Spoil mom or anyone special in your life with this deceptively easy to prepare red wine sauce for steak. Simply pan sear a filet mignon or boneless New York strip steak and make the red wine reduction sauce in the pan.
Mother’s Day is around the corner and that means flowers are being ordered and brunches are getting scheduled. Which begs the question: Why does Dad get a steak dinner for Father’s Day and Mom gets…. brunch?! Moms love steak, too!
I have shared with you how to grill a Porterhouse steak for dad’s special day, and today I am sharing a filet mignon recipe for Mom by making a red wine sauce for steak.
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Recipe highlights
- Versatile: This wonderful red wine sauce can be used on any cut of steak you want, from the coveted file mignon to even more economical cuts like the New York Strip.
- Simple: You don’t need a grill to prepare a great steak dinner. A cast iron pan is the perfect cooking vessel because it can hold a tremendous amount of heat and can be used on the stove and in the oven. It is also campfire friendly!
- Flavor: My family usually prefers our steak seasoned with just salt and pepper. But when they tried this red wine sauce, they went crazy over it! And don’t worry, the alcohol is burned off so what you are left with is a lovely reduction sauce.
“M Cellars Meritage & a juicy filet mignon were meant for each other🍷🥩
RECIPE: @familyspice
#winewednesday #perfectpairing #cookinginspiration #wineandsteak #filetmignon #mcellars #mcellarspairing”
Ingredients you need
- Steaks: You can use filet mignons, 6 or 8-ounces each, or New York strips. Just use a good quality boneless steak.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Since you are preparing a good quality steak, you don’t want to ruin it using a bad flavored oil. Extra virgin olive oil can handle high heat for the amount of time you are cooking your steak. You can also use avocado oil.
- Onion: You can use regular brown onions or sweet onions. You can also use shallots.
- Garlic: You want to use real garlic and not garlic powder.
- Fresh herbs: Fresh herbs give the best flavor. Use fresh rosemary and thyme.
- Red wine: Choose a red wine you like to drink. Avoid anything fruity.
- Butter: You will finish the sauce with a little bit of butter. It adds creaminess and flavor.
- Kosher salt and pepper
Step-by-step directions
- Prep the steaks. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. This is important and insures even cooking. Pat meat dry and season all over with salt and pepper.
- Sear the steaks. Heat a large cast iron skillet over and add olive oil. Sear the steaks until deep brown on one side, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side and sear for 5 more minutes.
- Add herbs. Add butter, rosemary, thyme and onions. Stir herbs and onions into the oil and butter. Transfer skillet into 400ºF oven and cook until desired doneness. This will vary depending on the thickness of the steaks. Thinner steaks do not need to go in the oven.
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You will need to Insert meat thermometer into one of the filets thru its side. For rare 125ºF, medium rare 130°F, medium 135°F.
- Add onions. Remove skillet from the oven and transfer steaks to a serving plate and let it rest while you prepare the red wine sauce. Reserve the drippings in the skillet. Heat skillet and sauté onions.
- Finish the sauce. Add garlic then pour in wine and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half, about 5-7 minutes; remove from the heat. Remove and discard rosemary and thyme sprigs. Whisk in last tablespoon of butter. Slice the steak against the grain and serve with the sauce.
Recipe tips and FAQs
A lighter color filet means more marbling and that means more flavor. If you are cooking more than one filet at a time, choose steaks that are similar in size and thickness. This guarantees even cooking.
Want more ways to enjoy steak? How about a wonderful bourbon sauce or cilantro chimichurri to go with your favorite steak? My flat iron steak with cutting board sauce is so easy and another family favorite.
Storing/Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: Store any leftover steak in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Do not reheat steak in the microwave, but sauté chopped steak in a hot pan with a little butter or olive oil.
TO FREEZE: You could also freeze leftovers, but I suggest not to do this as the texture does change when frozen and thawed.
Because the filet mignon is so tender, it doesn’t require much fuss or work to cook. It can be grilled, broiled, roasted and pan seared. You can enjoy it alone, wrapped in bacon or drizzled with a decadent sauce.
You can made a delicious red wine reduction sauce for steak by searing your meat in a cast iron pan. Finish cooking it in the oven, then prepare the sauce. By using the browned bits of meat in the pan this adds flavor to your sauce. Red wine is added with other flavor ingredients, like garlic and herbs, the cooked down and reduced until thick. This intensifies the flavors.
Steak is often overcooked because you can’t easily tell if it is done by looking at it. It does get easier over time as you prepare and cook steaks more often. If you can’t tell doneness by the springiness of the cooked meat, use a meat thermometer. When using a meat thermometer, you do not insert it from the top, but from the side of the steak. Slide the probe from the side to the center of the steak for the most accurate reading. For rare you want an internal temperature of 125ºF, medium rare 130°F and medium 135°F.
Red Wine Sauce for Steak
Ingredients
- 4 filet mignons 6 or 8-ounces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup minced onions
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Remove filets from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Pat meat dry and season all over with salt and pepper.
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil.
- Place filets in the pan and sear until deep brown on one side, about 5 minutes.
- Turn and cook on the other side and sear for 5 more minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon butter, rosemary, thyme and onions. Stir herbs and onions into the oil and butter.
- Transfer skillet into the oven and cook until desired doneness.
- You will need to Insert meat thermometer into one of the filets thru its side. For rare 125ºF, medium rare 130°F, medium 135°F.
- Remove skillet from the oven and transfer steaks to a serving plate and let it rest while you prepare the red wine sauce.
- Reserve the drippings in the skillet.
- Heat skillet to medium and sauté onions. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in wine and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half, about 5-7 minutes; remove from the heat.
- Remove and discard rosemary and thyme sprigs.
- Whisk in last tablespoon of butter.
- Slice the steak against the grain and serve with the sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
This is the perfect way to cook steak! I LOVE reduction sauces that use red wine. Such a good flavor with the steak. 🙂
think I might be asking for this for Mother’s Day Dinner! What a simple and lovely recipe and presentation! Thanks for the inspiration Laura!