Weeknight Steak with Shallot Sauce

Weeknight steak dinner just got easier! Just cooked two 8-ounce organic grassfed ribeye steaks, complete with sauce, in record time. With the Cuisinart Griddler and a tiny bit of advance planning, you can get a steak dinner on the table in a fraction of the time and effort it usually takes.

Sure, my pan-seared steak with shallot pan sauce is quite easy, but it does require one to carefully monitor the steak, timing and turning. This is just so much more effortless.

My only concern was that the sauce would lack flavor because of its not being a true pan sauce, made in the pan the steak was cooked in, a pan with fond to be deglazed. Fortunately, a small but adequate amount of meat drippings collected in the Griddler's drip tray; so, problem solved! 

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Weeknight Steak with Shallot Sauce

Makes 2 servings (can easily be halved or doubled)

1 11- to 16-ounce 1-inch-thick (or 2 5- to 8-ounce) New York steak (a boneless cut AKA strip steak, club steak, shell steak) or boneless ribeye

1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 medium shallot, finely minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (Lea and Perrins) 

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley 
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces 

1 In the morning, or at least 45 minutes before you'll be cooking the steak, dry it thoroughly with a paper towel, rub 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the oil (depending on total weight of the steaks) on both sides and coat with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until cooking time. (Yes, cooking them cold works just fine!)

2 Get sauce ingredients ready. You just need to make a tiny bit of sauce, enough to accent the flavor of the beef without overpowering it. With grill plates in place, turn the Selector knob to Grill/Panini and the Grill/Panini knob to High. Preheat the Cuisinart Griddler in the closed position.

3 In small skillet or saucepan (I use the All-Clad 4211 stainless steel 1-quart saucier), heat remaining 1 teaspoon of oil; add shallot to pan and cook over low heat until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, mustard, parsley and pepper. Remove from heat. 

4 When the green indicator light shows, place the seasoned steak on the lower grill plate. Close the Griddler, using light pressure for about 30 seconds, and set a timer for 5 minutes for medium rare, 7 minutes for medium, 9 minutes for medium well. If your steak is thicker, it might require a bit more time. But check the internal temperature at 5 to 9 minutes, depending on your preferred level of doneness. I like medium well, so I look for a temperature of 145 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.

5 When steak is done, transfer it to a warm plate and tent loosely with foil; let it rest for 5 minutes while you finish the sauce. Add any accumulated juices from the drip tray to the sauce. I've even used the Griddler's scraping tool to scrape up some browned bits to add to the sauce.

6 Just before serving, heat the sauce, add butter, whisking constantly until incorporated (called in French monter au beurre, mount with butter). Done properly, you will have a rather thick sauce. Spoon over steaks and serve immediately. Once you've added the butter, you can't keep it on the heat or it will break and become greasy. 

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

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Weeknight Pork Chops - Cuisinart Griddler

My usual Pork Chops recipe is scrumptious (especially if you're a gravy lover), but it's not one I care to make after a full day at work. It's easy enough, but takes a bit of time. This is my new go-to recipe for when I want pork chops in a hurry. 

I had never used a contact grill before, so I was pretty excited when I used the Cuisinart Griddler in that mode for the first time. Since it cooks both sides at once, it cooks and browns the chops in a fraction of the time it would take on the stovetop or in the oven. 

Whether you're cooking for two or a small family or just yourself, the Griddler is one handy appliance to have. I wouldn't call this post a "review" as I still haven't tried its other functions: panini press, flat grill or griddle. I want to play with the contact grill first! 

(Just a thought: This would make a wonderful wedding present, wouldn't it?!)

Tell me, what's your favorite way of cooking pork chops?

Weeknight Pork Chops 

Makes 2 servings (can easily be halved or doubled) 

1/8 teaspoon each salt, coarsely ground black pepper, marjoram, thyme leaves, paprika, dry mustard 

2 5-ounce 1/2-inch-thick boneless pork loin chops 

1 teaspoon soy sauce 

1/4 teaspoon sugar 

1 In a tiny bowl, combine the salt and herbs. Rub the mixture on both sides of the pork chops. In the same tiny bowl, combine the soy sauce and sugar. Brush just the tops of the chops with the sauce. Let stand for 20 minutes. 

2 With grill plates in place (they reverse to griddle plates), turn the Selector knob to Grill/Panini and the Grill/Panini knob to High. Preheat in the closed position. 

3 When the green indicator light shows, place the seasoned pork chops on the grill. Close the Griddler and set a timer for 4 1/2 minutes. If your chops are thicker or very cold, they might require a bit more time. Check their temperature at 4 1/2 minutes; if it registers 150 to 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, they are done. 

Disclosure: Cuisinart provided the product mentioned above. I only work with brands I love, and all opinions are always my own. I will never recommend a product that I haven’t used myself and liked! This post contains Amazon affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission (at no cost to you) on items purchased via these links.