Classic French Chateaubriand Steak with Red Wine Sauce

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 55 mins

Cooking Method: Roasting

Cuisine: French

Courses: Dinner

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 4

Calories: 520

Description

This classic French Chateaubriand steak recipe serves four and features a perfectly seared beef tenderloin paired with a silky red wine reduction sauce and with mélange de légumes.

Ingredients

For the Chateaubriand Roast (Le Chateaubriand)

2 lbs of center-cut chateaubriand beef tenderloin, trimmed of silverskin and tied with butcher’s twine
2 tablespoons of neutral oil (e.g., grapeseed or canola) for searing
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Classic Red Wine Sauce (Sauce Chateaubriand)

1 medium shallot, finely minced
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
3/4 cup of dry, full-bodied red wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux)
1/2 cup of high-quality veal or beef demi-glace
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, cold (for finishing the sauce)
1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

For the Roasted Root Vegetables (Mélange de Légumes)

2 lbs of assorted root vegetables (carrots, fingerling potatoes, pearl onions, small beets)
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 large fingerling potatoes, quartered
2 medium pearl onions, chopped
2 small parsnips, chopped
4 small beets, chopped
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon of coarse ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of fresh herbs (rosemary or thyme)

How To Cook Chateaubriand (Step-By-Step Instructions)

1
Prepare the Beef
- Remove your beef tenderloin from the refrigerator at least 45 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature.
- Pat the entire surface of the beef completely dry with paper towels.
- Ensure the roast is tightly tied with butcher’s twine (usually done by the butcher) to help it maintain a uniform cylindrical shape, which guarantees even roasting.
- Season generously with kosher salt and black pepper on all sides.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C).
2
Sear the Beef
- Place a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, preferably cast iron, over high heat on the stovetop.
- Add a neutral oil and heat it until it’s very hot, just before it starts to smoke.
- Carefully place the meat into the hot pan.
- Sear the roast vigorously on all sides, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until a dark golden-brown crust forms uniformly across the entire surface.
- This should take about 8 to 10 minutes in total.
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter towards the end of searing to enrich the crust and start building the base for your sauce.
3
Roast the Chateaubriand
- Once seared, transfer the meat immediately to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.
- Place the roast into the preheated oven.
- Roast until the internal temperature, checked by an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part, reaches 130°F / 54°Cfor medium rare.
- The total roasting time for a $2 lb$ roast is typically 18 to 22 minutes.
4
Rest the Meat
- The moment the thermometer hits 130°F / 54°C, remove the chateau briand immediately from the oven.
- Transfer it to a clean cutting board and tent it loosely with aluminum foil.
- Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
5
Make the Red Wine Sauce
- Return the searing pan (containing the flavorful drippings and browned bits, or fonds) to medium heat.
- Add the minced shallots and the sprigs of fresh thyme to the pan.
- Sauté them in the residual fat and butter until the shallots are softened and translucent for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour in the dry red wine.
- Immediately scrape up all the stuck bits (fonds) from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and until it's slightly reduced by about half, for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Next, add $1/2 cup$ of high-quality demi-glace.
- Stir well and simmer until the sauce has reduced to your desired consistency, which should take another 3 to 4 minutes.
6
Finish and Strain
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- This is where the sauce achieves its professional gleam.
- Swirl in the small knob of cold butter (the Monté au Beurre technique).
- Pour the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a warm serving vessel to remove the solids (shallots and thyme sprigs).
7
Roast the Vegetables
- While the beef roasts, toss your chopped carrots, fingerling potatoes, pearl onions, parsnips, and beets with olive oil, coarse sea salt, and black pepper.
- Spread the vegetables evenly on a baking sheet and roast at 400°F (200°C) for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and tender.
- Finish with a sprinkle of fresh rosemary or thyme before serving.
8
Plate and Serve
- Remove the butcher's twine from the roast and slice against the grain into thick medallions (about 1-inch slices).
- Arrange on a platter with the roasted vegetables.
- Spoon over the luscious red wine sauce.
- Garnish with a sprinkle of parsley, and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

Serving Size 8 oz or 226g per serving

Amount Per Serving
Calories 520kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 26g40%
Saturated Fat 12g60%
Cholesterol 135mg45%
Sodium 265mg12%
Potassium 520mg15%
Total Carbohydrate 8g3%
Dietary Fiber 2g8%
Protein 50g100%

Vitamin A 2400 IU
Calcium 35 mg
Iron 4.2 mg
Vitamin D 12 IU

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

A removal temperature of 130°F (54°C) is the upper limit for achieving a perfect medium-rare.
The high heat sear must be quick and uniform to build the crust without cooking the interior prematurely.
Let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes; cutting into it too soon will cause the flavorful juices to escape.
When making the sauce, make sure the demi-glace is warm before adding it to prevent the sauce from separating or seizing.
Avoid piercing the beef during cooking, except when checking the temperature, as this allows the juices to escape and reduces the meat’s tenderness.
The Chateaubriand should always be sliced against the grain to ensure maximum tenderness, no matter how perfectly it was roasted.