Fire up the grill – virtually – with Club members Sept. 9

The first Great National Press Club Virtual Steak Out will take place beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9.

Reporters are known to do stakeouts, getting up before dawn, staking out the doors to a courthouse, FBI office, police station or the mayor's house. Conducting a stakeout requires patience, planning and delayed gratification. This steak out requires the same things.

Longtime police reporter-turned-communications guru Mark Puente will discuss the art of the steak out. Check out his background in all things meat on Twitter at @markpuente. He will discuss preparing a steak, cooking it, and pairing it with the perfect elixir.

For Zoom instructions to join the call, email Board member Del Wilber, a reporter with the Los Angeles Times, at [email protected].

What you need: 

1)    A grill. If you don't have one, Puente will discuss how to use a frying pan (cast iron is preferred).

2) A steak. We will be grilling ribeye, boneless or bone-in. This is a special event, so order a bone-in. 

3) Veggies like asparagus, mushrooms, chopped zucchini or shishito peppers/chopped garlic. Pepper and Kosher salt. 

4) A small grill basket or something similar like a small frying pan for the veggies. 

5) A stick of butter (not softened). A day beforehand, if you like, soften the butter and mix in rosemary, thyme, garlic and onion powder. After mixing, form the mixture into a log, put it in wax paper and twist the ends. Place in fridge until it gets hard. Once the steaks are done, slice tabs of the butter mixture to melt atop the steaks.

6) Any type of handheld meat thermometer.

7) Hot pad and tongs.

8) Ability to Zoom while cooking.

9) An appetite.