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Authentic Châteaubriand Recipe France, Europe
JUMP TO RECIPEWe strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Made from the softest piece of beef tenderloin, châteaubriand (alternative spelling: chateaubriand) is a true aristocrat of French cuisine. Carefully seasoned and grilled meat is cut into slices and served with either chateaubriand or béarnaise sauce and potatoes, but the name chateaubriand may also refer to the above-mentioned piece of meat. Beef tenderloin is trimmed on both sides so only the central, juiciest part remains. This part usually weighs between 350 and 500 grams, so the recipe generally serves two. The meat is seasoned with olive oil, ground pepper and salt and grilled briefly on high, and then on medium temperature so it preserves its juices and remains pink on the inside. In order to prevent the meat from drying or overcooking, some of the older recipes even suggested enveloping it with two thin slices of beef which are disposed of afterwards.
Pair with
Serve With
Cooking tips
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meat
The best piece of meat for a chateaubriand is beef tenderloin, but alternatively sirloin can be used. Some butchers even sell pre-cut tenderloin under the name of chateaubriand, but you can trim it down yourself if this is not the case. Respecting the exquisite tenderness of this cut, the meat should not be beaten, just gently rubbed with olive oil, salt and pepper. The meat must be of room temperature ... Read more -
sauces
Both sauce béarnaise and sauce chateaubriand are an acceptable pairing for this dish, and there are two secrets to achieving the prefect, silky-smooth texture: the first one is to reduce them properly, and the second one is to run them through a sieve so they are completely lump-free. -
techniques
The meat can be prepared on either a grill or a pan, which need to be very hot in order for the meat pores to close. Since this part of preparation is very brief, if you prepare the meat on the grill simply lift the grill to a higher level on the second stage which requires medium temperature. -
serving
Cut the meat under a 30-degree after it has cooled a little using a sharp knife. Keep in mind that the chateaubriand sauce needs to be hot, but the béarnaise sauce is served tepid.
Chateaubriand in the Style of Escoffier
PREP 20min
COOK 20min
READY IN 40min
This recipe was published by the legendary French chef Auguste Escoffier in his book "Le Guide Culinaire", which is still used as the reference point for classic French dishes. Interestingly enough, Escoffier brought his recipes for chateaubriand steak, chateaubriand sauce and béarnaise sauce separately, letting the reader decide for oneself which sauce to use. Escoffier does not suggest protecting the steak from heat with other pieces of meat which are to be discarded, but insists in straining both sauces through either tamis (drum sieve) or muslin cloth to achieve the perfect creamy texture.
Ingredients
Chateaubriand in the Style of Escoffier
MEAT
1 chateaubriand steak (350-500 g)
1 dl olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
BÉARNAISE SAUCE
1 tbsp chopped shallots
55 g chopped tarragon stalks
85 g chervil
mignonette pepper
salt
4 tbsp vinegar
5 egg yolks
170 g melted butter
CHATEAUBRIAND SAUCE
28 g chopped shallots
1 sprig of thyme
28 g mushroom pairings
1.2 dl white wine
2.4 dl veal gravy
115 g maître d’hotel butter
a pinch of chopped tarragon
Preparation
1
Chateaubriand in the Style of Escoffier
Step 1/3
Buy a piece of beef tenderloin, trim and cut the front and the rear part so only the central part remains. Alternatively, ask your butcher for a chateaubriand fillet. Allow to rest until it reaches room temperature and season with salt, pepper and olive oil. Place on hot grill or pan for 5-10 seconds on each side, then reduce the flame and grill for another 4-5 minutes so it remains pink and juicy on the inside. Place on a hot plate and leave to rest. Serve with either béarnaise or chateaubriand sauce and potatoes - pommes soufflées or pommes château.
Step 2/3
For béarnaise sauce, place the shallots, tarragon, chervil, pepper, salt and vinegar into a small stewpan and reduce the vinegar by two-thirds. Remove from fire, let it cool for a little, and add the egg yolks. Put the stewpan back on a low fire and gradually combine with melted butter. Whisk the sauce in order to achieve creamy texture, and additionally rub through tamis. Complete the seasoning with chervil pairings, chopped tarragon leaves and a suspicion of cayenne. Béarnaise sauce should be served tepid.
Step 3/3
For chateaubriand sauce, put the shallots, thyme, bay, mushrooms and white wine into the stewpan. Reduce the wine almost entirely, add veal gravy and reduce again until the liquid only measures 1,2 dl. Strain through muslin, remove from fire and finish with adding the maître d’hotel butter (butter combined with salt, pepper, fresh parsley and a few drops of lemon juice) and some chopped tarragon.
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