News
Restaurant introduces ‘dry aging’ for steak
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| JAIME RICHARDSON | GREEN VALLEY NEWS Stephanie Leonard, executive chef at Tubac Golf Resort & Spa’s Stables and Dos Silos restaurants, shows off her specialty, dry-aged Porter House steak. |
By Jaime Richardson, Green Valley News
TUBAC—Winter visitors and Green Valley residents have grown fond of this unique art colony for many reasons, including shops, golf and restaurants.
Businesses in the area have been pushing the envelope to attract customers, upgrading services and amenities.
It’s just a quick drive down the interstate to reach one of the latest to undergo a makeover, the Tubac Golf Resort & Spa, where rolling green hills surround the sprawling, historic ranch known for its 27-hole golf course and impressive list of celebrity associations.
Tourists and locals alike can stay in one of the 98 rooms overlooking the course and grounds. Along with two restaurants, the site also features a day spa, Southwestern gift shop, and a new adobe-style wedding chapel.
And the destination can now add “gourmet steakhouse” to its many attractions.
Stables Restaurant has adopted a specialized “dry-aging” process and will be one of the only restaurants in Southern Arizona to feature dry-aged steaks.
“When you went into a butcher shop in the 1950s, you’d see the meat hanging there on a hook, not wrapped in plastic,” said Jeff Clock, the resort’s director of food and beverage.
The industry now uses a process called “wet-aging,” where meat is sealed in a plastic bag and left to soak in it’s own blood, he said.
But with dry-aging, the meat is hung from a hook inside a cooler, which causes excess moisture in the meat to evaporate and produces a more concentrated flavor. The enzymes start to break down the connective tissue in the meat, which makes it much more tender, said Clock.
“The process is expensive for restaurants because you end up losing 20 percent of the meat, but it’s worth it,” he said. “It’s like apples to oranges. The taste difference is really unbelievable.”
Dos Silos, the resort’s festive Mexican restaurant, has also revitalized its menu and will now feature live Spanish guitar music on the weekends.
Named for two adobe grain silos that were part of the original ranch, the eatery is embracing more regionally-influenced Mexican cuisine, collaborating with local suppliers like Santa Cruz Chili & Spice Co. in Tumacacori.
“Many of our cooks are from Mexico, and we’ve been working together to develop authentic recipes from this region,” said Clock.
Over 7,500 square feet of banquet space at the resort can hold any event, “from the smallest birthday party to a mid-sized Quincenera, to a wedding for 700 people,” said Clock.
The Tubac Golf Resort is located on what used to be the Otero homestead, which dates back over 300 years and was once one of the largest cattle ranches in the Southwest.
A group of Tucson businessmen, along with entertainer Bing Crosby, an avid golfer, purchased the ranch in 1959 and turned the property into an exclusive golf resort.
Since then, the resort has welcomed locals, tourists, and even celebrities.
The golf-themed Kevin Costner film “Tin Cup” was filmed on the grounds, and actors Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones were guests while “Traffic” was being filmed in Nogales.
The Air Force One chopper landed in a cow pasture when President Gerald Ford met with Mexican President Luis Eccheveria on the property in 1974.
Astronaut Neil Armstrong is a frequent visitor and stayed at the resort during a recent golf tournament.
“Out of all the celebrities I’ve met, nothing beats the first man on the moon,” said Clock.
The Tubac Golf Resort & Spa is at 1 Avenue de Otero in Tubac. Stables is open from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and Dos Silos, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. You can reach either restaurant from the resort’s main line at 398-2211.
jrichardson@gvnews.com
Businesses in the area have been pushing the envelope to attract customers, upgrading services and amenities.
It’s just a quick drive down the interstate to reach one of the latest to undergo a makeover, the Tubac Golf Resort & Spa, where rolling green hills surround the sprawling, historic ranch known for its 27-hole golf course and impressive list of celebrity associations.
Tourists and locals alike can stay in one of the 98 rooms overlooking the course and grounds. Along with two restaurants, the site also features a day spa, Southwestern gift shop, and a new adobe-style wedding chapel.
And the destination can now add “gourmet steakhouse” to its many attractions.
Stables Restaurant has adopted a specialized “dry-aging” process and will be one of the only restaurants in Southern Arizona to feature dry-aged steaks.
“When you went into a butcher shop in the 1950s, you’d see the meat hanging there on a hook, not wrapped in plastic,” said Jeff Clock, the resort’s director of food and beverage.
The industry now uses a process called “wet-aging,” where meat is sealed in a plastic bag and left to soak in it’s own blood, he said.
But with dry-aging, the meat is hung from a hook inside a cooler, which causes excess moisture in the meat to evaporate and produces a more concentrated flavor. The enzymes start to break down the connective tissue in the meat, which makes it much more tender, said Clock.
“The process is expensive for restaurants because you end up losing 20 percent of the meat, but it’s worth it,” he said. “It’s like apples to oranges. The taste difference is really unbelievable.”
Dos Silos, the resort’s festive Mexican restaurant, has also revitalized its menu and will now feature live Spanish guitar music on the weekends.
Named for two adobe grain silos that were part of the original ranch, the eatery is embracing more regionally-influenced Mexican cuisine, collaborating with local suppliers like Santa Cruz Chili & Spice Co. in Tumacacori.
“Many of our cooks are from Mexico, and we’ve been working together to develop authentic recipes from this region,” said Clock.
Over 7,500 square feet of banquet space at the resort can hold any event, “from the smallest birthday party to a mid-sized Quincenera, to a wedding for 700 people,” said Clock.
The Tubac Golf Resort is located on what used to be the Otero homestead, which dates back over 300 years and was once one of the largest cattle ranches in the Southwest.
A group of Tucson businessmen, along with entertainer Bing Crosby, an avid golfer, purchased the ranch in 1959 and turned the property into an exclusive golf resort.
Since then, the resort has welcomed locals, tourists, and even celebrities.
The golf-themed Kevin Costner film “Tin Cup” was filmed on the grounds, and actors Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones were guests while “Traffic” was being filmed in Nogales.
The Air Force One chopper landed in a cow pasture when President Gerald Ford met with Mexican President Luis Eccheveria on the property in 1974.
Astronaut Neil Armstrong is a frequent visitor and stayed at the resort during a recent golf tournament.
“Out of all the celebrities I’ve met, nothing beats the first man on the moon,” said Clock.
The Tubac Golf Resort & Spa is at 1 Avenue de Otero in Tubac. Stables is open from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and Dos Silos, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. You can reach either restaurant from the resort’s main line at 398-2211.
jrichardson@gvnews.com
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