Wine & Chef Secrets
How to Cook a Steak
Useful tips from John Cahill of Restaurant Joel

In cooking, we always come back to technique. It’s the bottom line; just like the foundation of a house, providing structure and base to build upon. Whether we’re talking about the famous curries of Thailand, the wonderful frites of Belgium, or the decadence of barbecue in the South, it comes down to ingredients and how they are transformed into a feast for the eyes and the palate.

In many cases, however, home cooks don’t have the luxury of gelatinous, rich stocks on hand to use as sauce bases, so here are several practical and creative options for using what you do have:

• If the steak is pan-roasted, then build a pan sauce. Begin by seasoning the steak and heating a heavy-bottomed sauteuse (slope-sided sauté pan, preferably stainless-steel and not non-stick) with oil and butter. Here, a plain vegetable oil will increase the smoke point of the butter.

• When the fat starts to turn golden brown, add the steak and don’t touch it. The heat of the pan must recover, which will enable the coveted “maillard” process to begin. (Maillard is a term of French origin that refers to the browning/caramelization that occurs with a concentrated amount of heat; the molecular structure of the item goes through several changes that produce the brown coloration and intense flavor profile.)

• Continue to cook the steak on medium heat until a golden crust begins to form. Turn over and continue the process while occasionally basting the steak with the fat. Exact times for a steak differ due to the many variables that determine when the steak is properly cooked, but medium-rare to medium is the ideal target.

• Remove the steak and let it rest in a warm area. Drain off the excess fat from the pan and behold all of those lovely flavor bits on the bottom, the “fond.” At this point, the steak needs acidity, fat, spices, flavorings. To release the fond and create a sauce base, you’ll need to de-glaze the pan; liquids like stock, water, vinegar, or vegetable or fruit juice will work, as will a nice cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel or syrah. Add in spices like green peppercorns, coriander, celery seed, cumin or juniper, if desired.

• Assuming you’re using wine, add 2 or 3 tablespoons to de-glaze the pan and release the fond. Reduce the wine to increase the intensity of the roasted meat flavor and decrease its tannic bite. Next, add fat (cream, butter, olive oil or any combination of the three). The steak now has acidity and depth from the fond, spices and wine.

• Finish by adding fresh parsley, oregano, chives, marjoram or tarragon. Think about zests from citrus to give a cleansing freshness. Add some cracked black pepper to the fond and fry them a little bit, followed by red wine and reduce to a light glaze. Add a tablespoon of cream and a few tablespoons of good quality butter. Take the pan off the heat and add some sliced tarragon and shavings of lemon zest.