The Char (Cross-Cultural)

Ingredients

• 600 g beef strip loin, 2 steaks, 300 g each, 4 cm thick, room temperature
• 8 g sea salt, Maldon
• 3 g cracked black pepper, Tellicherry
• 60 ml extra virgin olive oil, Arbequina
• 40 g unsalted butter, cultured European style
• 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled, smashed
• 8 sprigs thyme, fresh
• 4 sprigs rosemary, fresh
• 30 g shallots, 1 medium, sliced thin
• 15 ml red wine vinegar, aged
• 120 ml beef stock, homemade, reduced

Method

1. 1
   Pat beef steaks dry with paper towels; season generously with Maldon salt and cracked pepper on both sides 15 minutes before cooking.
2. 2
   Heat olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over high heat until wisps of smoke appear; place steaks in pan and sear without moving for 4 minutes until crust forms.
3. 3
   Flip steaks; add butter, garlic, thyme, and rosemary to pan. Tilt pan and baste steaks continuously with foaming butter for 3 minutes to medium-rare (internal temperature 52–54°C).
4. 4
   Transfer steaks to a warm plate; rest for 8 minutes tented loosely with foil.
5. 5
   Drain all but 10 ml fat from pan; add sliced shallots and sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes until softened.
6. 6
   Deglaze pan with red wine vinegar, scraping up fond; pour in beef stock and simmer for 3 minutes to concentrate.
7. 7
   Whisk in 10 g cold butter off heat; season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. 8
   Slice steaks against the grain; plate and spoon warm pan sauce over top. Serve immediately.