Ultimate Steak Sandwich with Crispy Buttermilk Onions

Want to impress your friends and family the next time you’re watching your favorite game at home? Try making this ultimate steak sandwich recipe from Chef Matt Gibson, Senior Executive Chef of Legends Hospitality at Yankee Stadium™. Prime steak is glazed with a red wine pan jus, topped with horseradish cream, crispy buttermilk onions and nestled in a soft pretzel bun. Demi-glace is a staple in a chef’s kitchen and is the basis of amazing sauces. But if you don’t have access to it, you can use the same amount of reduced beef stock mixed together with a little unsalted butter.

Horseradish Cream
 

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup prepared horseradish, drained

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Steak and Red Wine Pan Jus
 

4 Pounds, prime New York striploin roast

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil

1/4 cup mixed herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, sage, bay leaf

1 head garlic, cut in half

2 shallots, roughly chopped

1/2 bottle red wine

1 quart beef stock

1 pint veal demi-glace

Crispy Buttermilk Onions and Sandwiches
 

2 Vidalia or sweet onions, peeled and sliced 1/16-inch thick

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

3 cups flour

2 tablespoons granulated garlic

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

3 quarts vegetable oil, heated to 375°F

8 butter toasted brioche pretzel buns

For the horseradish cream:

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, let sit for at least an hour before using. Overnight is best to allow the flavors to meld.

For the steak and red wine pan jus:

Preheat oven to 300°F. Thoroughly season all sides of roast with a heavy coating of kosher salt and black pepper. Preheat Dutch oven over medium-high heat for about 5-7 minutes. Add the oil and then carefully place the roast in the pot. Brown on the first side without moving the meat until a dark brown crust forms, about 8-10 minutes. Turn the roast over and brown on the other side. Remove from the Dutch oven and place in a baking dish. Place in the preheated oven and roast until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 115°F.   Remove from the oven and rest for at least 20 minutes. Note that the roast will still be very rare at this point.

Meanwhile, carefully wipe out any residual oil in the Dutch oven with a paper towel. Return the pot to medium heat and add the herbs, garlic and shallots. Stir together while gently scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the Dutch oven with a wooden spoon. Cook until aromatic, about 5 minutes. Add the red wine and continue scraping with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to low and reduce wine by half. Add the beef stock and veal demi-glace. Reduce again by half. Carefully strain sauce through a fine mesh strainer and then pour back into the Dutch oven. Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep warm.

For the crispy buttermilk onions and sandwich assembly:

In medium sized bowl, toss the onion rings and buttermilk together making sure to separate as many of the individual rings as possible. Stir together the flour, granulated garlic, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Drain onions and toss into the flour mixture in two batches, making sure they are evenly coated. Shake off any excess flour and carefully lower onions in batches into the hot oil. Move onions around with a slotted spoon, and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 3-5 minutes. Remove onions from the oil and place on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt while onions are still hot.

To assemble the sandwiches, place the tops and bottoms of the toasted buns face up. Apply an edge-to-edge layer of horseradish cream on the bottom half. Gently toss the meat in the red wine pan sauce until warmed through and cooked to desired temperature. Evenly split the meat between the bottom buns. Top with plenty of the crispy onions and close with the top bun.