Description
Chateaubriand steak highlights high-quality beef, seared with care and served simply to let its flavor shine.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 pound (454 grams) beef tenderloin (center cut)
Seasonings:
- Salt, to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking Fats:
- 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) unsalted butter, softened and divided
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) olive oil
Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) medium-bodied dry red wine
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) demi-glace
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) fresh tarragon, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and generously season the chateaubriand with salt and pepper across all surfaces.
- Heat a cast iron skillet with butter and olive oil over medium-high heat until the mixture becomes frothy and sizzling.
- Carefully place the seasoned beef in the skillet, allowing it to sear undisturbed for 3 minutes until a rich golden crust forms.
- Using tongs, rotate the tenderloin to brown each side evenly, spending approximately 3 minutes per surface to develop a robust exterior.
- Move the beautifully seared meat to a roasting pan rack, reserving the skillet drippings for the upcoming sauce.
- Roast the tenderloin in the preheated oven: 15 minutes for medium-rare, 20 minutes for medium, or 23 minutes for medium-well.
- Once cooked, cover loosely with foil and let the beef rest for 15 minutes so the juices settle.
- While the meat rests, prepare the wine sauce by sautéing shallots in the reserved skillet drippings until translucent and fragrant.
- Deglaze the pan with wine, scraping up the caramelized bits from the bottom, and reduce the liquid by half.
- Incorporate demi-glace into the sauce, simmering until it reaches a slightly thickened consistency.
- Finish the sauce by stirring in softened butter and fresh tarragon, then season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Slice the chateaubriand diagonally against the grain and serve accompanied by the rich wine sauce.
Notes
- Choose a high-quality, center-cut beef tenderloin for the most tender and flavorful Chateaubriand.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure precise doneness, aiming for 130-135°F for perfect medium-rare.
- Let the meat rest completely before slicing to retain maximum juiciness and prevent losing precious meat juices.
- Create a gluten-free version by using cornstarch instead of traditional flour-based demi-glace for sauce thickening.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 41 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 455 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg