Welcome winter the right way with this meticulous and delicious recipe for Seared Steak with Maple Compound Butter from Food52 the next time you need a hearty meal that blends savory and sweet flavor notes in the best way imaginable.

Many agree that the perfect steak should have a juicy, pink interior (though the “pinkness” is often debated) and a gorgeous, textured outer crust. This particular recipe relies on the convenience of sous vide cooking so that the steak is cooked for just the right amount of time before it gets a quick sear on an electric cooktop. This particular recipe’s steak cooking times can be altered depending on your exact heating element, as this specific recipe makes use of theLG Studio Electric Cooktop.

What really sets this recipe apart from the pack is the blend of autumn and winter that rests in the delicious maple compound butter. It has just the right touch of sweetness, making it ideal to complement the savory meat. In order to achieve the best results in this savory and sweet flavor pairing, you’ll want to use the best-quality maple syrup that you’re able to find. It’s traditionally accepted that the darker the syrup, the better in terms of pronounced flavors.

As for the steaks themselves, this recipe doesn’t intend to reinvent the wheel. Salt and pepper always go a long way for seasoning, as proper steak preparation relies more on focus, patience, and finesse than anything else.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup of unsalted butter, softened
• ¼ cup of pure maple syrup
• 2 12 oz. sirloin, strip, or ribeye steaks
• Kosher Salt
• Freshly-ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Because it’s unwise and rarely a good idea to juggle too many tasks while properly cooking a steak, you’ll want to first prepare the maple compound butter for this recipe before touching your favorite cut of steak. To begin, you’ll blend your softened butter with your maple syrup in a bowl.
2. Once the butter is fully mixed, transfer it all to a piece of parchment paper and roll it up, shaping it into a log shape. Place it in the refrigerator and chill it for at least a few hours until it’s firm.
3. This recipe suggests preheating your sous vide appliance to your desired steak temperature, which will depend on the level of doneness you prefer. As you do this, you’ll want to season your steaks generously with salt and pepper on both sides of the cut. After they’re properly seasoned, transfer them into plastic sous vide bags and seal them tightly.
4. Next, you will cook them according to your sous vide appliance’s directions for their necessary time in order to reach the right temperature. Once cooked, remove them from the bags, setting them aside.
5. Take a cast-iron skillet and rub its interior with your vegetable oil. Afterward, place your skillet on the stovetop and heat it as high as your burner will allow until the oil just begins to smoke.
6. Place your steaks carefully in the pan and cook them for 30 seconds. Then, flip them over and cook for an additional half of a minute. Flip the steaks again, cook one side for 15 seconds and then flip one last time, cooking them for an additional 15 seconds. With this method, you should have a nice sear on both sides of the steak, but if not then you can continue cooking and flipping the steak 15 seconds at a time until your desired sear appears.
7. After you’ve flipped your steak for the final time, add about 1 tablespoon of maple butter on top of each piece of steak. Remove them from the pan and allow them to rest for a few minutes before serving. Once plated, be sure to add some extra compound butter on the side.

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