Dry-aged côte de bœuf

The côte de bœuf, the bone-in rib, is the steakhouse cut that rewards patience: dry-ageing for four to eight weeks concentrates the flavour and softens the muscle, the bone protects the meat on the grill and the thickness, at least five centimetres, allows a real crust outside and a rosy centre inside. The Americans call their version the porterhouse or the tomahawk; the idea is the same.

Every city in this guide has a temple to it: Peter Luger in Brooklyn has carved its porterhouse since 1887, Hawksmoor made British beef a global brand, Clover Grill in Paris cooks over Japanese charcoal, Dani García built Leña in Marbella around fire and Grill Royal in Berlin ages its cuts in the window on the Spree.

At home the technique is patience: let the meat come to room temperature, salt it generously, sear it hard on both sides, then finish it in a moderate oven or on the cooler side of the grill, and rest it for as long as it cooked. Carve against the grain, sprinkle with flaky salt and serve with béarnaise or nothing at all.