Name: Pepper-Crusted Steak with Worcestershire-Butter Sauce
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 4 boneless strip steaks (8 to 10 ounces), about 1 inch thick; Table salt; 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 minced shallot; 1/2 cup red wine; 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth; 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon fresh thyme minced; 2 tablespoon unsalted butter

Why This Recipe Works

A great steak recipe is always a crowd-pleaser. A great steak recipe that’s a cinch to make with ingredients you likely have on hand already is even better. For a simple sauce to match our pepper-crusted steak recipe, we used the same pan we’d used to sear the steak. We made sure to scrape the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan after adding the liquid, which helped to create a full-flavored sauce.

Before You Begin

You will need a 12-inch skillet for this recipe. To ensure even browning, look for steaks no wider than 3 inches.

Instructions

Pat steaks dry with paper towels and season with salt. Rub one side of each steak with pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place steaks with peppered side down in skillet and cook until well browned on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to plate and tent with foil.

Add shallot to empty skillet and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add wine, broth, Worcestershire, and thyme and simmer, scraping up browned bits with wooden spoon, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add accumulated steak juices back to pan, whisk in butter, and season with salt. Pour sauce over steaks. Serve.