Grilled Steak Recipe

Bring steaks to room temperature

Remove steaks from the refrigerator 30–45 minutes before cooking and pat dry with paper towels. This promotes even cooking.

Season

Generously season both sides of steaks with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Press seasoning into the meat.

Preheat grill

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to high heat (about 500°F / 260°C) for direct grilling. If using a cast-iron pan, heat over high until smoking and add 1–2 tbs oil.

Grill the steaks

Brush steaks lightly with vegetable oil. Place steaks on the hottest part of the grill. For medium-rare, grill 4–5 minutes per side (for 1–1¼ inch steaks), flipping once. Adjust time for thickness and desired doneness (rare 3–4 min/side, medium 5–6 min/side). Use an instant-read thermometer: 125–130°F for rare, 130–135°F for medium-rare, 140–145°F for medium.

Rest and finish

Transfer steaks to a cutting board and let rest for 5–10 minutes. Top each steak with 1 tablespoon Dragon's Breath butter (or 1 tbs chosen sauce) to melt into the meat while resting.

Cook sweet potatoes in a pot of salted water: bring to a boil, then simmer until very tender, about 12–15 minutes. Drain well.

Return drained sweet potatoes to the warm pot and mash or press through a ricer for a silky texture.

Stir in unsalted butter, heavy cream and milk until smooth. Season with salt, black pepper and maple syrup or honey if using. Adjust consistency with additional milk or cream to reach desired softness.

Keep warm until serving; reheat gently if needed.

Toss seasonal vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Sauté in a hot skillet over medium-high heat for 5–7 minutes until tender-crisp (or roast in a 425°F / 220°C oven on a sheet pan for 10–15 minutes). Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice if desired.

Season to taste and keep warm until plating.

Finely chop parsley, cilantro (if using) and oregano. Combine with minced garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper in a bowl. Stir well and let sit 10–15 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve alongside steak.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, sauté the finely chopped shallot in a little oil until softened (2–3 minutes). Add port wine and bring to a simmer; reduce by half.

Add beef stock and thyme; continue to reduce until slightly syrupy and reduced to about 3/4 cup, 8–10 minutes. Remove thyme.

Mount the sauce by whisking in the cold butter piece by piece off the heat to gloss the jus. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

In a small bowl, combine softened butter with smoked paprika, ground black pepper, cayenne, roasted garlic and sea salt. Mix until smooth and well combined.

Spoon onto plastic wrap, form into a log, wrap tightly and chill until firm. Slice into rounds to top finished steaks.

Spoon a generous portion of sweet potato purée onto each plate. Arrange seasonal vegetables beside the purée.

Slice steaks against the grain if desired or serve whole. Place steak next to vegetables and purée and top with a slice of Dragon's Breath butter or spoon chimichurri or port jus over/around the steak as chosen.

Serve immediately.