English beef

English beef © kvalifood.com

English beef is a whole beef steak pan-fried and served with golden onions and the pan juices. It is a classic Danish everyday dish — not a mince patty, but a whole slice of meat. The onions are fried separately and placed on top of the steak at serving.

Ingredients

Yields 4 servings

  • 4 steaks of sirloin (or rump), approx. 150–200 g each, well-aged
  • 10 shallots
  • 30–50 g butter
  • salt, pepper
  • 1 tsp oil, to taste
  • 50 ml stock, to taste

Accompaniments

  • boiled potatoes
  • salad

Directions

Onions

Peel the shallots and slice them thinly. Brown half the butter in the pan and fry the onions over medium heat until soft and golden. Remove from the pan and keep warm. Deglaze the pan with half the stock and pour it into a small saucepan. Wipe the pan clean.

Steaks

Lightly pound the steaks with the heel of your hand and shape them. Rub the pan with oil and heat it until very hot. Place the steaks in and brown them quickly over high heat — about 1 minute in total. Remove them.

Frying

Brown the remaining butter in the pan. Return the steaks and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Fry for 2–3 minutes on each side, turning frequently. A steak should be red or pink in the centre — never cooked through.

Serve

Remove the steaks from the pan. Distribute the warm onions over them. Deglaze the pan with the stock and the juices from the onions and pour the pan sauce over the steaks.

Notes

  • A steak should never be cooked through — red or pink is the rule
  • Pound the steaks lightly for an even thickness and shorter cooking time
  • Use a meat thermometer: 126–131°F (52–55°C) = rare/medium-rare, 135–140°F (57–60°C) = medium
  • French variation: serve with garlic-parsley compound butter on top of the steak
  • Foil-wrapped variation: brown, wrap in foil with mushrooms, bell pepper, and tomato, bake 6–8 min at 480°F (250°C)