250g Tallawanta Feather Blade Recipe

Trim and score

Remove any large chunks of fat or sinew from the 250 g feather blade. Lightly score the surface of the meat (shallow 1–2 mm diagonal cuts) if thicker than 2 cm to help marinade penetration and even cooking.

Make marinade

In a small bowl combine 1 tbs olive oil, 1 tbs soy sauce, 1/2 tbs Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, thyme, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper and 1/2 tsp sea salt. Whisk until combined.

Marinate

Place the feather blade in a shallow dish or resealable bag and pour the marinade over it, turning to coat thoroughly. Marinate at room temperature for 20–30 minutes or refrigerate for up to 4 hours. If refrigerated, allow the meat to come back to room temperature for 20–30 minutes before cooking.

Preheat pan

Heat a heavy-based skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until very hot (about 2–3 minutes). Pat the steak dry with paper towels to ensure a good sear.

Sear

Add a light film of oil to the pan (or use a medium-high heat setting) and place the feather blade into the pan. For a 250 g piece roughly 2–3 cm thick, sear for 3–4 minutes on the first side without moving, until a deep brown crust forms. Flip and sear the other side for 2–3 minutes for medium-rare. Adjust time +/- 1–2 minutes depending on thickness and desired doneness. Use an instant-read thermometer: 52–55°C for medium-rare, 58–60°C for medium.

Rest

Transfer the steak to a plate, tent loosely with foil and rest for 8–10 minutes. Resting allows juices to redistribute and finishes gentle carryover cooking.

Sweat shallot

While the steak rests, reduce the heat to medium and add 1 tbs unsalted butter to the hot pan. Add the finely diced shallot and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until softened and translucent but not brown.

Deglaze

Pour in 60 ml red wine (or 60 ml beef stock if you prefer no alcohol) to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let the wine reduce by about half, 1–2 minutes.

Add stock and season

Add 60 ml beef stock, 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard and 1/2 tsp honey or brown sugar (optional). Stir and simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Finish sauce

Remove the pan from the heat and swirl in the remaining tablespoon of butter until the sauce is glossy. Stir in 1 tbs chopped fresh parsley.

Serve

Slice the rested feather blade thinly across the grain. Spoon the pan sauce over the sliced meat and serve immediately.