade; the price you pay is for quality as well as quantity.  Desserts, except for the cheesecakes, are also made in house, but we had not had cheesecake, since the holidays, so ordered Turtle cheesecake.  The cheesecake is simply to die for!  So rich and creamy, with a luscious caramel sauce on top; simply orgasmic!

 

Being a dry town, Blanding still does not allow liquor sales of any kind, and Utah state law prohibits bringing in your own.  While a few customers get angry about this, and leave less than stellar reviews, the majority understand the situation better once it is explained to them.  One funny story that Linda related to us was about a motorcycle touring group, of about 40 people, from Germany.  It is well known that Germans love their beer, and beer is what this group demanded.  How did the Homestead staff handle this?  A non-alcoholic beer, O’Doul’s was served to all, and it was a huge hit.  Even though the staff explained that it was non-alcoholic, the diners did not care; they got their beer, and the Homestead was given huge thanks for the liquid accommodation.

By the way, pizza, which we often went down to Homestead for, has been off the menu for a while; however, it is back.  So, a great excuse to visit once again, and this time to try it out, and see if it is as good as it was before, or maybe better?  Taste testing will tell.

Now here is a hint of what is in store for owners Gary and Sharon Guymon.  No, not an expansion of the Homestead itself, but how about second restaurant?  There are plans, in the works, for opening up a Chinese restaurant, and having a Chinese cooking staff is a definite must.  Two other Chinese restaurants had tried to make a go of it, in Blanding, but failed miserably, and the Guymons have no desire to do the same mistakes.  Speaking with Gary, we were able to give him a few pointers on where to find the cooking staff they needed.  Also, a push towards bringing in Chinese baked goods as appetizers and desserts, as they are always huge sellers.

So, there you have it if looking for a lunch, dinner or pizza, visit Homestead Steak House in Blanding.  The tourist season is in full swing, so do not be surprised if you have to wait a bit as the do get busy, busy, busy.

Mary Cokenour

 

 

How to Make Sun Tea.

With the summer coming, a refreshing drink is always a way to make the day better.  Sun tea is very easy to make, and while you're working hard in the garden, the sun is doing all the work for you, in making this beverage.

 

How to Make Sun Tea

 

Get a clear, 2-gallon, glass jar with a sealable lid and wash it thoroughly.  Fill the jar 3/4 of the way up with water (bottled is preferable, but use tap if that’s all you have). Take 10 teas bags (Lipton is ok and regular or decaf depending on what you like), tied together and place inside the jar.

Now, get 8 sprigs (6-8 inches long) of lemon balm, or whatever herb you like such as a type of mint. Rinse the sprigs with water to get off dirt and place inside the jar. Seal the jar and place outside in a sunny spot, let sit for 24 hours. Bring inside and remove the tea bags, herbal sprigs and strain the liquid. Use a ladle to pour tea into a glass, add ice and enjoy.

The lemon balm flavors the tea so wonderfully, you don’t have to add any sugar; it’s so good the way it is.

Mary Cokenour

Deep Fried Japanese – Part Two - Katsu

Laying the deep-fried meat onto a cutting board, the knife is positioned to cut one-inch pieces.  With a deft hand, the blade is pushed downward and a soft “thwack” sound upon the board.  A rocking motion, once forward, once backward, and the one-inch sections comes off cleanly.  The exterior of the batter, at eye inspection, looks rough, heavy and uneven.  Lifting it up, it stays upon the meat which is perfectly cooked throughout.

Dipping one edge into the deep brown, almost black, sauce, bringing it upward towards the mouth; the aroma is savory and enticing.  The first bite, the texture of the coating is actually, light and crispy. As one chews, it begins to melt; the sauce coats the tongue with a sweet, salty, tanginess that makes the eyes roll back into the head.  Such flavor, such richness, how could something so simple, be so sinfully…

…we interrupt our show with a word from our sponsor, Panko.  Panko is Japanese style breadcrumbs which are large, flaky and do not pack together too tightly, so food stays crispier for longer periods of time.  The bread used is crustless white bread that is steamed, then dried before being processed into large flakes.  The flakes do not absorb as much oil as regular ground bread crumbs, enabling a lighter and crispier texture after frying.  Even after being stored, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days, the texture of the coating still had a less oily, yet crispier texture.  Panko is lower in calories, sodium, and fat, and higher in fiber than regular breadcrumbs, but is not gluten free.  While it is healthier than ground breadcrumbs, moderation is still a key factor when indulging in deep fried foods.

 

 

 

 

Now to introduce you all to another adventure in consuming deep fried Japanese food, Katsu.  It is 1899, and while chefs in Osaka were developing new ways of using tempura batter; a Tokyo chef, in a restaurant called Rengatei, was creating katsu.  Once again, European influence was the background for the creation.  Instead of simply coating meats with a light flour-based batter, panko was used as the texture would hold up better when paired with a Japanese favorite, curry.  Japanese curry is unlike Indian curry, as it is made using curry powder, oil, and flour.  A roux forms, pureed steamed meat and vegetables are added, and the entire concoction is simmered until a thick sauce forms.  The curry is then served with rice or udon noodles, or made into a bread or bun (encased in dough, covered in panko, and deep fried until golden brown).  Which brings us back to panko, and how to make the most delicious fried cutlets, katsu!

The basic definition of katsu is cutlet, and often applied when using chicken as the main ingredient.  For pork, the word “ton” is added, so tonkatsu; for beef, add “gyu”, so gyukatsu.

The cutlets should be between ½-inch to ¾-inch thickness to ensure the meats are thoroughly cooked, but the panko coating does not over-brown, or burn. 

The best instructions, and recipe, I have come from “Drive Me Hungry” food blog, written by a woman of South Korean ancestry.  While you can go to her site(https://drivemehungry.com/tonkatsu-pork-katsu/) for the full information, directions, hints and notes, I have simplified them for this article.

  

Tonkatsu (Pork Cutlets), Katsu (Chicken Cutlets) or Gyukatsu (Beef Cutlets)

Ingredients:

2 slices boneless pork chops pounded to ¾ inch thick; 5oz each (or chicken or beef)

1 cup Japanese panko bread crumbs 

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 egg beaten

salt & pepper

vegetable oil for frying

 

Tonkatsu/Katsu/Gyukatsu Sauce

4 Tbsp. ketchup

2 ½ Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/8 tsp. each garlic and onion powder

1 and ½ tsp. sugar (optional)

 

Preparation:

Make the Tonkatsu/Katsu/Gyukatsu Sauce

Combine the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and garlic & onion powder in a small bowl. Taste and add sugar if desired. Set it aside.

Bread the Meat

Prep the cutlets: Cut slits into the white connective tissue on the outer edge of each cutlet. This prevents it from curling up as it cooks. 

Add the egg, flour, and panko bread crumbs to separate bowls. For a crispier crust, mix a tablespoon of flour with the egg to create a thicker egg wash for more bread crumbs to adhere to.

Salt and pepper each cutlet, then coat it in flour and shake off the excess. Next, dip it into the beaten egg and then firmly press it into the panko bread crumbs for a thick, generous layer of breading.  Just before placing in oil, press each cutlet into panko again, as some of the coating may have become soggy while waiting for oil to heat up.

 

Deep-fry the Cutlets:

Heat oil: In a large heavy-duty pot or fryer, add enough oil to deep fry the cutlets. Heat the oil to 340F over medium heat to ensure the pork fully cooks without burning the bread crumbs. If you don't have a thermometer, drop some bread crumbs into the oil. It's ready when it begins to sizzle.

Fry the cutlets: Gently place a cutlet into the oil and deep-fry for 5 to 6 minutes per side or until meat is fully cooked and the panko coating is golden brown and crispy.

Use a skimmer to clean up loose breadcrumbs and try to keep the oil temperature at 340F. Repeat with the remaining cutlets and work in batches to avoid lowering the oil temperature. 

 

Serve: Slice the cutlets into 1-inch strips, and serve with sauce, shredded cabbage, and steamed rice.

Gyukatsu

Katsu

Makes 2 servings.

Leftovers: Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

Reheat: Reheat in an oven or air fryer at 350F until warm and crispy, about 4 - 7 minutes.

 Yes, the same technique can be used on firm fish such as salmon, cod, or haddock; and on vegetables too.

Salmon, Zucchini Chunks, Fried Rice

My personal experience was that this recipe was spot on for making the most epic katsu.  I used all three meats: chicken, pork, beef; all came out perfectly cooked, and the panko exterior was addicting!  When making the sauce though, I added two teaspoons of sugar, as the soy and Worcestershire sauces made it too salty; the sugar cut this down.

However, I found another sauce recipe which includes hoisin sauce, instead of Worcestershire.  When using the first sauce, I likened it to hoisin due to its dark coloring, and rich, deep flavor.  Hoisin is an entirely different creation, with the only same ingredient used being soy sauce.  Here is the alternative katsu sauce recipe:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup ketchup

2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce  

1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

1 and ½ tsp.  lemon juice

½ tsp. minced garlic

Preparation:

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together, set aside until ready to be used.

I hope you have enjoyed this two-part journey in deep fried Japanese cuisine, and in the famous words of Soma Yukihira, “Order up, and you’re welcome!”.

From: https://animemotivation.com/food-wars-life-lessons/

 Mary Cokenour