Steak With Whiskey Cream Sauce Recipe

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Eating out at a steakhouse these days practically requires taking out a bank loan, but if you still want a delicious and very special meal at a lower price, there's no time like the present to learn how to do it yourself. Developer Patterson Watkins comes to the rescue with a whiskey cream-sauced steak that has "gourmet restaurant-quality appeal with that kinda home-cooked ease." Apart from the perfectly-seared steaks, which are a thing of beauty in and of themselves, you also get a rich and balanced sauce. "The sauce is luscious. Rich, without being over-the-top heavy, and nicely seasoned with that oaky whiskey element, grainy mustard twang, and black peppery pop (not to mention the oodles of garlic and shallot that I threw in there–nom nom and another nom)."

Even though the sauce contains half a cup of whiskey, the spirit's flavor is not overpowering, since it — along with much of the alcohol content — cooks off while the sauce simmers. If you prefer to make a non-boozy version, however, a product such as Philters zero proof whiskey makes a great non-alcoholic alternative to the whiskey used in this recipe. However you prepare it, it's the perfect accompaniment to a special steak. "The filets are simply seasoned and seared, sharing the spotlight nicely with this next-level sauce."

The recipe starts with filet steaks, of course, and you'll also need salt, pepper, and olive oil for cooking them. The sauce is made with salted butter, garlic cloves, a shallot, whiskey, beef broth, heavy cream, whole grain mustard, and whole black peppercorns.

Pat the filets dry with paper towels.

Season the filets with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot, add the filets, and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side (top and bottom, for medium to medium-rare).

Remove the filets from the skillet and set them aside to rest while you make the sauce.

Add the butter to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium.

Once the butter is melted, add the garlic and shallot, and saute for 2 minutes.

Temporarily remove the skillet from the heat and add the whiskey. Once the whiskey is no longer steaming, return the skillet to the heat, and bring to a simmer. (This will keep the whiskey from alighting. Safety first).

Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes or until the whiskey has almost completely evaporated.

Add the broth, cream, and mustard to the skillet and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, crush the black peppercorns using the flat side of a chef's knife. (I like to create a little parchment parcel to keep the peppercorns from flying).

Add the crushed peppercorns to the skillet, whisk to combine, and continue to simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

Divide the seared filets between plates and coat in the sauce before serving.

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Once you've shelled out the big bucks for a filet steak, you want to be sure you're doing the best job possible of cooking it. Searing a steak for three to four minutes per side will result in a steak that is medium-rare to medium, although this may vary if your filets are exceptionally thick or thin. For a rare steak, cook each side for just two minutes, but crank up the stove burner to high. If you prefer your steaks well-done, you can either cook them for five or more minutes on each side or simmer them in the sauce for about five minutes (flipping them halfway through).

Before you put the steaks into the pan, make sure that the oil is hot enough. "You want to see a nice shimmery appearance on the surface of the oil and for the oil to have easy movement around the skillet." Pat the steaks dry with paper towels, too, since surface moisture may interfere with caramelization. One more tip if you're cooking thinner steaks: In addition to reducing the cooking time, you may also want to weigh them down to prevent the middles from puffing up. This can be done by using a smaller skillet that fits inside the larger pan.

If filet mignon is not in your budget, there are some cheaper cuts that could work in this dish. Shoulder tenders make for a more affordable alternative, while strip steaks and sirloins also have nice marbling and can be quite tender when cooked just right. Even hanger, skirt, or flank steaks could work in a pinch. Be sure to shop the sales and clip your coupons, too, since you never know when you'll be able to score a great deal.

Another option you might want to consider, at least until the discount of your dreams comes along, is to ditch the beef idea and use this same whiskey cream sauce on a different type of meat. Pork steak can be equally tasty and tender, while chicken breasts, though they don't have much flavor of their own, will be elevated by this rich and savory sauce. You could even use it for salmon, as well. Sear each of these beef alternatives in a pan before finishing them off in the oven. As they rest, you can make the sauce on the stovetop as the recipe directs.

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