Rosemary Ribeye + Bacon Fat Brussel Sprouts
Whoever is undertaking this meal must understand that this is not for the faint of heart (quite literally). When you are looking to ~indulge~ yourself to a decadent dinner, look no further. This hefty meal is made to satisfy.
You’ll need:
a thick ribeye steak
salt + pepper
garlic powder
cayenne
butter
rosemary sprigs
2 shallots
brussel sprouts
pancetta, guanciale, or bacon
olive oil
The Sprouts
I personally prefer pretty well cooked brussel sprouts so I start with this component first as it’ll take the longest. First, I halved the brussel sprouts and tossed with olive oil/salt/pepper for a nice coating. I got this on a pan over medium heat in olive oil. Then, I diced two shallots and two strips of bacon into cubes. In a separate pan over low heat, I rendered as much bacon fat as I could out of the cold bacon and gradually raised the heat. Once I had a generous amount of bacon grease, I tossed in the shallots and sautéed them until slightly translucent before adding everything to the brussel sprout pan. I kept this over heat until desired softness was achieved- if your sprouts begin to burn, add some water and lid the pan to steam them to completion. Honestly, I didn’t realize how much flavor could be incorporated by cooking the sprouts in bacon fat so this blew me away. This is definitely a treat.
Rendered bacon fat equated to about 2 tablespoons of flavor
The Steak
Ribeye is my favorite cut because the flavor stands out with no frills needed. First, I heated a pan with a layer of oil at medium high and seasoned the steak with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne. Once hot, I laid the steak down away from me and allowed it to sear until a beautiful crust formed on the side (about 5 minutes). I flipped the steak and added a small pad of butter on top, basting the steak in any melted butter that formed at the edge of the pan. I also tossed in a sprig of rosemary to get that aroma going without burning it. The sear on this new side takes only a few minutes and should be taken off the pan once the crust forms to rest on a rack until it reaches room temperature. Once the juices have properly distributed, slice the steak and serve with the side of sprouts. Yum!
