Bison Steaks with Fig-Balsamic Sauce

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At Maison Troisgros in France, Garrett Weber-Gale learned how to cook steak in a pan, which helps retain the juices. "Grilling," he says, "sucks the moisture out of meat." He's a big fan of bison, because it's leaner and higher in iron than beef, but beef tenderloin also works well here. 

Bison Steaks with Fig-Balsamic Sauce
Photo: © Jonny Valiant
Active Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Yield:
4

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dry red wine

  • 2 tablespoons fig balsamic or plain balsamic vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons beef or veal demiglace (see Note)

  • Salt

  • Freshly ground pepper

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • Four 5-ounce bison tenderloin steaks

  • 4 large garlic cloves, lightly smashed

Directions

  1. In a small saucepan, combine the wine, vinegar and demiglace and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until the sauce is reduced to a thick glaze (about 1/2 cup), about 20 minutes. Season the glaze lightly with salt and pepper.

  2. In a heavy skillet, melt the butter. Lightly season the steaks with salt and pepper and add them to the pan. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat, turning the steaks occasionally, until browned and crusty all over and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 130° for medium-rare, about 14 minutes. Transfer the steaks to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes; discard the garlic. Transfer the steaks to plates and serve with the fig-balsamic sauce.

Notes

Frozen demiglace, a kind of concentrated stock, is available at Whole Foods. One serving: 322 cal, 9 gm fat, 4 gm sat fat, 6 gm carb, 0 gm fiber, 31 gm protein.

Suggested Pairing

Earthy, dried fruit-scented Barolo.

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