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2000s Recipes + Menus

Top Butt Steak with Whiskey-Mustard Sauce

Serves 4 to 6
  • Active time:15 min
  • Start to finish:30 min
October 2008
Everyone—not just whiskey fans and pyromaniacs—will love this steak and its rich, tangy sauce. The type of whiskey you use will leave its own imprint on the sauce: Bourbon will make for a sweeter sauce, while rye will add some nice yeasty notes. Scotch will take it in a smokier direction. Do be careful when flambéing: Because this recipe calls for a generous amount of whiskey, the flames may shoot quite high (it’s a necessary step to take the edge off the alcohol).

To learn more about the technique of flambé, watch our video from The Test Kitchen.
  • 1 (2- to 2 1/4-lb) boneless top butt sirloin steak (about 1 inch thick)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
  • 1/2 cup whiskey
  • 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
  • Pat steak dry and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp pepper.
  • Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sear steak, turning once, about 8 minutes total for medium-rare. Let steak rest on a platter, uncovered, 10 minutes.
  • While steak rests, add shallot to skillet and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add whiskey and carefully ignite with a long kitchen match (use caution; flames will shoot up). When flames die down, whisk in broth and mustard and boil until sauce is reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 6 minutes. Add meat juices from platter, then whisk in butter and vinegar.
  • Slice steak and serve with sauce.

Recipe by Ian Knauer

Photograph by Romulo Yanes

Keywords
ian knauer,
beef,
spirits,
butcher cuts