Pan-broiled Steak

I made Bifteck Sauté au Beurre last night for dinner.  I wanted to try out a new method of cooking steak inside (instead of grilling) and found the perfect answer in the book Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by Julia Child.  This steak is so good because of the many variations you can make to the sauce.  It's so French and also very easy to prepare and tell when it's done, mine was a perfect medium-rare.

Pan-broiled Steak 

- 1 lb steak: sirloin, strip, etc. cut 1" thick

- 1 tbs butter

- 1 tbs olive oil

- salt and pepper, to taste

for the sauce: 

- 1/2 cup white wine

- 2 tbs butter

Place the butter and oil in the skillet and heat over moderately high heat until you see the butter foam begin to subside.  Sauté the steak on one side for 3-4 minutes and regulate the heat so that the fat is very hot but not burning.  Turn the steak and sauté the other side for 3-4 minutes.  The steak is done to medium rare when you see the pearling of red juice begin to ooze at the surface of the steak or it begins to take on a suggestion of resistance and spring when you press it with your finger.  If you have any doubts, cut a small incision into the steak to check it's doneness.

Remove the steak and place on a hot platter.  Season immediately with salt and pepper and keep warm.  

Remove any fat from the pan and add the white whine.  Set the skillet over high heat and scrape the juices with a spoon while boiling down the liquid, until it is almost thickened to a syrup.  Remove from heat and stir in the butter until it is absorbed.  Pour the sauce over the steak and serve.

Other variations on the sauce include: 

- using stock, red wine, vermouth or water instead of the white wine

- adding diced shallots or green onions 

- using flavored butters, like parsley butter, shallot or garlic butter

source: Mastering the Art of French Cooking

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