Pittsburgh Blue Chopped Recipe

Wash and dry the romaine, iceberg and spinach. Chop romaine and iceberg into roughly 1/2-inch pieces and roughly chop the spinach. Place all greens in a large mixing bowl and refrigerate while you prepare the steak and dressing so they stay crisp.

Seasoning

Bring the steak to room temperature for 20–30 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels, then season both sides generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Searing

Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil and swirl to coat. Carefully add the steak and sear undisturbed for 2–3 minutes until a deep brown crust forms. Flip and sear the other side 2–3 minutes.

Finish with butter

Reduce heat to medium-high, add 1 tablespoon butter and spoon melted butter over the steak for about 30–45 seconds to baste. For a Pittsburgh (blackened exterior, rare interior) finish, sear an additional 30–60 seconds per side if needed; target internal temperature is 125–130°F (rare). Remove steak to a cutting board and rest for 6–8 minutes.

While the steak rests, combine 3 oz crumbled blue cheese, 2 tablespoons panko and 1 teaspoon melted butter in a small bowl. Press this mixture onto both sides of the rested steak pieces or sprinkle on top if you prefer. Place the skillet back on medium heat, return the steak just long enough (about 30–45 seconds per side) to warm the crust and slightly melt the blue cheese mixture. Turn off heat and let sit 1 minute.

Prepare the mix-ins: halve cherry tomatoes, very thinly slice red onion, drain and slice pickled banana peppers, chop cooked bacon, and quarter the hard-boiled eggs. Add tomatoes, onion, peppers and bacon to the chilled greens and toss gently to combine.

Whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning; if thinner dressing is desired, add up to 1–2 tablespoons more buttermilk.

Slice the rested steak thinly across the grain into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange the chopped salad on serving plates or a large platter. Drizzle about half of the dressing over the greens and toss lightly to coat. Fan the sliced steak over the tossed salad.

Scatter the blue-cheese-seared bits, remaining blue cheese crumbles (optional), quartered hard-boiled eggs and additional bacon on top. Drizzle remaining dressing around or over the steak as desired. Finish with a grind of fresh black pepper and a light pinch of flaky sea salt if desired.