Chasen's Hobo Steak

I recently watched a documentary about the closing of the great Hollywood restaurant Chasen's. During the film they kept showing the captains making this steak tableside and it looked just wonderful. At the end of the film they showed the recipes. I know the recipe looks like it has a lot of fat and it does but keep in mind the pieces of fat and the salt crust are disgarded and the steak is just cooked in the butter, you are not eating all that fat salt and butter. I think this would make a great special occasion meal.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

• 1  large  new york  steak, 3 inches thick
•  fresh ground black pepper
• 1  piece  fat, 1/4 thick strip and 3 wide (or several small pieces fat)
• 1  cup salt
• 2  tablespoons water
• 1⁄4 lb unsalted butter
•  sourdough bread, 1/4 thick and toasted

Directions

1. Season steak with pepper.
2. Wrap fat around sides of steak, covering them completely but leaving top and bottom exposed.
3. Tie fat to steak with string near top and bottom.
4. Fat must be securely anchored to steak.
5. Combine salt and water to make paste.
6. Mound about 3/4 of mixture over top of steak, covering meat completely.
7. Place steak under broiler and broil 8 to 10 minutes, depending on size of steak.
8. Carefully remove salt crust, keeping it in one piece.
9. Turn steak over and place salt crust on other side.
10. If necessary, patch crust with remaining salt mixture.
11. Broil steak another 8 to 10 minutes. Remove steak from broiler and discard crust and fat.
12. Slice meat, cutting slightly on diagonal.
13. Heat butter in chafing dish or large skillet until foaming and lightly browned.
14. Place a few slices of meat at a time in butter and cook to desired degree of doneness.
15. (Allow about 1 minute on each side for rare meat.)
16. Place each slice of meat on slice of toast and spoon some of the hot butter over.