Insanely high-quality imported American & Australian steak at ½ the price you’d find downtown! It’s what’s on the damn menu! Look at this bounty, y’all. Look at this feast. Aussie Wagyu M7+ Ribeye? Check. Aussie Sliced Ribeye? Yessir. Sirloin. Bacon. More Ribeye. Even some green stuff in the back there. So yeah. Today, we’re going to be cooking super impressive steak dinner. Lots and lots of super impressive steak dinner. Variety is the name of this game: we’ve got a Thai-inspired steak salad, a straight-up, simple-but-classy steak main, and a succulent ‘Murica-style mushroom steak sandwich. Chef Matthew will be walking us through the preparation and dropping a few tips along the way to help get the most out of your meat in your own kitchen. Loosen your belts! Video produced by Magnus Dettmar for SmartShanghai

We’re joined by the brilliant Chef Matthew Ona (and trusty sidekick, Tristan), who are creating three simple, heart-stopping steak dishes you can replicate in your own Shanghai kitchen. A Minneapolis transplant, Matthew’s held Executive Chef and Directorships all over the place, including New York, California, Malaysia, and in China, Shanghai, Beijing, and Hangzhou. His Shanghai credits include executive positions at Kathleen’s 5, Napa Wine Bar & Kitchen, Roof325, SHOOK!, and is currently Executive Director at THE CUT. Currently, he’s cooking us dinner. Living the dream.

Thai-Inspired Steak Salad featuring Member's Mark Australian Ribeye

You’ll need: - 600 grams of Member's Mark Australian Grain-Fed Thin Cut Ribeye; - 300 grams of Member’s Mark Mini-Cucumber - 300 grams of yellow bell peppers; - 150 grams of shallots; - 70 grams of red chilis; - 50 grams of jalapenos; - 50 grams of lemongrass; - 15 grams of Thai basil leaves; - 10 grams of Thai mint leaves; - 15 grams of cilantro leaves; - Dole Seedless limes (6 lime wedges) - Salt and pepper to taste.

With your meat on the side achieving room temperature status, start by prep’ing your veg. The yellow bell peppers are cut into strips. Shallots and red chilis, sliced into circles. Lemongrass, thinly sliced. Always let ribeye (and every type of steak, really) come up to room temperature to ensure even, consistent cooking. For thick-cut steaks like ribeye, budget at least 30 minutes.

All this is coming to us from Sam’s Club, an American premium member’s-only wholesale club that delivers imported goods anywhere in Shanghai for silly cheap prices. From now until the new year (while stocks last), they have a special offer on their price for Australian Grain-fed Ribeye which comes out to (hold on to your seat), 89 RMB per 500g. Good ol’ Sam’s can deliver over 1,000 products within an hour on the same day, and 3,000 others on same or next day. Anywhere and everywhere in Shanghai. Yes, let’s talk price comparisons. We did a cursory search into comparable offerings out there at competing supermarket vendors and this is… this is super damn cheap. Crazy cheap. This-can’t-last cheap. Anywhere else, they’re offering similar premium cuts of imported steak starting at three to four times that price. "Sam's club beef is a great value for the price, quality, and portions that you get”, according to Chef Matthew.

Pan-frying your ribeye on the stovetop is one of the quickest and easiest methods, allowing you to keep an eye on it throughout cooking. Heat a medium pan over medium high heat until very hot — about 1-2 minutes; add oil. Place the steak in the middle of the oiled pan and cook, turning every 2-3 minutes, until a dark crust has formed on both sides, for about 12-14 minutes.

Mix, mix, mix…

For our dressing, we combined, 50 grams of fresh lime juice, 30 grams of Thai fish sauce, 15 grams of rock sugar, and 30 grams of olive oil. Expect light and bright flavors playing off the deep and beefy succulent star ingredient. That’s what you should say to your dinner companion as you eat it too: “Are you appreciating the light and bright flavors playing off the deep and beefy succulent star ingredient of this thing that I lovingly created?”

Australian M7+ Wagyu Ribeye with Loaded Potato and Garlic Broccolini

Don't let "M7+" scare you. We picked up this beautiful cut at Sam's and only paid 1/4 of what you'd pay downtown. You’ll need: -1 Member’s Mark M7+ Australian Ribeye at room temperature (400g) -1 tablespoon olive oil -3 tablespoons unsalted butter -3 cloves garlic, smashed -3 sprigs fresh thyme -2 sprigs fresh rosemary -1 Member’s Mark potato -aged cheddar -bacon - Sam’s Club Broccolini -Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

With its subtle sweetness, Sam’s Club broccolini makes for a light and healthy side. Heat the olive oil with the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook over moderate heat until fragrant — about 1 minute. Increase the heat to high, add the Broccolini and toss to coat with the oil. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes. Watch for color. The broccolini develops a bright green color as it cooks. It’s like it’s manifesting its own super power.

“Marbling” (AKA intramuscular fat) adds flavor, tenderness, and moisture and is one of the main criteria for judging the quality of cuts of meat. Generally, the more marbling your steak contains, the better a cut of meat is. We're talking about layers of fat between two separate muscles within the meat itself, not the larger stuff you usually cut away. The fat makes the meat softer and easier to chew, leading to a more rapid breakdown of the food, and greater flavor release. Again. The prices… the prices! We scored this Member’s Mark Australian M7+ Wagyu Ribeye — basically at the top end of the spectrum for all ribeye — for 239 RMB.

239 RMB for a 400g cut!! To put this into perspective, this top quality M7 beef will decimate your wallet for 870 RMB+ (if you can find it) at any shop downtown, and is 1,100 RMB in damages (or more) at a restaurant.

The super intense and super professional method is thus: While the steak is cooking don’t touch it or move it at all. Don’t point at it, don’t even look at it. (Well, probably look at it…) The steak should only be flipped one time, after that first 3 to 4-minute period when you check that the bottom is a sexy golden-brown color.

Reduce heat to medium low. Push steak to one side of the skillet; add butter, garlic — and to personal taste, thyme and rosemary as well — to opposite side of the skillet. Tilt the skillet towards the butter and cook until butter is foaming, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Time to sell the sizzle. Spoon the butter over the steak for 1-2 minutes, turning over once until desired doneness is achieved.

Give it some room. Let it rest. Let it hang out with you. Larger cuts of steak get way better when left to sit off the heat for up to 15 minutes. Cover them loosely with foil and set them in a warm spot to maintain temperature. Why let the cooked meat sit around before cutting it? Science? Maybe? Resting lets the juices redistribute evenly through the beef, translating into an even juicier steak. Serious, don't fool with the steak for a while. Don’t mess this up. Give it a hot minute. 15 of them. You don’t want a steak that spills its juices the second you carve into it.

Whether you're slicing up some spectacular ribeye or a delectable sirloin steak, cutting the meat across the grain will give you the most tender slices. Do this by cutting perpendicular to the long parallel muscle fibers in the meat, that way the fibers in each piece – which is where the bulk of any toughness comes in – are as short and thus as tender as possible.

Seared American Choice Sirloin Steak Sandwich

You’ll need: -Members Mark Australian Grain-Fed Sirloin -Mushrooms (white button, enoki, shimenji), these come in a mushroom mix pack at Sam’s club! - Member’s Mark Organic Spinach -Member’s Mark Organic Red onions -Aged cheddar - Butter - Mixed Greens - Avocado

Moisture must first evaporate before the browning can happen, so you want to get rid of as much as possible from the start by dabbing your meat with a paper towel. Also, don’t season your steaks with salt until right before you cook them. You want the moisture inside your steak, not outside.

Add the steaks to the pan, making sure that you hear a loud, satisfying sizzling noise when you do. If you don’t hear a loud sear, you done messed up. The pan is not hot enough. No steak for you. Try again.

For this upscale sirloin steak sammy, we’ve got our baguette sitting in the oven with aged cheddar lovingly melting on top and we’re going to sauté up a medley of white button, enoki, and shimenji mushrooms. No need for alarm "where do I find these bad boys", you can get these already mixed in a combo bag for 21 kuai at Sam's.

When your mushrooms are along nicely, stir in heavy cream, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly reduced and thickened — about 5-6 minutes.

Cooking sirloin versus ribeye? Sirloin can be a bit more delicate. As a cut of meat, it’s got way less fat content, and thusly can become overcooked in seconds. It’s got a great, natural beefy flavor to it though — ideal for sandwiches. We’re slicing’ and layerin’ here, creating heart attack Jenga! Creamy mushrooms on top! We’ve also got some over roasted shallots in the back there in the tinfoil for more flavor. Salt and a little olive oil in aluminum foil, and there you go.

There is it folks, a beauty if there ever was one, in sandwich form. In most cases, a sauce offsets the perceived dryness that a sandwich can have, but not this baby. The melted aged cheddar does a little dance with the juices from the steak, creamed mushrooms, and caramelized onions... its very very naughty.

Drinks!

Booze. But of course. Going with the old staple here: red wine. Picked up this bottle of Amarone at Sam's for 198rmb. That’s a good deal. Sort of hard to find Amarone in Shanghai, and it’s usually priced about four times that much. Juice. For the kids. Sam's also has a nice deal on Calamansi juice, which if you've never had it, is the "lemonade" of the Philippines. A slightly sweeter version of lemonade, but... not too sweet of course. Quite refreshing, thirst begone!

Pretty good, huh! So. Now. If you happen to be the internationally traveled and seasoned Executive Chef of your own home kitchen, and have a taste for juicy and delicious cost efficiency, consider a Sam’s Membership to compliment your fine creations. For an annual fee of 260 RMB — one primary card and one complimentary card — you get access to some truly great products, like these super high-quality imported Australian Wagyu steaks at HALF THE PRICE of anywhere else in town. Download the bilingual Sam’s Club app and get them delivered to your doorstep within one hour.

Tristan approves. Which, for those of you wondering, is one of Chef Matthew's offspring. Important to have proper quality control protocols in the kitchen, y’know