2 Recipes to Cook Using Steel Pans
If you’ve recently bought a new set of steel pans, you probably can’t wait to bust them out and prepare an exquisite meal! Stainless steel cookware is extremely versatile, meaning you can use them to make virtually anything. These pans are tolerant to high heat and even broiler safe, so don’t be afraid to finish your meal in the oven. Now that you have the proper cookware, you can make restaurant-quality meals at home. Whether you’re excited to sear, simmer or sautee, here are two recipes to try out in your new steel pan.
Steak Au Poivre with Red Wine Pan Sauce
Cook up a romantic steak dinner from the comfort of your kitchen. A stainless steel pan will give your meat the perfect sear. Be patient and never flip too soon. This recipe from Food & Wine allows you to show off your cooking skills and new skillet. First, you’ll sear your steak, they suggest ribeye, but you could also use a new york strip or filet – just adjust the cook time.
You’ll use the fond, delicious browned bits leftover in the pan to simmer up a red-wine pan sauce while the steak rests. Serve this up with some mashed potatoes and creamed spinach for an authentic steakhouse-inspired meal.
Ingredients:
- 1 1in Ribeye tied with butchers twine
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 4 tbsp butter, separated
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (canola or grapeseed)
- ¼ cup minced shallots
- ½ red wine (and a glass for the chef, of course)
- 1 cup beef broth
Instructions:
- Season steak liberally with salt and pepper, pressing it into the meat.
- Heat a stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat and add oil and butter
- Add in the steak; you should hear a sizzle. Sear until fat is rendered, about 2 minutes. Resist the urge to move your steak. Flip and repeat on the other side.
- Using tongs lift your steak to gently sear each edge of the meat to render the rest of the fat.
- Reduce heat to medium and place steak flat in pan to cook to the desired level of doneness, about 2 to 3 more minutes per side for medium rare.
- Remove steak from pan and loosely tent in foil to rest on cutting board. Pour off any excess fat while leaving the fond in the pan.
- Return pan to low heat and add 1tbsp of butter. Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until softened.
- Deglaze the pan with the red wine and let reduce by half, about 3 minutes. Add broth and simmer until sauce thickens enough to coat the back of your spoon.
- Add the last 2 tbsp of butter and gently shake the pan to incorporate it into the sauce.
- Slice steak, divide between two plates, and serve with a generous drizzle of sauce.
Chefs Trick: Remember to pull your steak from the fridge about thirty minutes before cooking to ensure you get the best sear.
A Korean Twist on Shrimp Scampi
A scampi is an easy way to use the shrimp you have sitting in your freezer. Shrimp can become rubbery when overcooked, but a stainless steel skillet gives you the control you need to cook them perfectly every time. Try this twist from Marion’s Kitchen. She adds gochugang, a Korean fermented chili paste, to add a little heat and a whole lot of flavor to this classic dish.
Ingredients:
- 9 oz spaghetti (about half of a box)
- 14 oz peeled tail on shrimp
- 8 oz unsalted butter (just under 6 tbsp)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- ½ white wine
- Juice of half a lemon
- 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
- Grated parmesan to serve
Instructions:
- Bring a pot of heavily salted water to boil and add pasta, cook to al dente. (If you use a steel pot, add salt once water is boiling to prevent abrasion).
- While pasta cooks, heat butter and oil in your steel skillet over medium heat. While butter melts, add garlic and cook until fragrant. You want it to soften, not brown, for about 30 seconds.
- Add gochujang and stir until well combined. Add white wine and let simmer for 3-4 minutes to thicken and get slightly glossy. Toss in your shrimp. Shake and stir the pan to make sure everything cooks through. It should look nice and shiny. When prawns are pink and cooked through, add lemon juice.
- Once pasta is al-dente, remove from water with tongs and add directly to shrimp sauce in your skillet. Continue to mix until liquid has been absorbed. Finish with a touch of chopped cilantro and parmesan.
Chefs Trick: When you make a pasta dish and finish it in your stainless steel skillet, save a little pasta water; this will help you get a perfect glossy sauce every time.
