Ingredients

• 2 300g/10oz New York Strip / Porterhouse steaks (or other of choice, Note 1)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Sauce:

• 1/3 cup (85 ml) brandy or cognac (or marsala) (Note 2)
• 3/4 cup (185 ml) beef broth/stock , low sodium (important! Note 3)
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) cream , heavy/thickened
• 2 – 3 tsp coarsely crushed whole black peppercorns (or canned green peppercorns, drained) (Note 4)

Instructions

• Take the steaks out of the fridge 20 minutes before planning to cook.
• Crush the pepper using a rolling pin, mortar and pestle or the side of a hardy knife.

Steaks:

• Just before cooking, sprinkle both sides of steak generously with salt and black pepper.
• Heat oil in a skillet over high heat until smoking.
• Add steaks and cook the first side for 2 minutes until it has a great crust, then flip and cook the other side for 2 minutes (for medium rare).
• Stack the steaks on top of each other, then use tongs to sear the fat strip.
• Transfer to plate, cover loosely with foil to rest while you make the sauce.

Sauce:

• Add brandy or cognac into the same skillet and let it simmer rapidly, scraping the bottom of the pan, until it has mostly reduced and you can no longer smell the harsh alcohol smell (~1 min).
• Add broth, bring to simmer and let it simmer rapidly for 2 to 3 minutes or until it reduces by half.
• Turn heat down to medium. Add cream and pepper, stir, then simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until it thickens (do not let it boil rapidly).
• Taste sauce, adjust salt (and pepper!) to taste.
• Transfer steaks to warmed serving plates. Spoon over sauce. Serve immediately! Pictured with Crispy Smashed Potatoes and Garlic Spinach. (Note 6)

Ingredients

• 1 gigantic sweet potato – to cut 2 x “steaks” 1.8 cm thick, 17 cm long, 7 cm wide (0.7 x 6.5 x 2.75″) – Note 1
• 2 – 3 tsp olive oil

Spice mix:

• 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (sub ordinary)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder (or more garlic powder)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (or more onion powder)
• 1/4 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Whipped tahini yogurt sauce:

• 1 cup plain yogurt (250g)
• 2 1/2 tbsp tahini (Note 2)
• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove , finely grated
• 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt

Topping:

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
• 1 1/2 tbsp eschallot (US: shallot), finely chopped (Note 3)
• 1 tbsp red cayenne pepper , deseeded, finely chopped (not spicy, Note 4)
• 1 tbsp green cayenne pepper , deseeded, finely chopped (not spicy, Note 4)
• 1 tbsp white sesame seeds

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced). Line a tray with parchment/baking paper.
• Bake sweet potato – Rub sweet potato steaks with oil, then sprinkle each side evenly with spice mix (don’t rub, it smears). Bake 45 – 50 minutes until potato is soft. Don’t flip.
• Tahini yogurt sauce – Whisk ingredients in a medium heat-proof bowl until mostly combined. Microwave for 20 seconds on high. Whisk again – it will be like softly whipped cream! Use warm or at room temp.
• Toast pine nuts in a small pan (no oil) preheated over medium heat. Once lightly golden, remove into a bowl.
• Topping – In the same pan, heat oil (still on medium). Add all Topping ingredients and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden. Transfer into a bowl immediately.
• Assemble – Smear most of the yogurt sauce on plate (save some for drizzling). Put sweet potato on top. Sprinkle with Topping, drizzle with yogurt sauce, then sprinkle with pine nuts, coriander and sumac. EAT with crunchy toasted flatbread!

Ingredients

• 2 x 180 – 200g (6.5 – 7oz) tuna (skinless, boneless). 2.5-3cm / 1-1.2″ thick (Note 1)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

Cooking:

• 2 tsp olive oil , or oil spray

Instructions

• Prepare resting tray: Place a rack on a tray. (Note 3)
• Oil and season tuna: Drizzle half the oil over the tuna. Smear over one side, then sprinkle with half the salt and pepper. Flip and repeat.
• Heat skillet: Heat skillet (preferably a skillet with grille lines) over high heat until smoking hot. The hotter, the better!
• Oil skillet (if required): If your skillet is not well-seasoned, brush skillet with olive oil or take pan off stove and spray with any oil (SAFETY WARNING! Note 4)
• Cook first side: Place tuna steak in the skillet (I do one at a time for best results, Note 5) and cook for 45 seconds.
• Rotate for grill lines: Turn steak 45 degree. Continue cooking another 45 seconds.
• Cook other side: Flip tuna carefully, then leave for 1 minute or until the internal temperature in the middle reads 48°C / 118°F (Note 6).
• Rest: Remove tuna from skillet and place on rack. Rest for 5 minutes – it will cool down almost to room temperature. This is desirable for easier slicing and better eating (Note 7) Serve! See Note 2 for sauce options.

Ingredients

• 2 steaks , economical (Note 1)

Marinade

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic (1 large garlic clove)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder (or sub with garlic powder)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (Note 2)
• 1 tbsp oil (I use olive oil, but any oil is fine)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Black pepper

Instructions

• Mix together mustard, garlic and onion powder. Then mix in remaining ingredients.
• Place beef in a ziplock bag with Marinade and marinade overnight (12 – 24 hours).
• Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to bring to room temperature – key for even cooking of steaks. Shake off excess marinade.
• Brush BBQ Grills with oil, then heat on high heat until is really hot – you should see wisps of smoke. Or heat a heavy based skillet on high until very hot, then add oil – it will heat almost instantly.
• Add steaks. For 2cm / 3/4″ thick steaks, cook the first side for 2 minutes, then turn and cook the other side for 2 minutes (medium rare 52°C/125°F, chart below for other doneness temps). (Note 3)
• Remove from skillet onto a WARM plate, cover loosely with foil and set aside for 5 minutes.
• Serve! I couldn’t resist garlic butter – see recipe in notes.

Ingredients

• 2 beef tenderloin steaks, around 150g/5oz each (Note 1)
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or other neutral cooking oil)

Sauce

• 1 tbsp soy sauce, all purpose (Note 2)
• 2 tbsp Mirin (Note 3)
• 3 tbsp cooking sake (Note 3)
• 45g/3tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp ginger, minced (can exclude)
• 3 tsp shallots/scallions (green part) or chives, finely chopped

Instructions

• Take the steak out of the fridge 20 minutes prior to cooking (or 10 minutes if it’s a stinking hot summer day).
• Combine soy sauce, Mirin and sake in a small bowl.
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat until smoking. Add steak and cook to your liking. Mine were 150g/5oz each and 3cm/1.25″ thick and I cooked it 3 minutes on the 1st side and 2 minutes on the second side for medium rare.
• Transfer steak onto a plate and cover loosely with foil. Rest for 5 minutes.
• Let the skillet cool down a bit then return to the stove over medium high heat. Add Sauce and bring to simmer, then add butter. When the butter melts and is incorporated into the sauce, immediately remove it from the stove.
• Stir through garlic, ginger and 2 tsp of shallots (reserve rest for garnish), the sauce should be slightly thickened (if not, keep stirring, thickens more as it cools).
• Place steak on plates and spoon over sauce. I served the steaks with finely shredded cabbage without dressing (very typical Japanese side) and white rice, plus some edamame on the side.

Ingredients

Tomahawk Steak

• 1 tomahawk steak (1.2 – 1.5kg / 2.4 – 3lb) (Note 1)
• 2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Steak sauce options

• Cowboy butter (pictured in post – Tomahawk worthy!)
• Bearnaise sauce
• Cafe de Paris
• Creamy mushroom sauce
• Chimichurri sauce
• Blue cheese sauce (page 330 of Dinner)
• Red wine sauce (page 327 of Dinner, requires homemade beef stock)
• Dijon or seeded mustard

Instructions

ABBREVIATED:

• Season, slow-roast on rack at 140°C/285°F (120°C fan) for 40-45 minutes to 50°C/122°F. Rest 10 minutes. Preheat BBQ until screaming hot, drizzle steak with oil, lower BBQ to low/med low and sear on hot BBQ 3 – 4 minutes on each side (temp 55°C (128°F)). Rest 3 minutes (temp rises to 57°C/135°F = perfect medium rare ). Slice, serve with Cowboy Butter!

FULL RECIPE:

Oven slow-roast:

• De-chill – Take the steak out of the fridge 1 hour prior to cooking. Remove from packaging and pat the surface dry. (Do not salt).
• Preheat the oven to 140°C/285°F (120°C fan-forced).
• Season – Sprinkle the steak meat with salt and pepper, then use your hands to rub it in.
• Slow(ish) roast – Put the steak on a rack and set it on a baking tray. (Note 2) Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 50°C/122°F (for medium rare, see Note 3 for other doneness).
• Rest – Take the tray out of the oven and leave the steak on the counter for 10 minutes. (Internal temperature should rise by 3 degrees).

Sear:

• Preheat the BBQ on high until it’s screaming hot. Use the flat plate side if you’re not a confident BBQ’er, or the grill side if you’re a BBQ master. (Note 4)
• Oil – Drizzle the oil on the steak and lightly pat to spread (don’t rub off the salt), using most of the surface area of the meaty part.
• Turn BBQ DOWN – If using the grill side, reduce to low (if yours is strong, mine is) or medium low (for weaker ones). If using the flat plate side, lower to medium. Do this just before putting the tomahawk on.
• Edges first – Using tongs, hold the steak upright and sear the edges and bone first (only if you’ve got meat on it), rotating and moving every minute or so to achieve this all the way around. Flare-ups – If searing on the grill side, don’t walk away – flare-ups are inevitable. See Note 4 for managing.
• Steak crust – Then place the steak down on the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature is 55°C / 131°F. For classic X grill lines, rotate once 45° partway through.
• Rest the steak on a rack for 3 minutes – the internal temperature will rise to 57°C/135°F which is perfect medium rare.
• Serve – Cut into 1 cm / 0.4″ thick slices. Serve with steak sauce of choice! (Pictured: Cowboy Butter, highly recommend!).