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1
Take the steak(s) out of the refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking time. Pat the steak dry on both sides with paper towels. Drying them is very important to getting that good crust that you want on the outside.
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2
Sprinkle both sides of the steak liberally with salt, pepper, garlic powder and any other seasonings you might like on your steak. Let the steak rest at room temp for 45 minutes on a cutting board. This time is crucial to let the seasoning permeate the meat and draw some of the moisture toward the surface. After 45 minutes, pat both sides of the steak dry with paper towels again. Don't worry if some of the seasoning comes off, as most of the flavor in already soaked into the meat.
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3
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Using a deep cast iron skillet, place it on high heat until it is very hot. To the hot pan, add the peanut oil. Once the oil is very hot, use tongs to place your steak in the pan. Be careful not to splatter yourself with hot oil.
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4
Cook the steak for 2 minutes on one side, then carefully flip. Add the butter and sprigs of thyme to the pan and spoon the melted butter over the surface of the steak for another 2 minutes.
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5
Place the skillet in the hot oven for about 2 minutes. Then check the temperature with a meat thermometer. The center of the steak should read 120 degrees for medium rare. Continue to cook in the oven until 120 degrees is reached. Don't skip this step; as with pork chops, finishing the cooking in a hot oven helps to make the meat more tender and juicy.
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6
Turn off the oven and remove the steak from the pan and place it on a clean cutting board to rest for 15 minutes. Resting is extremely important because it allows the juices to move away from the outside and back into the center of the meat. DO NOT cut the meat until it is rested. Once rested, plate the steak and spoon some of the butter and thyme mixture over the steak.
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7
While the steak is resting, return the skillet with the pan drippings to the stove and add the onion soup, mushrooms with one can of mushroom juice, and wine to the skillet. Cook on medium high heat, stirring constantly to get the pan juices and brown bits off the bottom of the skillet. Continue cooking at a boil until the sauce reduces down to a thin gravy. This should take 10-15 minutes and be ready when your steak is done resting! Serve mushrooms either on top, or on the side of the steak.
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8
TIPS:
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9
Choose a bone-in Ribeye or Top Sirloin or Filet, and be sure the label says USDA Choice or Prime cut. A cut labeled Select will not give you a good result. Your steak should have a nice marbling of fat throughout.
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10
DO NOT use regular table salt, it will be too salty. Kosher salt or sea salt works great.
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11
If you can't find whole button mushrooms in a can or jar, you can use sliced. I have tried using fresh mushrooms, but the flavor is not the same. If you do use fresh mushrooms, you may want to blanch them first to preserve color and texture.
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12
If you don't have French Onion soup, you can use a can of beef broth or stock, and a small onion, diced. Simmer the beef broth and onions for 15 minutes before continuing with the normal instructions.
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13
Cast iron is perfect for this because of how well it conducts an even heat. If you don't own at least one good cast iron skillet, consider investing in one. It really does make a difference. If you don't have one, you can use a regular skillet, just make sure it's large enough to fit the whole steak and deep enough to avoid splattering oil on you. Also make sure it is oven safe, because finishing the steak in the pan in a hot oven is very important.
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14
When you slice your steak, be sure to cut across the grain, and slice through in one motion without sawing at the meat. Sawing makes the meat tough.
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15
Enjoy!
