Name: Red Wine-Mushroom Pan Sauce
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 8 ounces button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin (about 3 cups); 1 small shallot, minced (about 1 1/2 tablespoons); 1 cup dry red wine; 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces; 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

Why This Recipe Works

The key to our ideal pan-seared steak recipe was to start the steaks in a cool oven and then to sear them. And by searing the steaks quickly, we kept the meat directly under the crust from turning gray. Cooked this way, the steaks developed a beautiful brown crust in less than four minutes, while the rest of the meat stayed pink, juicy, and tender.

Before You Begin

Prepare all ingredients for the pan sauce while the steaks are in the oven.

Instructions

Pour off any fat from skillet in which steaks were cooked. Heat oil over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown and liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to soften, about 1 minute. Increase heat to high; add red wine and broth, scraping bottom of skillet with wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Simmer rapidly until liquid and mushrooms are reduced to 1 cup, about 6 minutes. Add vinegar, mustard, and any juices from resting steaks; cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Off heat, whisk in butter and thyme; season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over steaks and serve immediately.