Whiskey Cream Sauce

June 7, 2019

Whiskey Cream Sauce - kvalifood.com

A pan sauce made from the drippings of a seared steak, deglazed with Irish whiskey and finished with cream and wholegrain mustard. The whiskey burns off but leaves a warm, rounded flavor. Made in the same pan as the steak, start to finish in about 10 minutes.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium shallot, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
80 ml Irish whiskey
120 ml beef stock
120 ml double cream
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped, for garnish

Directions

After cooking steaks, remove them from the skillet and set aside to rest. Pour off excess fat, leaving about 1 tbsp drippings in the pan.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the butter and let it melt. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until softened.
Remove the pan from heat. Add the whiskey and stir to deglaze, scraping up any brown bits. Return to medium heat and simmer until reduced by half, 2-3 minutes.
Add the beef stock. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until reduced by about one-third, 3-4 minutes.
Reduce heat to low. Stir in the cream and mustard. Simmer gently until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon over the rested steaks and garnish with chives.

Notes

Use Irish whiskey (Jameson, Powers, Tullamore D.E.W.) for the right flavor. Scotch or bourbon will work but taste different.
Always remove the pan from heat before adding whiskey to prevent flare-ups.
The sauce should be pourable, not thick. It thickens slightly as it cools on the plate.
Dijon mustard works as a substitute for wholegrain, giving a smoother sauce.
For a richer sauce, swirl in 1 tbsp cold butter at the very end, off heat.
Sliced mushrooms sauteed with the shallot are a common addition.
Works with any steak cut, pork chops, or thick hamburgers.