Cast Iron

Steak with Mustard Butter

April 24, 2014
5
2 Ratings
Photo by My Paris Kitchen
  • Prep time 1 hour
  • Cook time 7 minutes
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

To make this bistro classic in my kitchen, I use a cast-iron skillet or grill pan that I get really hot, and then I sear the steak on both sides, cooking it medium-rare, which is the way I like it. My preferred cut is entrecôte, or rib-eye, and I ask the butcher to cut it into steaks that aren’t too thick since I like lots of surface area on my steaks. I rub them with chipotle chile powder to give them a bit of a smoky flavor.

It’s difficult to say exactly how long it will take a particular steak to cook to your liking since there are so many variables, but there is actually no truth to the rumor that if you cut a steak open a little and peek inside, all the juices will come gushing out and your steak will be dry. In fact, the best way to ensure a steak is dry is to overcook it. So feel free to peek inside if you need to. —David Lebovitz

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For the steak
  • 2 8-ounce rib-eye steaks
  • 1/2 teaspoon hickory-smoked salt, sea salt, or Kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder, more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
  • 1 splash vegetable oil or clarified butter
  • For the mustard butter
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
  • 1 generous teaspoon Dijon mustard
Directions
  1. Pat the steaks dry and rub them with the salt, chipotle powder, and cilantro. Refrigerate the steaks, uncovered, for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.
  2. To make the mustard butter, mash together the butter with the mustard powder and the Dijon. Form it into two mounds and chill on a plastic wrap–lined plate.
  3. Heat a little oil or clarified butter in a grill pan or cast-iron skillet and cook the steaks over high heat, being sure to get a good sear on each side. For rare steaks, cook 5 to 7 minutes total on both sides, or aller-retour (“to go and return”).
  4. Remove the steaks from the pan and put on plates. Top each steak with a knob of the mustard butter and some ground black pepper and serve with a big pile of frites.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Karen Lusby Lewis
    Karen Lusby Lewis
  • foodyjudy
    foodyjudy
  • catalinalacruz
    catalinalacruz
  • sansan123
    sansan123

13 Reviews

Karen L. October 2, 2018
Excellent preparation! I made it for my husband (who handles most of the beef) and he LOVED IT! Vive la France!
 
foodyjudy April 21, 2015
My new go to for steak!
 
sansan123 May 5, 2014
Was wondering what to do with the entrecotes in the fridge. This should do the trick. My local supermarket doesn't have much(nothing) in the chipotle dept, so will use espices basquoise instead. I cheat with the frites and use frozen sprinkled with salt and some pimenton
 
Phyllis K. May 4, 2014
Hot and crisp with ketchup, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
 
MrB May 4, 2014
Please ignore the below comment. posted on wrong recipe and still no way to edit provided by Food52
 
MrB May 4, 2014
Twice-fried with a little garlic powder sprinkled on before 2nd frying. Then served with Maldon sea salt & malt vinegar. Outside a pub in England preferred, with a nice pulled pint.
 
Jessica April 29, 2014
Yes, please...frites recipe!
 
H April 29, 2014
French fries with salt & Dijon mustard, merci!
 
bookjunky April 28, 2014
I don't even like steak but this looks so delicious.
 
Cameron April 28, 2014
I love French fries HOT, with homemade mayonnaise, a glass of chilled Rose', a good friend... just before a salad nicoise.
 
Kanzi K. April 28, 2014
Is there a good recipe for frites?
 
chef L. May 1, 2014
There's a wonderful recipe for baked fries, which may disqualify them as frites per se, here:http://food52.com/recipes/18338-roasted-slap-fries-with-srirachannaise
I made them once and plan to again tis weekend.
 
catalinalacruz May 28, 2015
Here's a link to David Lebovitz' French Fries (frites), the recipe that accompanies Steak with Mustard Butter in his cookbook, My Paris Kitchen. Great book!
http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/3988285-French-Fries