Steak 'N Mushrooms

A proper steakhouse mushroom sauté that’s all about the technique. Two pounds of mushroom caps cooked hard and fast in a generous amount of butter and olive oil until golden, then finished with garlic and fresh parsley. Spooned over a cooked sirloin steak, it’s the kind of simple preparation that makes good steak great.

Using both butter and oil together is deliberate. Butter brings flavor, olive oil raises the smoke point so the butter doesn’t burn at the high heat you need to properly sear mushrooms. That combination creates the best of both worlds.

The key to golden, seared mushrooms rather than sad, steamed ones is space and heat. Don’t crowd the pan. Mushrooms release a lot of water, and if they’re piled on top of each other, they stew in their own liquid instead of browning.

Pro Tips

• Don’t wash the mushrooms under running water. They absorb liquid like sponges. Wipe them clean with a damp paper towel instead.
• Add the garlic after the mushrooms are golden. Garlic burns in seconds at high heat, so it goes in near the end when you can lower the flame.
• A splash of Worcestershire sauce or dry sherry at the end adds a savory depth that makes the mushrooms taste more complex. Both are optional, but worth trying.
• Rest your steak while you cook the mushrooms. The timing works perfectly and you serve everything hot.

Variations

• Red wine mushrooms: Deglaze the pan with a splash of red wine after the mushrooms are browned for a richer, more saucy topping.
• Herb butter mushrooms: Stir in a tablespoon of thyme or tarragon with the parsley for a more herbaceous finish.