Pan Seared Steak works for a solo festive meal or a weeknight supper
Make this for your solo holiday feast or for Wednesday night dinner—Pan Seared Steak with Herbed Mustard Butter and Shallots works perfectly for both. Seared steak takes minutes to cook, and it’s so very easy. A quick reduction with shallots and wine creates a lovely sauce.
One my very favorite back-pocket recipes
Since reading about David Lebovitz’s Herbed Mustard Butter My Paris Kitchen, I’ve added it to my regular steak recipe. It takes no time at all and lends richness and flavor. I pretty much just wing it, now and only make a small amount for the steak and perhaps for potatoes). Don’t worry if you’re out of one of the herbs (well, parsley might be an issue).
Pan Seared Steak with Herbed Mustard Butter and Shallots is good. Very, very good. One of my very favorite back-pocket recipes.
Versatile
For a special occasion, get the best steak you can afford. For a weeknight dinner, still get a good one. This recipe is for strip steak, but this works for other cuts, too. Even a humble steak will benefit from this treatment. In leaner times, I’ve cooked lesser steaks like this, to my great enjoyment.
About 30-45 minutes before you want to cook your Pan Seared Steak, get the steak out of the fridge. Season it very generously with kosher salt. Crack some black pepper and add that to one side. Leave it to come to room temperature. Make the Herbed Mustard Butter and put that in the fridge until you’re ready to cook.
A cast-iron skillet is a must, and a meat thermometer will help
You need a cast iron skillet to make Pan Seared Steak. It’s an absolute must. Get the skillet ripping hot, add butter and oil to the pan, and cook your seasoned steak to your desired doneness (I like medium rare). A meat thermometer can come in handy here. The Spruce Eats has a good breakdown of steak temperatures (it’s for a grill, but you’ll get the idea).
As the steak rests with a generous pat of Herbed Mustard Butter, make the wine reduction with lots of shallots to spoon over. Garnish with parsley.
Bonus recipe for subscribers!
Pan Seared Steak is the potato’s true love. Mashed potatoes with some of the Mustard Herbed Butter are a match made in heaven (subscribe for access to the Wonder & Sundry Recipe Box). It also goes great with Crispy Potatoes, or even boiled ones on a weeknight. A simple vegetable and a salad, and you have yourself a lovely meal. Use any leftovers to make Leftover Steak Salad.
Recipe below.
Pan Seared Steak with Herbed Mustard Butter and Shallots
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet
- A meat thermometer can be very helpful here
Ingredients
For the Steak
- 1 ¾-1lb boneless strip steak
- 1 clove garlic, smashed, optional if you have a really nice steak, you might wish to omit this
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp neutral oil that can withstand high heat
- 1 sprig thyme
- 2 tbsp shallots, minced
- ⅓ cup wine a dry white is the standard, but use red if that's what you have
- kosher salt
- 7-8 black peppercorns, cracked this is to taste
For the Herbed Mustard Butter
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- splash olive oil, optional this helps with mixing
- 1 tbsp flat-leaf Italian parsley, minced
- 1 sprig thyme, leaves removed and chopped
- ½ small sprig rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped
- 1 generous tsp Dijon mustard to taste
Instructions
- 30-45 minutes before you want to cook the steak, remove it from the refrigerator. Salt it generously on both sides. Add the pepper to the side facing up. If using, distribute garlic piece. Let come to room temperature before cooking
- Meanwhile, make the Herbed Mustard butter by combining all ingredients in a small bowl with a fork. When mixed, cover and transfer to the refrigerator until you're ready to cook the steaks
- Pat the steaks dry with paper towels, being careful not to wipe off the peppercorns. The steaks must be dry in order for them to sear properly. Reserve the garlic pieces for the pan
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and butter. When the butter has melted and the foam has subsided, add the steak, pepper side down (you should hear the sizzle. If you don't remove it from the pan, pat it dry, and wait for the pan to get hotter). Scatter the garlic pieces around the steak.
- Sear on one side for about four minutes and then turn it. Spoon a little of the oil and butter on top of it to seal in the juices. Remove the garlic pieces if they start burning. Continue to sear until it reaches desired doneness (this really depends on the thickness of your steak). If you're unsure, use a meat thermometer. There's going to be fair amount of spatter, so take care not to burn yourself.
- Remove the steak from the pan to a plate or board, add a generous pat of Herbed Mustard Butter on top (this is to your taste), and then tent loosely with foil. Allow to rest for ten minutes.
- Drain all but a teaspoon or so of fat from the pan and remove the garlic (if still in the pan), but preserve the bits (those are the flavor).
- The steak needs to rest for about ten minutes, and this sauce does not take long. Waiting two or three minutes will cool down the pan slightly and will prevent the shallots from scorching. Turn the heat back on to medium. When the fat in the pan starts to shimmer again, add the shallots, and cook, stirring, for about a minute or so. You don't want them burning (note, they can look really browned covered in steak juice in the pan, so don't freak out if they get brown right away), but you want to make sure they've softened. Add the thyme sprig, and stir for another thirty seconds. Add the wine, and deglaze the pan by stirring rapidly and scraping the bits off the bottom. When the wine has reduced to the point where it's syrupy, turn off the heat. Remove the thyme sprig.
- Serve when the steak has finished resting, with the shallot-wine reduction and garnished with parsley.
Video
Notes
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