Pan Seared Filet with Guinness

Pan Roasted Black Sheep Farms Murray Grey Filet Mignon with Guinness Demi Glaze

For anyone who has spent any time at all in Ireland they would not have been able to miss the preponderance of cattle wondering the back roads of the Irish countryside, often to the point where it becomes a pain to get anywhere for having to wait for the cows to cross the road, bumping your car back an forth along the way. Many years ago when I was with my wife, I neglected to tell her to close her window on the passenger side as a herd of cattle passed us on both sides of the road. When a cow literally stuck its head into the window, as if to give her a kiss, I thought my wife was going to have a heart attack. Frightening as it was for her, it remains as one of the more humorous events of my life. A good steak cooked to perfection and served with a simple pan sauce made with good veal stock and hearty Guinness Stout is a wonderful thing to behold.

Ingredients

Filet Mignon Steak                     6 x 6 ounce portions

Chefs String                           1 spool

Veal Stock                             2 cups

Shallots                               3 each, peeled and sliced thin

Guinness Stout                         2 cups

Unsalted Butter                        4 tablespoons

Extra Virgin Olive Oil                 2 tablespoons

Malden Sea Salt                        to taste

Fresh Cracked Pepper                   to taste

Method

Tie filet mignon steak with string to insure roundness of shape. Season the steak with salt and pepper about one hour prior to cooking and allow the steak to sit at room temperature.

Heat a cast iron or thick bottomed pan to smoking hot and then add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Just when the butter is melted place the steaks into the pan one at a time waiting a few seconds between each one to allow the pan to regain heat. When all of the steaks are in the pan, turn the pan down to low medium heat and cook the steak slowly until deeply crusted on each side. When steaks are cooked to desired doneness which is hopefully rare to medium rare, 120 degrees, remove the steaks from the stove and allow resting for the five to ten minutes it takes to make the sauce.

In same pan that meat was cooked, toss in the sliced shallots and sweat until they are translucent and then pour in the Guinness and reduce liquid by half of the volume. Next add the veal stock and reduce the mixer until desired consistency which should be by at least half. Turn off the flame and stir in the remaining three tablespoons of butter. Season with salt and pepper if need be and serve with the steaks.