Posted by Tim Vidra / Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Iron-Skillet Steak with Thyme Butter
I have been eager to share a special recipe just in time for Valentine's Day that has special meaning in more ways than one. After receiving the opportunity to preview the recipes in Sarah Copeland's new cookbook, The Newlywed Cookbook
, I knew her version of skillet steak must have been written for me. Having gotten engaged recently over the holidays myself — it was the perfect opportunity to share this recipe.Of course after 7 years of dating, and Mary eating my cooking, she always knows I will pull some surprises out of my sleeve when preparing a meal. This prompted me to ask if she would like to take an afternoon stroll to Belmont Butchery, our neighborhood butcher shop, owned and run by Swiss-Trained chef Tanya Cauthen. I just couldn't think of anything more romantic than taking a nice winter stroll through the fan to pick up a 1 1/2 pound hunk of t-bone goodness for this iron-skillet steak with thyme butter — am I right, guys?
Because this was quite literally one of the best steaks I've ever tasted, I couldn't wait to share the recipe pulled from the pages of The Newlywed Cookbook
below.
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Iron-Skillet Steak with Thyme Butter
From The Newlywed Cookbook, Reprinted with permission from Sarah Copeland and Chronicle Books.
Image by Sara Remington
"My baby brother loves his steak almost as much as he loves his girl. And he loves to spoil his girl too. One year for Christmas I gave him a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet along with all of the goodies he would need to pull off “Steak Night for Your Girl,” including an elegant set of steak knives, linen napkins, and a James Brown CD. The crux of the whole meal is the steak itself, so of course, I included a hand-written card with my recipe and tips for the ultimate steak. Here it is.
Guys, here’s your chance to splurge on your lady, and spoil yourself in the process {you know you’ve been eyeing that T-bone!}. Serve with Oven-Roasted Tomatoes.
Sip: A rich Aussie shiraz, a classic French Bordeaux or Spanish Ribera del Duero.
Ingredients (for 2):
• 1 1/2 lb/680 g Porterhouse or T-Bone steak, preferably grass-fed or organic
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tbsp/55 g unsalted butter
• 2 sprigs of thyme
Remove your steak from the fridge about 30 minutes before you begin cooking. Preheat the oven to 425˚F/220°C/gas 7.
Season the steak generously on both sides with salt and lots of pepper. Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the pan. When the butter foams, lay the steak in the pan and watch it sizzle. Let the steak cook, without touching it, about 4 minutes. The steak will contract and should come away from the pan easily. Flip the steak {admiring your deep golden sear as you do}, and continue cooking on the other side, 4 minutes more.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and thyme in the pan and heat until the butter melts and sizzles. Tilt the pan so that the butter pools near the edge of the pan, and, using a large metal spoon, scoop the flavored butter and pour over the steak, repeating to baste the steak it with flavor. Transfer the pan and steak to the oven to finish cooking, about 4 minutes for medium-rare, or 6 minutes for medium.
Remove steak from the heat and transfer to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes. Slice the steak against the grain and drizzle over with the warm thyme butter."
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Why not change up the pace and stay at home this Valentine's Day — take the time to cook for your significant other. This simple 5 ingredient dish is sure to create memorable moments for weeks and months to come.
A big thanks go out to Sarah Copeland and Chronicle Books for a first-hand chance to try this recipe. Find more stories of love, just in time for Valentine's Day, along with more recipes throughout Sarah's Valentine's Blog Tour for The Newlywed Cookbook.
Book cover, and skillet-steak photos to the left by photographer, Sara Remington.
I mentioned in the beginning of this post that this recipe and book has special meaning in more ways than one. When you get a chance to page through the deliciously amazing recipes and photos in The Newlywed Cookbook on your own, look out for a few key vintage pieces sourced right here from the E.A.T. kitchen, namely VintageCrack.
E.A.T. local E.A.T. well
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This looks so wonderful, I can almost smell it. Wish I could find meat like that around here....
ReplyDeleteAnd congratulations on your engagement!
Where's the filet part of the steak? That's the best part! I adore butter on steaks. I never cook steak at home w/out adding a compound butter pat right on top! If no time to do a compound, then just a pat'll do ya! ;)
ReplyDeleteSo cool you cooked a meal for your fiance from a book titled "The Newlywed Cookbook!" I wish you happiness! She's so lucky to have a cook like you!
oh my goodness, my husband and son's eyes popped out of there heads when I made this! It was such a yummy luxury to them and it really was quite simple to make!
ReplyDeleteThis recipe looks easy and delicious!
ReplyDeleteSeriously one of the best steaks you've ever made for me! Something about that thyme butter...and maybe the cook :)
ReplyDeleteThis looks delicious! And congrats on your engagement :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a great technique for cooking steak. It is one employed at famous places such as Craft and Rays the Steaks in Arlington. The secret is the well seasoned cast iron skillet...A staple in my kitchen.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this wonderful recipe.
ReplyDelete