Pan-Seared Steak With Red Wine Sauce
Updated March 30, 2025
- Total Time
- 35 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Kosher salt, as needed
- Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
- 1½pounds boneless steak, or 1¾ pounds bone-in steak (1½ inches thick)
- 2shallots
- 2½tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½teaspoon neutral oil, such as grapeseed
- 2tablespoons good brandy, preferably Cognac
- ⅓cup dry red wine
- ⅓cup beef or chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 1tablespoon chopped chives
- Watercress, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
523 calories; 35 grams fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 2 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 36 grams protein; 656 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Generously sprinkle salt and pepper all over steaks, then let steaks rest uncovered for 15 minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile, mince the shallots.
- Step 2
Melt ½ tablespoon butter and the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add steaks and cook until done to taste, about 3 to 4 minutes per side for rare and a little longer for medium-rare or medium. (Bone-in steaks take a few minutes longer to cook through than boneless.) If the pan begins to smoke or burn, lower the heat. Transfer steaks to a plate to rest while you prepare the sauce.
- Step 3
Add shallots to the skillet and cook over medium heat until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add brandy to the skillet and use a long-handled match or igniter to set the brandy on fire. (Stand back when you do this.) Let flames die out, then add red wine and cook until reduced and syrupy, 2 to 4 minutes. Add stock and boil until reduced and thickened, 3 to 4 minutes longer.
- Step 4
Remove pan from heat and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the chives. Serve steaks and sauce immediately with watercress.
Private Notes
Comments
This is a great steak, but the cook in the video pours cognac directly from the bottle into a hot skillet over a flame. Don't do that. There's a chance, albeit a slim one, that fumes will ignite back to the bottle. In that case, you have a low-grade but dangerous version of a Molotov cocktail. I measure the liquor into a small cup, briefly remove the skillet from the heat, add the alcohol and light it. When the alcohol stops burning, I return the pan to the heat. Best to be safe.
Recipe says mince . . .
I undercooked the steak (by accident). I realized it after the sauce was made when I started to slice the meat. I removed the sauce and put the pieces of sliced steak back in the pan where the sauce had been (without cleaning the pan). It was so good I'll do it that way intentionally next time!
So good! It’s also super easy and I liked the sauce better than the Madeira one I make with beef medallions or a beef roast. Someone in the comments suggested adding whole fruit berry jam and I used a couple of teaspoons of good raspberry jam and it really adds to the flavor. I also used 1/2 a cup of both red wine and stock and also sautéed mushrooms on the side (my daughter doesn’t like them but I do) and everyone loved it. Truly simple and delicious. I tend to over complicate things and this really is just wonderful as is. Will definitely make again, thank you!
Yummy, easy to make.
Medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes each side would have given me a well-done steak that’s nothing like the picture. I learned to cook steak by searing both sides on high for ~30 seconds, then low for 3-4 minutes per side, then rest. Also frustrating that shallot serving is given in # of shallots, not tbsp. Shallots vary widely in side. I used half a shallot and it still felt like more than in the video.