Best Christmas Châteaubriand Recipes

CHATEAUBRIAND

Steps:

• Heat oven to 250 degrees. Stand meat on its wider-cut end on a solid work surface. Fold a kitchen towel lengthwise once or twice into a wide band, and drape it loosely around the upright meat like a scarf. Gather the ends of the towel, and twist to form a tight collar that will hold meat in a round shape during pounding; grasp securely in one hand. With the other hand, pound top of meat with a meat mallet until flattened into an oval steak about 2 inches thick and 5 to 7 inches wide.
• Heat a medium grill pan over high heat until it is very hot. Rub steak with oil, and season with salt and pepper.
• Place steak on grill pan at an angle to ridges, and cook until ridges leave clear marks, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Turn, maintaining same angle and repeat on second side. Turn again, rotating so visible grill marks are perpendicular to ridges. Cook until a crisscross is clearly marked, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Turn once more, maintaining same angle, and grill so second side has been on grill exactly as long as first side. Brown steak on outside edge, holding with tongs or propping against a potato, shifting meat so entire edge gets browned. Grill a total of 10 to 12 minutes, depending on thickness of steak and desired degree of doneness.
• Meat will be barely springy to the touch, indicating that it is still rare. Transfer to a small shallow roasting pan, and place pan in oven for 15 minutes. Remove to a cutting board; slice thin on a bias. Place on a warm serving platter, and pour pan juices over. Serve with bearnaise sauce on the side.

CHATEAUBRIAND

Steps:

• Rub the beef with the vegetable oil and season with freshly ground black pepper. Let the beef rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Quickly sear the meat about 5 seconds on each side, then remove from skillet. Melt and brown the butter in the skillet. Return the meat to the skillet, and fry 4 to 5 minutes on each side. The outside of the meat should be browned and crisp. Remove from the skillet and let stand for about 5 minutes for the juices to settle.

CHRISTMAS CHâTEAUBRIAND

Steps:

• Pat tenderloin dry and rub with celery salt and black pepper. Cut bacon into 1 1/2-inch pieces. In a heavy kettle just large enough to hold tenderloin cook bacon over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and transfer with a slotted spoon to a small bowl. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat. Increase heat to moderately high and brown tenderloin on all sides, about 5 minutes total. With tongs transfer tenderloin to a plate.
• To kettle add wine, bacon, and rosemary and boil mixture 1 minute. Return tenderloin to kettle and cook at a bare simmer, covered, turning occasionally, 25 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted diagonally 2 inches into center of beef registers 125°F. for medium-rare. With tongs transfer tenderloin to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes.
• While tenderloin is standing, cut bell pepper into 1/4-inch dice. With a slotted spoon discard bacon from cooking liquid. Add bell pepper and demiglace to cooking liquid and boil sauce over moderate heat until slightly thickened and reduced to about 1 1/3 cups.
• Cut tenderloin into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange on a platter. Spoon some of sauce over tenderloin and garnish with rosemary sprigs. Serve remaining sauce on the side.