Pan Seared Rib-eye Steak with Béarnaise Sauce

A nice fancy dinner at home may just require a good piece of steak. To top it off, Béarnaise sauce will make your steak much more special. It doesn’t require much time to make, but it will sure impressed your loved one or your guests.

When it comes to steak, Bryan is the cook. I guess because he likes steak and he was the one who started to make steak in the house, so that job stays with him. But of course, I can cook it too. 🙂 There are tons of ways to cook a perfect steak. We cook our steak on the stove. No oven is needed. The steak is seared perfectly every time and it stays juicy. Very simple.

In January, when Bryan and I went to Mon Ami Gabi in Las Vegas, Bryan ordered the steak with Béarnaise sauce. It was a fantastic match. And I decided to make that at home. The sauce was so easy to make that anyone can do it. It was rich and creamy. It paired really well with the steak, but didn’t overpower the steak flavors. A great touch to a perfect steak. Love it!

Pan Seared Rib-eye Steak with Béarnaise Sauce (Adapted from bonappetit.com)

2 servings

Ingredients:

–   1 boneless rib eye steak (1½ inches thick)

–   ½ tablespoon unsalted butter

–   kosher salt

–   coarsely ground black pepper

Béarnaise Sauce:

–   ½ cup unsalted butter (cut into ½-inch cubes), plus ½ tablespoon

–   1 large egg yolk

–   1 ½ tablespoon shallots (minced)

–   1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

–   ½ – 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

–   ½ tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves (finely chopped)

–   ½ tablespoon water

–   kosher salt

–   ground black pepper

Direction:

1. For the Béarnaise sauce, in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the ½ tablespoon butter. Add shallots and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir with a spatula to combine. Mix in the vinegar. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until vinegar is evaporated, 3 – 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring frequently. Cook until the shallots are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Transfer the shallot mixture to a small bowl and let cool completely at room temperature.
2. Fill a blender with hot water to warm it. Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt ½ cup butter until foamy. Transfer the butter to a heatproof measuring cup.
4. Drain the blender and shake off all the excess water. Combine ½ tablespoon lemon juice, water, and egg yolk in the blender. Blend mixture until smooth. Remove lid insert. With blender running, very slowly pour in hot butter, discarding milk solids at the bottom of the measuring cup. Blend until the mixture forms a smooth and creamy sauce, about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce into the shallot mixture. Add the tarragon and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Add more lemon juice if desired. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
5. For the steak, leave it out at room temperature 30 minutes before cooking.
6. Heat up a medium heavy skillet over high heat, about 2 – 3 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, pat the steak dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
8. To test whether the skillet is hot enough, put a drop of water over. If the drop of water bubbles, it is not ready. When the drop of water stays in a single ball shape and rolls around the pan. That is the time. Place the steak on the skillet. Do not move. Cook for 3 – 5 minutes. Turn over to the other side and cook for 3 – 5 more minutes. Transfer to a plate. Top the steak with the butter. Cover the plate with a piece of aluminum foil. Let the steak rest for 5 – 10 minutes before cutting. Cut the steak into pieces and transfer to two serving plates. Serve with Béarnaise sauce.

Tips:

1. The Béarnaise sauce recipe above will make about ½ cup of sauce. The sauce can be made one hour ahead before serving.
2. 1 piece of steak is a good amount for the 2 of us to share, since we have some side dishes. But you should prepare 6 oz meat for each person.
3. You can use New York strip steaks too.
4. Season the steak with a bit more seasoning than usual, because some seasoning will fall off during the cooking process.
5. Make sure to turn on the kitchen vent or have the windows opened. The kitchen (or whole apartment) will get smoky.
6. Water drop test video: Read
   
7. 1½-inch steak cooking time: Rare for 6 minutes, Medium Rare for 7 – 8 minutes, Medium for 9 – 10 minutes

Source: Read