Rural Missouri - September 2024 - 39

Prime rib and more that are worth the drive
by Paul Newton | pnewton@ruralmissouri.coop
A
fter more than 20 years inside the kitchen at Harry J's in Moscow
Mills, owner Paul Blucker gets his enjoyment stepping away
from the grill and into the dining room full of satisfied customers.
" Another grill cook and I used to talk about reminding ourselves
they're enjoying their meal because of something we made, " he says. " It's
just the best to see families spending time together and couples out on
dates over plates of food. "
Harry J's Steakhouse serves plentiful portions of mouthwatering appetizers,
sandwiches, steaks and seafood inside a former co-op store where
farmers once bought grain and feed.
In 1998, Harry Seise opened Harry J's in nearby Winfield. The popular
restaurant needed a bigger footprint and moved into the old co-op store in
Moscow Mills in 2000. Siblings Paul and Missy Blucker bought the business
in 2022 and carry on the traditional steakhouse flavors and atmosphere
locals have come to expect.
Paul and Missy are no strangers to Harry J's. Harry hired Paul and
Missy to work at the restaurant in Winfield with Paul working the deepfryers
and Missy making salads in the small restaurant.
" When we moved, we more or less doubled everything we had, " explains
Missy. " We each just enjoyed it here and started working our way up -
Paul more in the kitchen and me up front - and never looked back. "
The brother-and-sister duo had two decades of experience seeing what
made Harry J's so successful, so they didn't change much when they took
over. " It's a steakhouse, so at its simplest, it's great steaks cooked perfectly, "
Paul says. " We could just do burgers all day long, but there's just
something about seeing an awesome, giant steak go out of the kitchen that
you know is going to taste great. "
The restaurant is known for chicken on Thursday and seafood on Friday,
but the real draw is on Saturday. " That's our famous prime rib that
people drive from pretty far away to eat and enjoy, " Missy says.
Huge roasts of marinated prime rib are rubbed with Montreal steak
seasoning and loaded in the oven Saturday morning where they roast
long enough to accommodate any temperature preference. The roasts are
hand-cut into at least 18-ounce steaks and cooked over an open flame on
the grill to your liking. Paul makes a homemade au jus glaze to go over the
finished piece of meat.
" It's a lot thicker than a typical au jus sauce; it makes sure it's glistening
on top, " he says. " It has a nice salty, powerful flavor with that Montreal
seasoning that's baked through and should just melt in your mouth. "
If you can't make it on a Saturday, there are still plenty of options to
satisfy your appetite. With 20 appetizers, you'll surely find the perfect
premeal bite to share. Popular options include the hand-battered chicken
strips, onion straws with Paul's creamy and spicy dipping sauce and the
" We could just
do burgers all
day long, but
there's just
something
about seeing an
awesome, giant
steak go out
of the kitchen
that you know
is going to taste
great. "
- Paul Blucker, owner,
Harry J's Steakhouse
SEPTEMBER 2024 | RURALMISSOURI.COOP 39
http://www.RURALMISSOURI.COOP
Rural Missouri - September 2024

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