Côte De Boeuf Recipe

Prepare and season

Remove the côte de boeuf from the refrigerator 60–90 minutes before cooking to come to near room temperature. Pat dry with paper towels. Generously season all sides with coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, pressing the seasoning into the meat.

Sear

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Heat a heavy ovenproof skillet or sauté pan over high heat until smoking. Add neutral oil. When shimmering, sear the côte de boeuf fat-side down for 2–3 minutes until deeply browned, then lay on the meat side and sear each side 2 minutes to develop an even crust.

Roast with aromatics

Add butter, smashed garlic and thyme sprigs to the pan. Spoon melted butter over the beef for 1 minute, then transfer pan to the preheated oven. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 52–54°C (125–130°F) for medium-rare (about 25–35 minutes for a 1.3 kg roast). Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part. Rest the roast on a cutting board loosely tented with foil for 15–20 minutes before slicing (carryover will raise temperature ~3–5°C).

Slice

Transfer to a carving board and slice against the grain into thick slices. Keep warm while finishing the sauce and frying the onion strips.

Brown bones and vegetables

While the roast rests (or before roasting), heat 1 tbsp butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add beef bones or trimmings and brown thoroughly, about 6–8 minutes. Remove bones; add remaining 1 tbsp butter and add chopped onion, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring, until deeply caramelized, 8–10 minutes.

Deglaze and reduce

Stir in tomato paste and crushed garlic; cook 1–2 minutes. Pour in the red wine, scraping browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil and reduce by about two-thirds (10–15 minutes) until syrupy.

Simmer with stock

Return browned bones/trimmings to the pan, add beef stock, bay leaf and thyme. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 25–30 minutes to concentrate flavors. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing solids to extract juices; discard solids.

Finish and season

Bring strained jus to a gentle simmer and reduce to about 300–350 ml to intensify flavor. Whisk in chopped parsley and chives. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep warm and, if desired, finish with a small knob of cold butter whisked in off the heat for sheen.

Combine prepared horseradish and sour cream (or crème fraîche) in a small bowl. Add lemon juice, salt and freshly ground pepper. Taste and adjust—add more horseradish for heat or more sour cream to mellow. Refrigerate until service. This can be made several hours ahead.

Prepare onions

Peel the onion and slice very thinly into rings or long thin strips (use a mandoline if available). Separate into individual rings/strips and pat mostly dry with paper towels.

Make batter

In a bowl whisk together all-purpose flour, cornstarch and salt. Gradually whisk in cold sparkling water until you have a smooth, slightly thick batter that clings to the onions (adjust consistency with a little more water or flour as needed). Chill the batter 10 minutes in the fridge—this helps crisping.

Fry

Heat neutral oil in a deep saucepan or fryer to 180°C (350°F). Working in batches, toss onion strips in the batter to coat, letting excess drip off. Fry batches for 2–3 minutes until golden-brown and crisp. Do not overcrowd. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined tray and season lightly with salt while hot.

Keep crisp

If making ahead, hold fried onion strips on a wire rack in a low oven (90–100°C / 200–210°F) for up to 20–30 minutes to stay crisp.