Turn up the heat with Chef Thomas Keller’s perfectly seared steak served with Sauce Beurre Rouge. If your mouth isn’t watering yet, it will be soon.

Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients:

1 double-cut rib steak, about 1 to 1½ kilos ( 2 to 3 pounds) cut about 2 inches thick
Kosher salt
Canola oil
2 ounces unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
4 thyme sprigs
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Sel gris

Directions:

1) Truss the cote de boeuf by tying a piece of kitchen twine around the circumference of the steak, wrapping it around the bone to secure it. Cinch the twine tight and tie it using a butcher’s knot. Trussing will help maintain uniform dimensions and keep the steak’s shape during cooking.

2) Set the chop on a wire rack over a baking sheet so the air can circulate around both sides. Season both sides with kosher salt and let dry uncovered in the refrigerator 1 day so the salt has time to penetrate into the flesh and draw out moisture. The surfaces of the meat should be dry to the touch after this process.

3) About an hour before cooking, remove the meat from the refrigerator and allow it to temper. Pat dry any moisture on the meat with a paper towel.

4) Heat the oven to 350°F and begin heating the Hestan skillet over high heat. To prevent the bone from burning and for best appearance, wrap the bone in aluminum foil. Season the meat again with kosher salt.

5) Add enough canola oil to the pan to cover the bottom about ¼ inch. When you can see faint wisps of smoke from the oil, carefully lay the steak down in the pan, allowing it to fall away from you in order to avoid getting splashed with hot oil. Sear the chop for 4 to 5 minutes, or until a deeply caramelized crust develops. Carefully turn the steak over to the other side and continue to sear the second side for about 3 minutes.

6) Pour off most of the oil into a dry, heat-resistant container and then then add the butter. Allow the butter to completely melt and begin to foam, then add the thyme and garlic. Baste the meat with the butter for a few minutes.

7) Place the pan in the 350°F oven. After 5 minutes, carefully remove the pan from the oven, place it on your cooktop, and baste the meat again with the foaming butter and pan juices for about 1 minute. Return the pan to the oven for about another 10 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 130°F for medium rare. Please be aware that the cooking time depends on the temperature of the meat going in and the weight and thickness of the meat.

8) Remove the meat from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack and allow it to rest for about 15 minutes before slicing. To serve, carve the meat from the bone. Separate the muscles and slice the meat against the grain. Lightly season with a few grains of sel gris at the last moment. Serve with Sauce Beurre Rouge (recipe below).

Sauce Beurre Rouge:

Ingredients:

13 ounces red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
4 ounces port wine
1½ ounces shallots, thinly sliced
1 ounce mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 ounce carrots, thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
3 thyme sprigs
3 Italian parsley stems
1 fresh bay leaf
8 black peppercorns
5 ounces unsalted butter, cut into half-inch cubes, cold
Kosher salt

Directions:

1) Combine all ingredients except for the butter and salt in the Hestan 1.5 Qt Sauce Pot.

2) Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Reduce the liquid until it has a syrupy consistency. Turn the heat down to the lowest temperature. Begin vigorously whisking in the butter a few cubes at a time until they are emulsified into the red wine reduction. Continue until all the butter has been incorporated.

3) Season the sauce lightly with kosher salt to taste, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer and store in a warm location until you are ready to serve.

Recipe adapted from The French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas Keller (Artisan Books). Copyright © 1999.