Steak, Cheese, Bacon. We’re Excited, too.

If you’re dining in tonight, this bacon-wrapped steak with blue cheese should probably be at the top of your list (video below, but you should read this first). Now your head is probably in one of two places: making a mental note of the ingredients to pick up – which you can find below – or you’re still thinking about bacon (which is fair). But it’s probably safe to say you’re not thinking about where this whole food story started: on a farm.

Take the beef filet in the video. That cut of steak came from a beef cow that could have been raised by Illinois farmers like Mike and Lynn Martz just west of Chicago who use a “closed-loop farming system” between their crops and cattle to be more sustainable.

Or that blue cheese topping. Way before cultures and curds come into the picture, a cow is milked – on a farm like Mackinson Dairy Farm – where each and every family member plays a part in keeping their dairy cows happy and healthy.

And how about the bacon? It came from a pig raised in a barn by someone like Illinois pig farmer Thomas Titus, who makes it a family affair to raise safe and nutritious pork for your table.

The butter. The yogurt. The onion. All these ingredients have one thing in common: they were raised and grown by a farmer. Maybe even right outside of Chicago.

Whatever culinary adventure you take on next, know there’s a story behind those ingredients. Want to know more? Let’s talk.

Bacon Wrapped Steak with Blue Cheese

INGREDIENTS

Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
2 beef filets (8-10 oz. each, 1-2 in. thick)
2 thin slices of bacon
1.5 tablespoon butter or olive oil

Blue Cheese Topping

2 tablespoons cream cheese
4 teaspoons crumbled blue cheese
4 teaspoons plain yogurt
2 teaspoons minced onion
Dash ground white pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 F.
Coat each filet with salt and pepper and wrap with bacon. Secure bacon with a toothpick.
In an oven-proof skillet, let oil or butter get hot, sear both sides of each filet on medium-high heat (about one minute per side).
Remove skillet from stove and finish cooking in the preheated oven. Cook to desired doneness.
- 145 F = Medium Rare
- 160 F = Medium
- 170 F = Well Done
While the steaks are cooking, combine all of the topping ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Remove filets from oven when desired doneness is achieved and top with blue cheese topping. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.