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Pan-Seared Sirloin Steaks with Miso-Butter Pan Sauce

By Matthew Fairman

Published on February 26, 2021

Time

40 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Pan-Seared Sirloin Steaks with Miso-Butter Pan Sauce

Ingredients

Steaks

4 (8- to 10-ounce) boneless top sirloin steaks, 1 inch thick, trimmed2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 ½ teaspoons pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Sauce

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces and chilled, divided2 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin1 tablespoon red or white miso 1 garlic clove, minced½ cup chicken broth 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon dry mustard 2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar

Before You Begin

We do not recommend making this recipe with steaks thinner than 1 inch, but thicker steaks can be used. If using thicker steaks, just continue to cook them, flipping every 2 minutes, until they register 125 degrees (for medium-rare). Top sirloin steaks are commonly sold as larger steaks (about 1 pound each) that serve two people. If you can find only larger steaks, buy two steaks and cut them in half crosswise to make four steaks that are about 8 ounces each. Be sure to use unseasoned rice vinegar here, because seasoned rice vinegar has added salt and sugar. Miso is quite salty. We like our steaks deeply seasoned, but if you tend to like less salt, reduce the amount of salt on the steaks to compensate for the miso sauce.

Instructions

    for the steaks

  1.   Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Pat steaks dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  2.  Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add steaks and cook, flipping every 2 minutes, until meat registers 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer steaks to prepared rack, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.
  3. for the sauce

  4.   Melt 1 tablespoon butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat. Add scallion whites, miso, and garlic and cook until scallions are softened, about 2 minutes.
  5.  Stir in broth, soy sauce, mustard, and sugar and bring to simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons butter, 1 piece at a time, until emulsified. Off heat, stir in vinegar and scallion greens. Slice steaks and serve with sauce.
Pan-Seared Sirloin Steaks with Miso-Butter Pan Sauce
Photography by Steve Klise. Styling by Ashley Moore.

Pan-Seared Sirloin Steaks with Miso-Butter Pan Sauce

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Time

40 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

Steaks

4 (8- to 10-ounce) boneless top sirloin steaks, 1 inch thick, trimmed
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Sauce

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces and chilled, divided
2 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
1 tablespoon red or white miso
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar

Ingredients

Steaks

4 (8- to 10-ounce) boneless top sirloin steaks, 1 inch thick, trimmed
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Sauce

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces and chilled, divided
2 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
1 tablespoon red or white miso
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar

Ingredients

Steaks

4 (8- to 10-ounce) boneless top sirloin steaks, 1 inch thick, trimmed
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Sauce

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces and chilled, divided
2 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
1 tablespoon red or white miso
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar

Why This Recipe Works

We wanted juicy, perfectly cooked steaks with a nice seared-on crust, and we wanted to serve them with a rich, delicious pan sauce. Many cooks will tell you that the key to a truly magnificent pan sauce is the fond: those browned, caramelized bits that stick to the skillet floor. But we wanted the flavorful browning to stay on the meat rather than stick to the pan, so we pulled out our nonstick skillet instead. Sirloins made for an affordable choice with plenty of beefy flavor that stood up well to a boldly flavored sauce. Choosing relatively thick (1 inch or thicker) steaks and flipping them every 2 minutes yielded beautiful browned steaks with a minimal gray band and a juicy medium-rare interior. While the steaks rested (on a wire rack to protect the crust from being washed off by the juices), we built a quick pan sauce that relied on flavorful ingredients. This silky sauce features supersavory miso balanced by rich butter. Soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, dry mustard, and rice vinegar round out the flavor profile with salty-sweet complexity.

Before You Begin

We do not recommend making this recipe with steaks thinner than 1 inch, but thicker steaks can be used. If using thicker steaks, just continue to cook them, flipping every 2 minutes, until they register 125 degrees (for medium-rare). Top sirloin steaks are commonly sold as larger steaks (about 1 pound each) that serve two people. If you can find only larger steaks, buy two steaks and cut them in half crosswise to make four steaks that are about 8 ounces each. Be sure to use unseasoned rice vinegar here, because seasoned rice vinegar has added salt and sugar. Miso is quite salty. We like our steaks deeply seasoned, but if you tend to like less salt, reduce the amount of salt on the steaks to compensate for the miso sauce.

Instructions

    for the steaks

  1.   Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Pat steaks dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  2.  Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add steaks and cook, flipping every 2 minutes, until meat registers 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer steaks to prepared rack, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.
  3. for the sauce

  4.   Melt 1 tablespoon butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat. Add scallion whites, miso, and garlic and cook until scallions are softened, about 2 minutes.
  5.  Stir in broth, soy sauce, mustard, and sugar and bring to simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons butter, 1 piece at a time, until emulsified. Off heat, stir in vinegar and scallion greens. Slice steaks and serve with sauce.

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