Take this tender cut of beef, add a glistening coating of olive oil and season with a unique blend of curry, kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Then pan sear, delivering a perfectly seasoned steak with an oh, so subtle touch of spice elevating those natural flavors. It’s an easy way to whip up a fabulous meal – weekday or weekend, rain or shine – and no grill, no problem.
Growing up in a family that raised cattle it stands to reason that we ate a great deal of beef. We stayed at the ranch a lot as kids. Many mornings my Granddad would cook steaks in a cast iron skillet while my Mamaw whipped up a side of eggs and hot biscuits for breakfast. This wonderful technique of pan searing steaks is one I learned to love and appreciate and still the only way I cook steaks.
If you don’t own a cast iron skillet or two, add this to your list of kitchen equipment. You can’t make a great pan of cornbread without one! I have several that belonged to the women in my family and I cherish them all. You can easily find new cast iron skillets but don’t rule out grabbing one or two from an estate or garage sale. They can be cleaned up, even if they appear rusted. Just avoid any that are pitted or heavily damaged. Wash them in hot, soapy water – this will be the only time you ever do this – then dry. To season, coat the inside of the pan with shortening and place it in a 350-degree oven for about 30 minute. Then turn off the heat and let the pan cool completely in the oven. And never, ever put a cast iron skillet in the dishwasher. Hot water, a gentle scrub, a warm oven for drying and you’re ready for the next round.
For the meat, I buy beef filet mignons and always center cut steaks. You want whole filets, not pieces that have been tied together with twine or a strip of bacon. To season the meat, it’s nothing more than olive oil, kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper plus the unexpected addition of curry powder. The seasoning is ridiculously simple yet highlights the incredible flavor of beef.
To finish, melt a touch of butter with the beautiful pan drippings making the perfect drizzle over your steaks. Searing the steaks in a hot cast iron skillet yields amazing results. You end up with a wonderful outer crust, seasoned with the kosher salt plus just a touch of heat from the curry and pepper. And inside is an utterly delicious tender, juicy bite of beef.
Pan searing is one sure way to a great steak and a simple, delicious meal!
Pan Seared Filets with Curried Salt and Black Pepper
1-¾ teaspoons curry powder
1-½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 center cut beef filet mignons, about 6 to 8 ounces each
1-½ to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
In a small bowl whisk together the curry powder with the kosher salt and black pepper.
Coat each filet with olive oil then season the top with half of the curry, kosher salt and pepper mixture.
Using a flat meat mallet gently press each steak to a thickness of approximately one inch. Flip the steaks and sprinkle with the remaining seasoning. Gently press the seasoning into the steaks with the meat mallet.
Cover and let the steaks rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. You want the center of the meat at room temperature, so they cook evenly.
Lightly spray a cast iron skillet with cooking spray and place over a heat that’s slightly above medium. Heat until the pan is hot, about 3 to 4 minutes. You can feel the heat from the pan by carefully placing your hand over the skillet. Place the steaks in the pan and cook for 3 minutes – do not move them!
Then turn the steaks and cook on the other side for an additional 4 minutes for medium rare. Place about a teaspoon of the butter on top of each steak. Transfer the steaks to a platter and cover tightly with foil. Let them rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
Melt the remaining butter in the skillet over medium heat, scraping up any bits. After the steaks have rested transfer any drippings from the steaks back into the skillet.
To serve, pour the buttered drippings over the steaks.
And a bed of mashed potatoes makes the perfect side! Makes 2 servings.
Pan Seared Filets with Curried Salt and Black Pepper
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet
- Flat meat mallet
Ingredients
- 1-¾ teaspoons curry powder
- 1-½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 center cut beef filet mignons, about 6 to 8 ounces each
- 1-½ to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together the curry powder with the kosher salt and black pepper.
- Coat each filet with olive oil then season the top with half of the curry, kosher salt and pepper mixture. Using a flat meat mallet gently press each steak to a thickness of approximately one inch. Flip the steaks and sprinkle with the remaining seasoning. Gently press the seasoning into the steaks with the meat mallet.
- Cover and let the steaks rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. You want the center of the meat at room temperature, so they cook evenly.
- Lightly spray a cast iron skillet with cooking spray and place over a heat that’s slightly above medium. Heat until the pan is hot, about 3 to 4 minutes. You can feel the heat from the pan by carefully placing your handover the skillet. Place the steaks in the pan and cook for 3 minutes – do not move them!
- Then turn the steaks and cook on the other side for an additional 4 minutes for medium rare. Place about a teaspoon of the butter on top of each steak.
- Transfer the steaks to a platter and cover tightly with foil. Let them rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
- Melt the remaining butter in the skillet over medium heat, scraping up any bits in the bottom. After the steaks have rested transfer any drippings back into the skillet. To serve, pour the buttered drippings over the steaks.
