Steak Montreal
Photo by Noah Tanen
- Serves
- 4
- Prep Time
- 25 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 20 Minutes
This recipe—affectionately dubbed Steak Montreal—lands somewhere between Montreal smoked meat, steak frites, and steak au poivre. What ties it all together is my homemade version of the iconic Montreal steak seasoning, the brainchild of Schwartz’s Deli and the flavor backbone of the city’s bizarro pastrami. Order their towering smoked meat sandwich and you’ll get what I mean.
Montreal steak seasoning is a staple in spice aisles everywhere, but most versions miss the mark on the coarse texture and fresh grind that define the Schwartz’s original. Luckily, it’s easy (and delicious) to make at home—and you get full control over how coarse or fine you want the blend. If you have them on hand, throw in an extra teaspoon of Szechuan peppercorns for a little extra zing.
Ingredients
Steak Montreal
- 1 6-8 oz russet potato.
- 1 1/2 pound boneless ribeye, about 2 1-inch steaks
- 1 - 2 tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning (recipe below)
- 2 tablespoon neutral oil, plus more for frying
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 4 sprigs of thyme, whole
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
- Kosher salt to taste
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoon brandy or whiskey
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup crème fraîche
- 2 teaspoon dijon mustard
Montreal Steak Seasoning
- 2 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 2 tablespoon dill seeds
- Optional teaspoon whole Sichuan pepper
- 2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
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Directions
Steak Montreal
- Step 1
Julienne the potato into very thin matchsticks. You may carefully use a mandolin to shave the potato into thin planks, and use a knife to cut equally thin slices lengthwise. Transfer to a bowl of cold water and allow to soak for at least 30 minutes.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, pat your steaks dry and season with the Montreal Steak Seasoning (recipe below).
- Step 3
Set a large cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated, coat the bottom in neutral oil and add in the seasoned steaks. Cook, flipping often, until a gold brown crust begins to form and the internal temperature reaches around 100°F.
- Step 4
Turn down the heat to medium low and add in the butter, followed by the thyme sprigs and garlic cloves. Baste until the steaks’ internal temperature reaches 125°F for medium-rare. This allows for carryover cooking while the steaks rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Step 5
Meanwhile, heat a large pot of neutral oil to 375°F. Drain the soaked potatoes and dry them thoroughly on a kitchen towel. Add the potato matchsticks to the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy. Drain on a wire rack and season immediately with kosher salt to taste. Set aside.
- Step 6
To make the pan sauce, add the finely chopped shallot to the pan the steaks were cooked in. Cook, stirring, for a minute over medium heat. Off heat, add in the brandy or whiskey. Be careful, as this might flambé when put back onto the heat. Once the alcohol has reduced slighly, add in the chicken stock, crème fraîche, and dijon mustard. Bring to a boil and allow to reduce until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Serve immediately with the rested steak and shoestring fries.
Montreal Steak Seasoning
- Step 1
Toast the black peppercorns, coriander seeds, dill seeds, and optional Sichuan pepper in a dry skillet over medium heat. Transfer to a mortar or spice grinder and grind to your desired coarseness. I prefer to just lightly crush the seeds at this stage, leaving the mixture fairly coarse.
- Step 2
Add the granulated garlic, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, and kosher salt. Mix to combine and transfer to a lidded container. Store at room temperature.