This week I made cast iron steaks with herb butter from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
I started with the herb butter. I made this a few hours before I start cooking the steaks to let the flavors meld. I use room-temperature, unsalted butter. I add shallots, parsley, thyme, minced garlic, salt, and pepper to the butter. You can use any herbs you have on hand or prefer. I combine everything with the butter and put it back into the refrigerator until I am ready to use it. It's that easy.
For the steaks, I used two 5 ounce filet mignons. I chose such a luxurious cut of meat because it felt special and fancy. We've been living off pantry and freezer items for the majority of the pandemic. About 30 minutes before I'm ready to start cooking, I placed my 10" cast iron skillet in the oven and turned the heat to 500˚. Hot! I do this to get the pan very evenly hot. I seasoned the steaks generously on all sides with kosher salt to pull out any moisture. After a half-hour, I dry the steaks thoroughly and season them with freshly ground pepper. It's crucial to get them dry. Moisture is the enemy of browning.
I removed the cast iron skillet from the oven. Don't forget the handle is insanely hot. I use a little cover thing because I always forget. I add a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil to the cast iron skillet. I use vegetable oil because it has a higher smoking temperature than olive oil, so it does well in a super hot cast iron skillet. Once the oil is just smoking, I add the steaks and cook them for a couple of minutes. It depends on the thickness of the steak. Once I flip them, I add a dollop of the herb butter. After a couple more minutes, I flip them again, adding another dollop of butter and then put them in the oven for about a couple more minutes. I like steak medium-rare, so I cook them until the internal temperature reaches 120˚ - 125˚. Depending on how you want your steaks cooked will also determine how long to cook them on each side. I try to keep each side and oven time equal. So, three minutes, three minutes, three minutes, or whatever.
I then place them on a cutting board with another dollop of butter, tent lightly with foil and let them rest for 10 minutes. This is, without a doubt, my favorite way to prepare steak. It's not a healthy meal. It's red meat, albeit lean red meat, with a ton of butter. I make these steaks maybe once or twice a year, usually for special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, or worldwide pandemics.
And that's it! You really will not believe how much flavor these steaks have. They are salty, herby, crunchy, and tender. I usually serve the steaks with something green. This time around, I made Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta.
Next week I'll be making pork chops braised in fresh tomato sauce, so that should be yummy.
I hope everyone is staying healthy as we enter week four of quarantine. We're fortunate because we're able to work and attend school from home. I am trying to keep to a routine. We are walking and doing a lot of video calls with friends and family. We're trying to make the best of the situation and enjoy our time at home together.