Sugar Steak with Rosemary Pan Sauce
- Makes4-6 servings
- Cook Time30 minutes
Sugar steak—that is, a steak sprinkled with sugar to help it develop a deeply caramelized crust when cooked—is said to originate in the 1830s at Bastien’s steakhouse in Denver. We also were inspired by a recipe for breaded veal steaks with a caramelized sugar sauce in “The Talisman of Happiness: The Most Iconic Italian Cookbook Ever Written,” authored by Ada Boni and first published in 1929. We melded the ideas to create this homage to Louis Camille Maillard: a sugar-seasoned, seared steak with a caramelized sugar pan sauce. If the profile sounds too sweet, rest assured the sugar turns pleasantly bittersweet and a touch of soy sauce and red wine vinegar keeps flavors in check. For the restaurant-quality emulsified-butter pan sauce, make sure to cut the butter into smallish pieces and keep it in the refrigerator until needed. A 2-pound, 1-inch-thick top sirloin steak is a great choice for this, but two strip steaks are excellent, too. We advise passing on rib-eyes, though, as we found them too fatty for the sauce, which is rich and buttery.
Don’t use a cast-iron skillet. Its dark color makes it difficult to gauge the color of the sugar as it caramelizes. Also, be sure to turn down the heat after adding the steaks to the pan so the sugar in the seasoning mix does not scorch.
Step 1
In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Season the steak all over with this mixture; reserve the small bowl.
Step 2
In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the steak and immediately reduce to medium. Cook, without disturbing, until a deeply browned crust has formed on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Using tongs, flip the steak and cook until well browned on the second side and the center reaches 120°F (for medium-rare), 3 to 4 minutes. (If not yet done, continue to cook, flipping the steak every 30 seconds or so to prevent scorching, until done.) Transfer to a platter and let rest while you make the sauce.
Step 3
Pour off and discard the fat in the pan, then wick any remaining fat with paper towels; do not wipe out the drippings. Let the pan cool for a couple minutes. Meanwhile, in the reserved small bowl, mix the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and the soy sauce until evenly moistened.
Step 4
To the slightly cooled skillet, add the soy-sugar mixture and the rosemary. Cook over medium, swirling and tilting the pan to encourage even browning, until the caramel is mahogany in color and lightly smoking, 2 to 3 minutes. Add ½ cup water, then cook over medium-high, scraping the pan and stirring to dissolve the caramel, until lightly syrupy, about 2 minutes. Add about 3 pieces of butter, then whisk until emulsified into the liquid; the mixture should be gently but steadily simmering as the butter is incorporated. Add the remaining butter in the same way.
Step 5
Off heat, stir in the vinegar, then remove and discard the rosemary. The sauce should be glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it is greasy and broken, add a couple teaspoons of water and, while whisking, bring to a simmer over medium. Stir the accumulated juices from the steak into the sauce, then taste and season with salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thick, drizzle in additional water until thinned to the desired consistency.
Step 6
Transfer the steak to a cutting board and cut into slices of your desired thickness. Return the slices to the platter. Spoon the sauce over and around the meat, then sprinkle with flaky salt.