Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic French dressing
Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic French dressing is a feast for the eyes and abdomen! This restaurant-quality salad is loaded with dried cherries, crispy shallots, candied pecans, and goat cheese.
Lately a reader emailed to share they weren’t a lot of a griller and requested if I had any stovetop steak recipes. I did the finger interlace factor the place you flip your arms round and crack your knuckles then wiggled my fingers earlier than I started my reply.
That’s to say, YES, I do have a number of pan-seared and pan-roasted steak recipes, and my Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic French dressing is among the best. This restaurant-quality, hearty steak salad is loaded with dried cherries, crispy shallots, candied pecans, and goat cheese.
It’s an expensive feast that’s exploding with taste!
Stovetop Steak — No Grill Required
Being the great Midwesterner that I’m, steak is one among my very favourite meals. Few issues rival a Excellent Grilled Steak however tromping by way of three toes of snow with a view to grill a steak isn’t very interesting throughout the season that shall not be named. Or possibly you don’t have a grill, or simply don’t desire that technique.
Drawback solved with my straightforward stovetop technique for cooking steak that ends in tender, juicy beef. Mixed with luscious toppings it creates a restaurant-worthy salad that’s good for entertaining, holidays (Father’s Day and Valentine’s Day are protruding in my thoughts), or a particular meal at residence with good firm.
Glass of purple wine non-compulsory, however extremely beneficial!
Steak Salad Elements
Let’s define the perfect steak salad parts actual fast so we all know what we’re diving into!
- Steak: I like to recommend strip steaks or ribeye steak for this hearty steak salad. Extra on this beneath.
- Candied Pecans: are made in 5 minutes in a pot on the range with just some components. They add an irresistible, candy + salty crunch to the salad. Be happy to make use of store-bought if that’s simpler.
- Crispy Shallots: are one among my secret weapons for including decadent taste to salads. Not like onion rings, they require no breading nor deep fats frying to turn out to be crispy. If crispy shallots simply aren’t your factor, thinly sliced purple onion is a good swap!
- Dried Cherries: add a sweet-tart chew to every chew. Dried cranberries are an awesome substitute.
- Goat Cheese (chevre): provides tanginess and creaminess to the salad. I really like experimenting with completely different flavors — honey, garlic-herb, and truffle goat cheese are all unbelievable on this salad. Montchevre has nice merchandise which can be available at most grocery shops. If goat cheese isn’t your factor, crumbled blue cheese or feta cheese could be tasty too.
- Maple Balsamic Dressing: a handful of on a regular basis components creates probably the most luuuuscious do-it-yourself steak salad dressing. So good you’ll need to eat it with a spoon!
- Lettuce: I’m inserting this final as a result of it’s really only a automobile for all these superior toppings. That mentioned, use what you like. I often go together with blended greens however hearty romaine lettuce, an arugula lettuce combine, or child spinach are all nice selections!
What Kind of Steak to Use
Filet Mignon is nice to pan-roast then eat with a knife and fork. It’s so tender and expensive that I prefer to pair it with mashed potatoes and a roasted vegetable with a view to actually let the steak shine. Skirt steak and flank steak additionally sear up effectively in a skillet on the range however could be on the costly facet.
That mentioned, for steak salads I sometimes select both strip steaks or ribeyes. Each are all-around strong steak selections that may be cooked rapidly and simply.
- Strip steaks: if you happen to think about a T-bone steak in your thoughts, the smaller facet is the tenderloin, which could be minimize/trimmed into filet mignon, whereas the longer facet is the strip steak. Generally known as a “New York Strip”, it’s an awesome on a regular basis steak.
- Ribeye steaks: come from the highest, front-end rib part of a cow and are one among my very favourite cuts of beef. Ribeyes sometimes have nice marbling (ie plenty of taste and tenderness) and can be a bit expensive so top off if you happen to see them on sale. Whereas I like to serve a ribeye merely, equally to a filet, it slices up effectively and provides tons of taste to salads.
No matter if you happen to select strip steaks or ribeyes to make use of on this salad, the cooking technique is similar. The images you see listed below are strip steaks.
Suggestions for Success
Preserve these few ideas in thoughts for guaranteeing your stovetop steak for salad comes out good, each time!
- Marbling: search for steaks which have good marbling, which is fats operating by way of the meat. This provides taste and usually signifies a extra tender minimize of beef. In the event you can’t discover a steak with good marbling, be sure you slice it thinly and towards the grain after cooking — you’ll nonetheless get nice outcomes.
- Thickness: whether or not I’m cooking a strip steak or ribeye in a pan on the range or on the grill, I like them to be a minimum of 1″ thick, and ideally 1-1/2″ thick.
- Pan: pan-seared steak is greatest cooked in an excellent scorching pan and forged iron is my #1 selection for getting a scrumptious golden brown crust on the skin. Right here’s a unbelievable budget-friendly forged iron skillet, or enameled cast-iron skillet.
- Relaxation: a very powerful factor to do after cooking steaks is to LET THEM REST. In the event you slice them too quickly all of the juices will run out and also you’ll be left with dry, powerful beef. Dislike! After cooking to your most well-liked degree of doneness, switch the steaks to a reducing board then allow them to sit undisturbed for a minimum of 10 minutes earlier than thinly slicing towards the grain.
Alright, let’s get you a few of this epic steak salad!
Attempt This Hearty Salad
The way to Make this Steak Salad Recipe
Step 1: Make the Maple Balsamic Dressing
I’m telling you — this dressing is liquid gold. SO GOOD! To a jar with a good becoming lid, or small bowl, add the next components then shake or whisk to mix:
- Further virgin olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Pure maple syrup
- Minced shallots
- Dijon mustard
- Recent garlic
- Salt and pepper
Be happy to zap the dressing with an immersion blender if you happen to desire an especially clean dressing, in any other case it’s good to go.
- Tip: make the dressing as much as 5 days upfront. It will get higher and higher because it sits within the fridge.
Step 2: Make the Candied Pecans
Candied pecans are life and fortuitously they’re SO straightforward to make. Merely soften butter, brown sugar, and a drizzle of pure maple syrup in a pan on the range over medium warmth.
As soon as the combination begins effervescent add pecan halves the stir and prepare dinner for 2-3 minutes or till the sugar combination begins to stick to the pecans. Watch out to not burn the nuts.
Scrape the candied pecans onto a bit of parchment paper or a silpat then sprinkle with salt and allow them to cool. Voila, candied pecans — really easy, proper?
- Tip: make the candied pecans as much as 3 days forward of time. After cooling utterly, retailer in an air-tight container on the counter.
Step 3: Make the Crispy Shallots
Crispy shallots are like mini onion rings besides higher since you don’t have to batter nor deep fats fry them.
Thinly slice a pair massive shallots then separate the slices into rings.
Subsequent warmth additional virgin olive oil in a big, forged iron pan over medium-high warmth. As soon as the oil is scorching, add half the shallots then pan fry them, stirring nearly continually with tongs, till they’re golden brown — NOT darkish brown. Darkish brown shallots will style burnt.
- Tip: Add a shallot ring to the oil to check the temperature — if it sizzles, you’re good to go. If it doesn’t, maintain pre-heating the oil.
Switch the shallots to a paper towel-lined plate to empty then sprinkle with salt. Pan fry the second batch of shallots then drain, sprinkle with salt, and put aside.
Shallots = executed!
Step 4: Trim, Season, then Prepare dinner the Steak
Time for the primary occasion — the steak!
These are 10oz strip steaks (aka New York Strip Steak) which can be ~1-1/4″ thick. I like to depart them out on the counter for 20 minutes or so to take away the nippiness from the fridge.
If I’m grilling steak I sometimes depart any extra fats across the meat in place, however once I’m pan-searing them I prefer to trim off the surplus fats. In any other case it spits whereas cooking and may make a multitude.
Drizzle the trimmed steaks with a little bit of additional virgin olive oil on each side then season liberally on each side with salt and black pepper. Use a bit of extra salt than you assume it is best to. Belief me!
Drain out the surplus oil from pan-frying the shallots then flip the warmth below the skillet as much as a contact beneath excessive. As soon as the pan is extraordinarily scorching, place the seasoned steaks inside then sear for 3 minutes. No touching!
Flip the steaks then flip the warmth down barely and prepare dinner for two minutes on the opposite facet for uncommon steak, 3 minutes for medium-rare, or 4 minutes for medium doneness. In the event you’re utilizing an instant-read digital thermometer, listed below are inner steak temperatures for doneness:
- Uncommon: 125 levels levels
- Medium-rare: 135 levels
- Medium: 145 levels
- Medium-well: 150 levels
- Nicely executed: 160 levels
Observe: In case your steaks are thicker than 1-1/2″ AND/OR you need them cooked medium-well to well-done, place your complete skillet right into a 400 diploma oven for 4-8 minutes to complete cooking after flipping the primary time. Which means, sear for 3 minutes, then flip and place your complete pan within the oven for 4-8 minutes.
Step 5: Relaxation the Steaks.
Take away the steaks to a reducing board then allow them to relaxation for 10 minutes earlier than thinly slicing towards the grain, or reducing into bite-sized items. Slide the steak over two beds of lettuce then add a plethora of candy, savory, creamy, and crunchy toppings.
Translation: dried cherries or dried cranberries, do-it-yourself candied pecans, dollops of goat cheese, and the crispy shallots. Drizzle on the do-it-yourself dressing then dig in!
I hope you like each final chew of this entertaining-worthy, tremendous particular, completely scrumptious Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic French dressing dressing — take pleasure in!
Extra Entertaining-Worthy Salads
Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic French dressing
Steak Salad with Maple Balsamic French dressing is a feast for the eyes and abdomen! This restaurant-quality salad is loaded with dried cherries, crispy shallots, candied pecans, and goat cheese.
- 1/4 cup additional virgin olive oil, plus an additional drizzle
- 2 massive shallots, thinly sliced then separated into rings
- 2 8-10oz strip steaks, trimmed of extra fats, see notes
- salt and pepper
- 5 oz blended greens
- 1/4 cup dried cherries
- 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
For the Candied Pecans:
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1/2 Tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup pecan halves
- pinch of salt
For the Maple Balsamic French dressing:
- 1/4 cup additional virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons finely minced shallot
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
- salt and pepper
For the Candied Pecans:
- Place a silpat or piece of parchment paper on the counter then put aside. Add the brown sugar, maple syrup, and butter to a small saucepan then flip the warmth to medium and stir till the combination is melted and bubbly. Add the pecans then prepare dinner whereas stirring till the sugar begins to crystalize and cling to the pecans, 2-4 minutes. Scrape the pecans onto the parchment paper or silpat then unfold them out, sprinkle with salt, and funky utterly. Will be made as much as 3 days forward of time — retailer in an hermetic container with a lid on the counter.
For the Maple-Balsamic French dressing:
For the Steaks:
- In case your steaks are thicker than 1-1/2”, and/otherwise you need them cooked medium-well to well-done, preheat the oven to 400 levels. In case your steaks are lower than 1-1/2” and/otherwise you need them cooked anyplace from uncommon to medium, you’ll be able to skip this step.
For the Fried Shallots:
- In the meantime, line a plate with paper towels then put aside. Add 1/4 cup oil to a big (10-12”) oven-safe, ideally forged iron skillet then place it over medium-high warmth. As soon as the oil is scorching, add half the shallots then pan fry till golden brown (NOT darkish brown), 2-3 minutes, stirring typically with tongs. Switch the fried shallots to the ready plate then sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining shallots then drain out the surplus oil from the skillet and return it over warmth that is a contact beneath excessive.
For ~1-1/4″ steaks cooked from uncommon to medium:
- Place the seasoned steaks inside the new skillet then sear for 3 minutes. Flip then decrease the warmth barely and sear for two minutes on the second facet for uncommon, 3 minutes for medium-rare, or 4 minutes for medium (see temperature doneness information beneath). Take away the steaks to a reducing board then allow them to relaxation for 10 minutes earlier than slicing towards the grain.
For steaks thicker than 1-1/2”, or steaks cooked from medium-well to well-done:
- Place the seasoned steaks inside the new skillet then sear for 3 minutes. Flip the steaks then place your complete skillet into the oven and roast for 4-8 minutes or till your required degree of doneness is reached. Take away the steaks to a reducing board then allow them to relaxation for 10 minutes earlier than slicing towards the grain.
- Divide the lettuce between two plates then high with the sliced steak, candied pecans, fried shallots, dried cherries, and dollops of goat cheese. Drizzle with Maple Balsamic French dressing then serve.
- You should utilize ribeye steaks as a substitute of strip steaks if you happen to desire — prepare dinner the identical approach as strip steaks.
- Inside temperature doneness information:
- Uncommon: 125 levels levels
- Medium-rare: 135 levels
- Medium: 145 levels
- Medium-well: 150 levels
- Nicely executed: 160 levels
Energy: 1413kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 57gFats: 115gSaturated Fats: 29gPolyunsaturated Fats: 13gMonounsaturated Fats: 66gTrans Fats: 0.1gLdl cholesterol: 201mgSodium: 304mgPotassium: 1092mgFiber: 5gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 1740IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 172mgIron: 6mg
Photographs by Ashley McLaughlin