Flat Iron, Leeds

You would have thought, that as they have been around for millennia, the cuts of meat from cattle would be the same now as they always were. Various types of roasting joints such as Brisket, Hind Lift, Silverside etc, drift into and out of fashion, as do steaks, but they have not fundamentally altered. In my day, the way to impress was with a T-bone and all the trimmings i.e. Chips, Peas, Onion Rings, Grilled Tomato and Mushrooms (invariably preceded by Prawn Cocktail and followed by Black Forest Gateau). Then there was Fillet, Carpet Bagger, and, more recently Ribeye and Tomahawk, which are basically the same, except the latter has the bone left in. All of the above have been enjoyed for centuries so it may surprise you to know that the Flat Iron Steak has only been around since 1996, it certainly came as a shock to me!

The meat had obviously been a part of every head, or shoulder actually, of cattle ever born, but it hadn’t been eaten until then because it was thought to have been too difficult to butcher. It comes from the shoulder but has a large seam of tough connective tissue down the middle which, when removed, leaves only thin slices of edible meat. A couple of scientists in the USA, working for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a body concerned with the amount of beef discarded, found that, although the meat thus obtained looked thin, it swelled up when cooked and provided a very acceptable alternative to the more expensive cuts.

Having been invited to lunch at the restaurant whose name is taken from this delicious cut of beef, I would like to take my Stetson off to Messrs Johnson and Calkins, the two scientists involved, for their work in making my memorable lunch possible.

I was there as guest of Simon Fogal from Chapter81 as I had to miss the official press launch due to ill health, and I have to say it was worth the wait. The ethos is simple, don’t try to be too clever, but, in the words of the 1965 song by Ned Miller, Do What You Do Do Well. This means that the menu is concise with the eponymous steak being the star and Scottish Bavette, Wagyu Steak of the Day and Triple Cheese Truffle Burger, the supporting acts. The latter of these is made using beef from the Flat Iron Herd reared by the company on a farm near Thirsk in North Yorkshire.

Before all that though, I was shown to the table, having arrived early, and presented with a bottle of water and a mug of popcorn! Not your sugary cinema version or even straight up corn, but having, what else, a beefy aftertaste. It was very subtle, so much so that I still wonder if it was autosuggestion. You will notice that, instead of a knife, customers are issued with a small cleaver, a theme carried through the dining experience.

The sides comprised Home Made Beef Dripping Chips, Crispy Bone Marrow Garlic Mash, Creamed Spinach, Truffled Macaroni Cheese, Green Salad and Roast Aubergine, Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella. We chose four to share with the last two not making the cut.

I was about to decline a sauce to accompany my steak as I wanted the meat to speak for itself but when I was informed that it was served separately, I opted for a Bearnaise, as did Simon. The alternatives are Peppercorn, Homemade Smoked Chilli Mayo and Wild Mushroom.

In order to keep the vibe going we had a half bottle of Flat Iron Malbec, which was from France rather than South America, and so smooth it could have had the once over from a real flat iron. There are also cocktails, beer, cider and soft drinks to choose from.

My steak was served just as requested, on the rare side of medium rare, and was amazingly tender, for what is not a premium cut. The flavour is a lot more intense than those at more than twice the price and the texture more pleasing. Being somewhat thinner it also allows the seared outside to contribute more to the overall taste.

A clever touch was the way in which it was presented. A few years ago there was a fad for serving food in unconventional ways; on a bed of slate, chips in trainers and even Yorkshire Pudding in a flat cap, but this was practicality at its finest. The wooden chopping board gave a butcher vibe but the inlaid slab of stone had been warmed so as not to let the meat go cold during the meal. It wasn’t so hot that it became a sizzler, and allowed the meat to keep on cooking, but meant the last bite was as warm and rare as the first had been.

We each sampled all of the vegetables which, again, were perfectly cooked. The marrowfat mash especially was a revelation. I am not normally a great lover of spinach but this version was sublime in its creaminess. The Truffled Macaroni Cheese turned a peasant dish into something rather special and, well, there is only one right way to cook chips and that is in beef dripping as oil doesn’t get hot enough to seal the batter on your haddock quick enough nor crisp up the outside of your chips.

So, time for afters. Now, here’s the rub, there is no dessert listed on the menu, the reason for that is you don’t pay for it! When the bill arrives a couple of mini cleavers come with it and, as you leave the restaurant you are invited to place the tokens into a tin box with some slots in the top. It reminded me of my childhood when every home had one of these where your gran would put coins in the appropriate slot to pay the milkman, coal man, rent man, paper boy, window cleaner or any of the myriad tradesman who would want their money on a Friday. My gran’s had a piece of paper stuck to it with her Co-op number which would be recited to the milkman so she could claim her divi twice a year. It was like an early form of loyalty card. Anyway, instead of having to give money away, the token gets you an amazing ice cream, in either cone or tub form to take away.

If the food so far had been incredible, the ice cream was divine. The flavour changes but when we were there it was butter, yes, you read that right. It is made from the milk provided by the Flat Iron Herd and was even smoother than the wine. Not only that, but we both opted for the cone and, rather than just plonk a dollop on top, the nozzle was thrust right to the bottom of the crunchy container so you got a very generous measure with no chance of the white stuff dropping off as it was too well embedded. Simon had his sprinkled with chocolate but I took mine neat.

Not only is Flat Iron a great place to eat, the food and service being excellent and the portions just right, its ethical credentials are top notch too. The meat is sourced from small farms in the UK and Ireland, where the provenance can be traced to each beast, which must be raised in extensive or regenerative systems. The emphasis is on traditional breeds and longer, slower rearing to enhance the flavour, an ethos which they practice on their own herd.

It is appropriate that Flat Iron is the steak of choice here, as not only does it make eating out more affordable, being a much cheaper cut, but also the aims of Messrs Johnson and Calkin, whose remit was to reduce wastage in the beef farming industry, are being continued through their partnership with the Felix Project, a charity committed to fighting hunger and reducing food waste in general.

If you fancy a change from your normal cut of steak, or just an incredible meal out at a much more reasonable price than the more conventional steak restaurants, then you need to give Flat Iron a try. It is situated at 9A Lands Lane, Leeds and opens at noon every day, closing at 10.00pm Sunday to Tuesday, 10.30pm Wednesday and Thursday and 11.00pm Friday and Saturday.

For those of you not fortunate enough to live in Yorkshire, there are several branches throughout London as well as ones in Cambridge and Manchester. See https://flatironsteak.co.uk/about-us/ for full details of the company and links to menus and bookings.

All photographs by Stan Graham