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Seared Steak with Red Wine Reduction and Herb Butter
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Cooking a gourmet meal at home allows you to create a fine dining atmosphere without the need for reservations or a babysitter. The rich flavors of the red wine reduction, paired with the savory, herb-infused butter, elevate the steak from a simple dish to a culinary masterpiece. The presentation of this seared steak with red wine reduction and herb butter is equally impressive, making it a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. Pair with roasted potatoes or homemade fries for an elegant take on steak frites. While I love using a ribeye, you can easily substitute your favorite cut of steak. Use store-bought butter to make the compound butter or make your own butter in a stand mixer!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Impressive for guests (or date night). This dish looks and tastes like something special. It’s perfect for a restaurant-quality date night in or entertaining.
- Ultimate flavor boosters. The compound butter melts over the steak, adding aromatics (chives, parsley, lemon zest) and richness. And the red wine sauce is reduced just enough to be syrupy but still bright.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Steak – I chose a ribeye cut, which comes from the primal section or beef rib. I love cooking this cut of beef because it is extremely marbled; it is great when it’s pan-seared – it cooks surrounded by its fat and remains tender with a rich, bold flavor without a marinade.
- Butter – Compound butter is basically butter mixed together with other ingredients. Here I mix it with garlic, parsley, chives and lemon zest. You can pretty much add whatever you want to flavor it and use it as a base to finish steaks like this – sautéing vegetables, stirring into pasta or just spreading it on bread!
- Red wine – Using a dry red wine won’t overpower the dish by making it too sweet. While I will use just about any red wine in a pinch, I prefer cooking with pinot noir. The biggest tip when cooking with wine is to use decent quality wine – never cook with anything you wouldn’t drink (of course that doesn’t mean you have to break the bank).
- Beef stock – Beef stock is typically made from bones as well as aromatics and vegetables, while beef broth is made with the meat. Beef stock has a rich, robust flavor that comes from the collagen released from the simmering bones.
- Herbs – The flavor of the red wine reduction is enhanced with a combination of thyme and bay leaf.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Swaps and substitutions
- Another cut of steak can be used for this recipe. While I enjoy more marbled cuts, a filet mignon would also be delicious!
- Substitute any other combination of fresh herbs (like tarragon or thyme) based on what you have on hand.
Pairings for this Steak
I like to serve this rich steak dish with simple vegetables and/or potatoes. Here are a few of my favorite pairings:
How to Make Seared Steak with Red Wine Reduction and Herb Butter
In a bowl mash together the butter, parsley, chives, lemon zest and salt until well combined.
Spoon the butter onto a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper, shape into a log and wrap well. Chill until ready to use, at least 2 hours and up to 1 week.
Heat a medium pot over medium-low heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Add the shallots and sauté until they become soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the red wine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, until it reduces by about ⅓, about 7 minutes.
Add the beef stock, bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns. Return the mixture to a boil and reduce until it’s thick and syrup-like, about an additional 6 to 8 minutes. Strain then return to the pot.
Whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon (14g) at a time until all has all been incorporated. Season to taste with salt. Set aside until ready to serve.
Season the steaks generously with salt and pepper.
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat through then add the steaks and sear until browned, about 4 minutes. Flip the steaks and add 2 slices of the herb compound butter and continue to cook until browned, about another 4 minutes for medium-rare.
Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let the meat set for 10 minutes before cutting. Slice the meat against the grain. To serve, spoon red wine reduction onto each plate, then place the slices of steak on top. Top steak with a slice of the garlic butter so it melts into it.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe uses ribeye because of its marbling – it’s good for flavor and tenderness. But you can use a filet, strip, or even a thick strip steak. Just adjust cooking time so it reaches your desired doneness.
Sear the steak first in a hot pan using neutral oil. Add the herb butter toward the end of searing so it melts and flavors without burning. Let the steak rest so juices redistribute.
After searing, let the steaks rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. Resting helps keep the steak juicy and allows carryover cooking.
The herb compound butter can be mixed and formed ahead (it needs at least 2 hours to chill, or you can keep it up to 1 week). The red wine reduction also holds for a bit, though it’s best fresh. It can be re-warmed and whisked to re-emulsify the sauce.
Think simple but complementary: roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, or fries; roasted or sautéed veggies like broccolini; maybe a green salad to cut through the richness.
Other Recipes To Try
If you enjoyed this steak with red wine reduction, give these recipes a try:
Thanks for cooking with me! If you made this seared steak recipe, leave a 🌟 rating and share your thoughts or tips below. I’d love to hear from you!
Seared Steak with Red Wine Reduction and Herb Butter
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Ingredients:
For the herb compound butter:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the red wine reduction:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup finely diced shallots
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig thyme
- ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Kosher salt, to taste
For the steak:
- 2 (1-pound) bone-in ribeye steak (about ½” thick)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions:
For the herb compound butter:
- In a bowl mash together the butter, parsley, chives, lemon zest and salt until well combined.
- Spoon the butter onto a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper, shape into a log and wrap well. Chill until ready to use, at least 2 hours and up to 1 week.
For the red wine reduction:
- Heat a medium pot over medium-low heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Add the shallots and sauté until they become soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the red wine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, until it reduces by about ⅓, about 7 minutes.
- Add the beef stock, bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns. Return the mixture to a boil and reduce until it’s thick and syrup-like, about an additional 6 to 8 minutes. Strain then return to the pot.
- Whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon (14g) at a time until all has all been incorporated. Season to taste with salt. Set aside until ready to serve.
For the steak:
- Season the steaks generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat through then add the steaks and sear until browned, about 4 minutes. Flip the steaks and add 2 slices of the herb compound butter and continue to cook until browned, about another 4 minutes for medium-rare.
- Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let the meat set for 10 minutes before cutting. Slice the meat against the grain.
- To serve, spoon red wine reduction onto each plate, then place the slices of steak on top. Top steak with a slice of the garlic butter so it melts into it.
Nutrition:
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This seared steak with red wine reduction and herb butter was incredible! The steak was perfectly juicy, and the sauce added so much rich flavor. It felt like a fancy steakhouse dinner at home. Highly recommend!
This reduction is AMAZING! I wanted to lick the plate!!
so happy to hear it!!