180g Dry Aged Beef Chateaubriand, Green Peppercorn Sauce Recipe

Bring to temperature

Remove the 180 g dry-aged chateaubriand from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30–45 minutes so it cooks evenly. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.

Season

Lightly brush the beef with 1 tbs neutral oil. Season all sides evenly with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Sear

Preheat a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over high heat until smoking hot. Add 1 tbs unsalted butter to the pan and swirl to coat. Place the chateaubriand in the pan and sear without moving for 90 seconds to 2 minutes to develop a deep brown crust. Flip and sear the other side for 90 seconds. Sear the edges quickly with tongs (about 20–30 seconds each) to render any fat and color the entire roast.

Finish to temperature

Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking in the pan, flipping as needed, until an instant-read thermometer reads 52–54°C (125–130°F) for medium-rare (approximately 3–6 minutes depending on thickness). For medium, target 57–60°C (135–140°F).

Rest

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

Finish with butter and serve

While the meat rests, spoon any pan juices into the sauce. Just before serving, slice the chateaubriand into 1–1.5 cm thick slices and season lightly with flaky sea salt (optional) and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.

Prepare shallot and peppercorns

Peel and finely mince 1 shallot. Lightly crush the 1 tbs drained green peppercorns with the back of a spoon or in a mortar so some are whole and some are broken — this releases flavor while keeping texture.

Sweat shallot

In the same skillet used for the beef (wipe out any burnt bits but keep browned fond), add 1 tsp olive oil and set over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and sweat for 1–2 minutes until translucent and softened, stirring so it doesn’t brown.

Flambé (optional) & deglaze

Increase heat to medium-high, add 30 ml brandy or cognac, tilt the pan away from your face and carefully ignite with a long lighter to burn off alcohol (or simply simmer to reduce for 30–60 seconds if you prefer not to flambé). Scrape the fond with a wooden spoon. Add 50 ml dry white wine and reduce by about half (1–2 minutes).

Add stock and reduce

Pour in 120 ml beef stock and add the crushed green peppercorns. Bring to a simmer and reduce until the liquid is reduced by about one-third, approximately 3–4 minutes, concentrating the flavors.

Finish with cream and mustard

Lower heat to medium-low and stir in 60 ml heavy cream and 1 tsp Dijon mustard. Simmer gently for 1–2 minutes to combine; the sauce should thicken slightly and coat the back of a spoon.

Mount with butter & season

Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in 20 g cold cubed unsalted butter, one cube at a time, to emulsify the sauce and give it a glossy finish. Taste and adjust seasoning with up to 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper as needed. If the sauce is too thin, return briefly to low heat and reduce another minute, stirring constantly.

Strain (optional) and hold

If you prefer a smooth sauce, strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing on solids to extract flavor and discard shallot bits. Keep sauce warm over very low heat until the beef has rested and is ready to serve.

Arrange slices of rested chateaubriand on warm plates, spoon 1–2 tbs of the green peppercorn sauce over the top or to the side, and garnish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and a pinch of flaky sea salt if desired.