Pan Seared Beef Filets with Madeira Wine Sauce

I cook most nights and will, on occasion pan sear a beef filet. They’re easy to cook, don’t take much prep and always satisfy. With the price of meat, it’s a meal you don’t want to mess up! And to make the meal really special, I’ll pull a sauce together to pair with the filet. Madeira Wine Sauce is one of the best. Madeira wine has a wonderful nutty, fruity quality that’s perfect for a sauce. Loaded with mushrooms and an herbal note from fresh thyme, this is a silky sauce with a gorgeous blend of beef stock, rich tomato paste, blended with the intoxicating beauty of Madeira wine.

Growing up in a family that raised cattle, we ate a great deal of beef. From an early childhood we stayed at the ranch a lot. Many mornings my Grandparents would cook steaks in a cast iron skillet and serve them with a side with eggs and hot biscuits for breakfast. The wonderful technique of pan searing steaks is one I learned from my Grandparents and still the only way I cook steaks.

For the steaks, I usually buy Angus beef filets and I always ask the butcher for center cut steaks. You want whole filets, not pieces that have been tied together with a strip of bacon. To season the meat, it’s nothing more than olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. The seasoning is ridiculously simple yet highlights the incredible flavor of beef.

Searing the steaks in a hot cast iron skillet yields amazing results. You end up with a wonderful outer crust, just a touch of heat from the pepper and a tender, juicy bite of beef. Now for the sauce. The wine sauce is made with mushrooms, shallots, garlic, beef stock, Madeira wine, fresh thyme, tomato paste, a touch of butter plus cornstarch to thicken the sauce. A touch of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper completes the seasoning.

For the mushrooms, I use cremini, also known as baby portabella mushrooms. White button mushrooms will also work. Reserve the salt until the mushrooms are browned. Salt can cause mushrooms to release their liquid, leaving them to steam and not brown.

Whipping up this sauce takes a few steps, none of which are difficult. Plus, it can be made ahead and reheated with ease making this perfect for entertaining.

Pan searing is one sure way to a great steak and a delicious meal. And turning up the volume with this luscious sauce is sure to please.

Pan Seared Beef Filets with Madeira Wine Sauce

For the Madeira Wine Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter

8 ounces, cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 small shallot, sliced thin

¼ freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste

¼ kosher salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried

¾ cup Madeira wine

2-½ cups beef stock, divided

3 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons tomato paste

For the filets:

2 center cut beef filet mignons, about 6 to 8 ounces each

1-½ to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, divided

1 tablespoon butter

For the wine sauce:

In a deep skillet, melt the butter over medium heat until the butter is foaming and just starting to brown. Add the mushrooms, shallot, and the black pepper but not the salt. Sauté until the mushrooms are golden and the shallots are translucent, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the kosher salt, garlic, and thyme. Cook for an additional 3 minutes.

Pour the Madeira wine into the mushrooms. Continue cooking over medium heat until the wine is reduced and almost all of it has been absorbed into the mushrooms, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Combine the cornstarch with ½ cup of the beef stock, whisking until smooth. Pour it into the mushrooms and cook, stirring until it begins to thicken.

Add the remaining beef stock along with the tomato paste, stirring to blend together. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened.

Serve warm over beef. Makes about 3 cups of sauce, enough for 4 steaks.

For the filets:

Coat each filet with olive oil then season generously with 1-1/2 teaspoons of the kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of the pepper. Using a flat meat mallet gently press each steak to a thickness of approximately one inch.

Let the steaks rest for 30 minutes at room temperature prior to cooking. You want the center of the meat at room temperature, so they cook evenly. Lightly spray a cast iron skillet with cooking spray. Heat over a temperature just slightly below medium-high until the pan is very hot. Place the steaks in the pan and cook for 3 minutes and do not move them!

Turn the steaks and cook on the other side for an additional 4 minutes for medium rare. Top each steak with ½ tablespoon butter and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Transfer the steaks to a platter and cover tightly with foil. Let them rest for 10 minutes before cutting.