Why Daniel Boulud Recommends Using Butter When Cooking With Beef
Are you tired of slathering steak sauce on your beef in hopes of obtaining that seasoned steakhouse flavor you long for? You may even wonder why anyone would drench their perfect cut of beef in a pre-bottled sauce loaded with salt. SFGATE claims that two tablespoons of the condiment contains a whopping 560 milligrams of sodium. That's a lot, considering the CDC recommends Americans consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day.
Thankfully, steak quality has significantly improved over the years. According to Thrillist and the site's conversation with chef Michael Ollier of Certified Angus Beef, ranchers are raising a higher quality beef today than in the past. This beef tastes better than the steak of yesteryear, and we no longer have to mask that lower-quality flavor. So, why not try quitting the sauce and check out why famed chef Daniel Boulud recommends using herbed butter instead.
Use herbed butter to create rich flavor
According to Reader's Digest, Boulud is a firm believer in cooking steak with butter. The award-winning chef said that butter "nourishes" the beef, bathing it in rich, delicious flavor. As a bonus, cooking beef in butter delivers unique flavor to smaller cuts of meat. This allows you to make a big flavor statement with those smaller steak portions.
Boulud showcases his beef and butter technique in a video posted by Goldbelly. The French cook speaks of his childhood and how he cooked his first steak. Boulud said he cut the steaks very thin and pounded them lightly, so the beef cooked quickly. He combined shallot, vinegar, herbs, and butter to create a pre-made butter compound. He explains that the herbed butter functions as the sauce for the steak, creating a delicious herbed seasoning. Boulud said that serving seasoned butter with steak is very "French."
However, the restaurateur isn't the only cook using butter on steaks. Ree Drummond recommends whipping butter and incorporating minced parsley, red pepper, garlic, lemon, and pepper into the creamy mix (via Insider). The Pioneer Woman molds the butter into a log and wraps it in plastic wrap to chill for at least three hours before dinner. After cooking the steaks, top them with the sliced butter compound and swirl around to distribute the herbs.