Blog

Valentine’s Day is a special occasion to celebrate love and connection. While going out to a restaurant might seem like the traditional choice, there are several reasons why staying home for a Valentine’s Day dinner can be even more meaningful:

• Intimacy: Dining at home creates a cozy and intimate atmosphere where you can truly focus on each other without the distractions of a crowded restaurant. You can set the mood with candles, music, and personalized touches that make the evening feel extra special.
• Personalization: Cooking at home allows you to tailor the menu to your partner’s favorite dishes and dietary preferences. You can even involve them in the cooking process, making it a fun and collaborative experience. You’ve been following @cookinwidkunchi and now you have some grill skills. Put them to use.
• Cost-effectiveness: Dining out on Valentine’s Day can be expensive, with inflated prices and prix fixe menus. Staying home allows you to save money and allocate your budget towards high-quality ingredients or a special bottle of wine.
• Comfort: There’s nothing quite like enjoying a delicious meal in the comfort of your own home. You can relax, be yourselves, and linger over your meal without feeling rushed or pressured to leave.
• Memorable experience: A home-cooked Valentine’s Day dinner can be a unique and memorable experience that you and your partner will cherish for years to come. It’s a chance to create a special tradition and strengthen your bond.

The recipe below is a perfect way to get this done. If you have bought my book, Wrangling Fire, then you have seen my indirect cooking methods on the Weber Kettle, and you can nail this entire cook that way. We will set up B&B Lump charcoal on one side and light a small spot using a grill torch. This method is detailed in a recent YouTube Video from me.

This Valentine’s Day, skip the traditional roses, but adding these bacon roses to your steak dinner could shift the needle.

These are the roses your significant other is dreaming of. They’re so versatile that once you get the concept, you can make them your way. For this recipe, we’re using fresh cracked pepper, my Jamaican Jerk dry rub, and some BBQ sauce. 

First, you want to layer two bacon’s almost completely overlapping and roll them up together. You can use a grill pin to secure the end so it doesn’t unravel. If by chance you don’t have grill pins you can use extra long toothpicks. You can season the bacon with the black pepper before you roll them so that you get some flavor inside. Then you season the exterior of the formed rose lightly with the Jerk seasoning.

Now your roses are together, it’s time to work on your heart-shaped ribeye. Your butcher shop will typically prep these for you. The steaks were dry brined with some coarse Maldon Sea Salt and seasoned with The Blaxican fajita seasoning from my store. 

I cooked these steaks along with the bacon roses reverse seared style. 

These were served up alongside a roasted rainbow carrot medley. These were seasoned with a drizzle of olive oil and some tropical Zinger. Roasted in the oven for 40-45 minutes. Then toss in garlic and herb butter before serving.

The garlic butter is one stick of salted butter, four garlic cloves finely minced, and 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme. Reverse sear steaks to finish at a perfect medium rare. (Stop searing at 128 degrees F and rest for about 10 minutes).

This Valentine’s Day meal will please your spouse and even get you some of that V-day Action. 

Ultimately, the decision of whether to dine in or out on Valentine’s Day is a personal one. However, if you’re looking for a more intimate, personalized, and cost-effective way to celebrate love, then staying home for a romantic dinner might be the perfect choice.