Fried meat is considered one of the very first dishes that people have prepared in their history. Hundreds of centuries have passed since then, but still a juicy, fragrant and nourishing piece of meat fried over a fire remains one of the most respected and desired dishes in any part of the world. Of course, over all this time, the recipe has undergone many changes. Now he has his own specific cooking technology, he acquired new, more refined tastes and aromas. To date, there are several types of steaks. And if you are in search of the main dish for a romantic dinner, the Chateaubriand steak will be, perhaps, one of the best options.
Steak means fry
A true steak is usually cooked over an open fire. If you have a grill in your home, then you just need to master the art of cooking steaks. It would seem that it could be easier than frying a piece of meat? But in fact, this task is not easy. And not every professional chef can cook the steak correctly. To achieve perfection, you have to work out. First, learn how to choose meat for a particular kind of steaks. Choose the optimal and harmonious ratio of spices and, of course, master the technology of the degree of roasting. Traditionally, it is customary to cook beef steak. "Chateaubriand" is recommended to make it from the meat of a goby. Remember that even a quality product that has been frozen will be significantly inferior in taste to fresh meat, so try to buy it on the day of cooking.
The main thing is the right meat
All steaks differ among themselves only one - part of the carcass of the animal from which the tenderloin is made. "Chateaubriand" is a steak that is prepared from the extreme, thickest part of the tenderloin, located closer to the tail of the animal. This piece has an irregular shape, and therefore it is more difficult to cook than any other steak. It is important that the inside has several degrees of frying at once. The top crust should be well-done and reliably hold all the juices inside. That, in the opinion of the French aristocracy, should be the Chateaubrian steak.
Clipping preparation
This kind of steak is cooked in one large piece and served the same way. Ready meat can be cut into portions before serving. Typically, one piece of tenderloin is enough for two servings of a dish such as Chateaubriand. The steak is cut along or across the fibers, there are no clear rules.
After you have washed and dried the meat from excess moisture, it must be carefully cleaned from films. In places where veins are visible, it is necessary to make shallow cuts. So, the meat does not lose shape when roasted. Then spice up your future Chateaubrian steak. The recipe, which is considered to be classic, suggests using only a mixture of salt and black pepper. But now you can grease the meat with vegetable oil and put it on a hot grill.
Roasting matters
There are several types of roasting meat and you can use the one that you like best. The classic Chateaubrian steak has a well-fried crust. The following layers should be of varying degrees of frying, from “full” at the edges to “with blood” to the center. Inside, such a steak should have a thin vein of completely raw meat. If you don’t really like meat “with blood”, then you can keep the steak on the fire a little longer so that it is not raw inside.
First you need to fry the prepared tenderloin on a grill heated to 250 degrees. Fry a slice of 20 seconds on each side. So a crust forms on the surface, due to which the juices will be retained inside. Now you need to reduce the temperature to 180-200 degrees and bring the steak to the desired readiness.
To get a steak with blood, it will take about 10-15 minutes, but for a higher degree of frying - 25-30 minutes. Do not forget to turn the meat over and grease it with vegetable oil to form an appetizing crust. The time for each steak is determined individually, the meat can be of different weights and “ages”.
Cooking sauce
Chateaubrian steak is highly respected in many restaurants around the world. Such a dish is simply impossible to serve without sauce. And this is a great field for your imagination. The sauce can be served absolutely any, but it is desirable that it be cooked on an oil basis. This will make your dish even more juicy, and spices and fresh herbs emphasize the exquisite aroma and taste.
Traditionally, "Chateaubriand" serves French sauce "Bearnese". To prepare it, you will need:
- 3 egg yolks;
- dry white wine - 4 tbsp. l;
- butter - 100 g;
- wine vinegar (white) - 4 tbsp. l;
- shallots - 1 pc.;
- bay leaf, peas, black pepper and salt;
- fresh tarragon - 1 bunch.
Put spices, finely chopped onions and tarragon in a saucepan, pour vinegar and white wine, put on fire. The contents with constant stirring should be boiled in half the volume, then removed from the heat and cool. Now the future sauce needs to be wiped through a sieve, add raw yolks and put on a slow fire. Thoroughly rub the yolks with a mass to a homogeneous consistency. After that add the oil and hold it on low heat for a little longer. The sauce should have a smooth, uniform consistency, be lush and slightly thick. The classic Bearnes is ready.
Chateaubriand can be served with a side dish of vegetables, boiled potatoes or fresh herbs. And of course, do not forget about the prepared sauce and a glass of good wine.
Good appetite!