Morton’s And Beef By Helen A. Lee M
orton’s The Steakhouse, with six locations around Chicagoland, makes a point of knowing its beef. They know where to find quality beef and
they understand how to prepare it properly. They also know about the latest dining trends, making Morton’s a fantastic place for an elegant, upscale dining experience any time of year. Chris Rook, Concept Chef at Morton’s, tells us that the recent hot, dry summers haven’t been good for the cattle industry - good beef became expensive as a result of high corn prices and drought conditions. That led to a shortage of grain-fed cattle particularly good quality cattle. But this situation is righting itself and corn production is now at a record high, making this a great time to go back to eating steak. In any case, this situation hasn’t affected the quality at Morton’s, which has been growing over the same period (around 75 Morton’s restaurants are now in business around the globe). In part this is because Morton’s knows its beef. The company has people in the field checking with producers on the care and feeding of cattle. A high level of engagement ensures that Morton’s gets the pick of the available beef. This way, no matter what world weather conditions are, Morton’s customers get the best of the best. Here’s how Morton’s defines the best - not by using faddish terms, like “Angus beef,” which simply refers to a type of cattle without reference to grade or quality - but by choosing only Prime cuts. Prime beef is an official designation, given by the United States Department of Agriculture to the top two percent of all available beef in this country. USDA Prime beef is graded on marbling and age, since younger beef is considered to have a better color and texture. Because of its limited supply, Prime beef is usually unavailable to regular supermarkets. In addition to receiving the best quality meat, Morton’s then uses a wet-
aging process to get it ready for consumption. During this process, the beef is put into a vacuum-sealed bag so it ages in its own juices. These juices tenderize the beef by breaking down the connective tissue. Beef is wet-aged at Morton’s for three weeks, then trimmed into portion-controlled cuts and served within a week. By contrast, other restaurants may dry-age beef by hanging it in a refrigerated unit. However, Morton chefs believe that this is a less efficient process that gives steak a “gamey” flavor. Once this is all done, Morton’s chefs don’t try to hide the flavor of the beef under a marinade - that would be a waste! During the cooking process, beef is grilled at between 800 and 1000 degrees to quickly sear in flavor. Tongs are used to handle the meat, rather than forks that poke the meat and release the juices prematurely. While a large Morton’s steak is excellent, these days Morton’s guests
gravitate toward smaller filets and more variety, so Morton’s now offers dishes like short ribs, chicken, seafood, and fresh side dishes such as sweet potato casserole. And, in the bar area, guests can get Bar Bites, featuring smaller portions suitable for faster lifestyles. This is a favorite of the editor of WCG! Rounding out the experience, Morton’s offers a wine list that is truly
unique; Morton’s hires well known vineyards to blend their own wines, and up to 20 percent of the list in each restaurant is chosen by the each restaurant’s Wine Manager. Morton’s The Steakhouse features four suburban locations - Naperville,
Northbrook, Rosemont and Schaumburg, plus two Chicago locations; the original on State St. and one at Wacker Place just off Michigan Avenue in the Loop. For more information or to make reservations, visit
www.mortons.com.
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