Cooking steak in clarified butter

Cooking a good steak is not difficult – you just need to know how to do it. Choose the right meat, let it come to room temperature, cook it in (clarified) butter, let it rest for a moment and then slice it against the grain. Sounds simple and, honestly... it actually is. As long as you follow all the steps properly!

To start with, here is a tip you can prepare a day in advance: cook your steak in clarified butter for the best possible flavour! 

Clarified butter is butter from which the solid components have been removed, a process known as clarification. This gives the butter a higher smoke point. Regular butter burns more quickly, which can give the butter – and therefore your dish – a slightly bitter flavour. Burnt butter is not particularly desirable either. So if you want your steak to really shine, clarified butter is an excellent option.

Heat the butter in a small saucepan until it has completely melted. Then place the melted butter back in the fridge until it has fully solidified again. The butter will now have separated into two layers: one containing the milk solids and the other the butterfat. Use only the firm top layer for cooking. Do not throw away the bottom layer, though, as we will use that later for the jus. The advantage of clarifying butter is that you can cook in it without it burning as quickly. And you will still have the makings of a delicious jus left over.

STEP 1: Take the steaks out of the fridge about an hour and a half in advance so they do not go into the pan ice cold. Otherwise, the butter cools down too quickly and the steak sears more slowly, which can cause valuable juices to escape and make the meat drier. First pat the steak dry with kitchen paper and season it just before it goes into the pan. Traditional advice says to season only after the meat has seared, but we believe salting beforehand gives you a tastier jus without drying out the meat.

STEP 2: Heat the pan and let the clarified butter melt. Turn the heat up high so the butter gets properly hot. This butter will later become the jus, so it is important not to let it burn. From this point on, do not leave the pan unattended!

STEP 3: Once the butter is hot enough and no longer foaming, add the steaks to the pan. Keep the heat high so they sear quickly. After about a minute, turn the steaks. To brown them evenly, keep turning them regularly from this point on. We always use tongs for this. If you use a fork, you pierce the meat, allowing juices to escape and increasing the chance of the meat becoming tough. The jus should not become too dark. Once the steaks are nicely browned, you can lower the heat slightly so the centre has time to come up to temperature.

STEP 4: The steak is ready when it is beautifully browned all around and warm enough in the centre. Place it on a plate and let it rest for a moment, optionally under aluminium foil. Meanwhile, add the milk solids left over from clarifying the butter to the jus in the pan, stir quickly and pour the jus generously over the steak. Spread the remaining butter over the slices of bread and place them alongside the steak. Et voilà: a classic steak with bread!

ENJOY!

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