I saw this different technique on how to cook steaks on America’s Test Kitchen and decided to try it out the other night. When cooking filet mignons on the stove top, often the meat will brown too much on the outside before the inside is cooked. I usually overcome this by finishing the cooking process in the oven. But on ATK, they did a side by side test and the stove top cooked meat tends to have this grayish color when it’s done cooking. They tested pre-cooking the meat at a low temperate in the oven and then browning the meat on the stove top. This yielded a browned crust and perfectly cooked meat with a consistently pink center. Here’s what we ate and the recipe for the Filet Mignons with Mushroom Wine sauce.
Appetizer: Cured meat selection of salami, coppa, and mortadella
Wine: Robert Sinskey Rose
1st Course: Artichoke and watercress salad with tamari almonds, feta cheese, and lemon vinaigrette (copied the salad I had at Range the other night)
2nd Course: Orecchiette pasta with tuna, artichokes, and capers with vodka sauce
3rd Course: Filet mignons with mushroom wine sauce
Wine: Frei Brothers Pinot Noir – I know, an odd wine selection for steak but my friend can’t have the tannins found in heavier reds. The wine was still really tasty!
4th Course: Vanilla bean ice cream with fresh berries
Wine: Cilurzo Petite Syrah
Bistro Steak Dinner
Courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen
Serves 4
4 filet mignon steaks or 2 boneless strip steaks cut in half
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Pat
steaks dry with paper towel. Cut each steak in half vertically to
create four 8-ounce steaks. Season entire surface of steaks liberally
with salt and pepper; gently press sides of steaks until uniform 1 1/2
inches thick. Place steaks on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet;
transfer baking sheet to oven. Cook until instant-read thermometer
inserted in center of steak registers 90 to 95 degrees for rare to
medium-rare, 20 to 25 minutes, or 100 to 105 degrees for medium, 25 to
30 minutes.
smoking. Place steaks in skillet and sear steaks until well-browned and
crusty, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, lifting once halfway through to
redistribute fat underneath each steak. (Reduce heat if fond begins to
burn.) Using tongs, turn steaks and cook until well browned on second
side, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer all steaks to wire cooling rack and
reduce heat under pan to medium. Use tongs to stand 2 steaks on their
sides. Holding steaks together, return to skillet and sear on all sides
until browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. Repeat with remaining 2 steaks.
with foil, for 10 minutes while preparing pan sauce. Arrange steaks on
individual plates and spoon sauce over steaks; serve immediately.
Red Wine-Mushroom Pan Sauce
Prepare all ingredients for the pan sauce while the steaks are in the oven.
| 1 | tablespoon vegetable oil |
| 8 | ounces button mushrooms , trimmed and sliced thin (about 3 cups) |
| 1 | small shallot , minced (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) |
| 1 | cup dry red wine |
| 1/2 | cup low-sodium chicken broth |
| 1 | tablespoon balsamic vinegar |
| 1 | teaspoon Dijon mustard |
| 2 | tablespoons cold unsalted butter , cut into 4 pieces |
| 1 | teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves |
| Table salt and ground black pepper |
cooked. Heat oil over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add
mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and
liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add shallot and cook, stirring
frequently, until beginning to soften, about 1 minute. Increase heat to
high; add red wine and broth, scraping bottom of skillet with wooden
spoon to loosen any browned bits. Simmer rapidly until liquid and
mushrooms are reduced to 1 cup, about 6 minutes. Add vinegar, mustard,
and any juices from resting steaks; cook until thickened, about 1
minute. Off heat, whisk in butter and thyme; season with salt and
pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over steaks and serve immediately.
