A special dinner for two
Looking for a special dish, then chateaubriand is your dish.
- Prep Time: bring meat to room temperature
- Cook Time: 15 -25 mins + resting
- Serves: 2
- Difficulty: easy – just need to be patient (and use a meat thermometer if to help get your perfect cook)
- Ideal for: special occassion
What Is Chateaubriand?
Chateaubriand is the thick centre cut of beef fillet — the most tender part of the animal.
Traditionally served for two, it’s a cut that’s all about elegance and restraint.
No excess fat, no chew, no bravado. Just beautifully soft beef that rewards careful cooking.
This is not a steak you throw on the grill midweek. It’s a piece of beef you choose when you want to slow things down and make a meal feel intentional.
Why Is Chateaubriand So Special?
What makes Chateaubriand special is its purity.
Because it comes from the least-worked muscle, the texture is incredibly tender and the flavour is clean and refined.
There’s no need for marinades, rubs, or complicated prep — this cut shines when it’s left alone.
It’s also a cut rooted in tradition. Meant to be shared, it carries a sense of occasion without being flashy.
Quiet luxury, done properly.
How Best to Cook Chateaubriand
Chateaubriand demands patience, not fuss.
Let the beef come fully to room temperature before cooking — this ensures even heat all the way through.
Season generously with good salt and cracked black pepper. Then sear it hard in a hot pan or cast iron skillet until a deep, caramelised crust forms. This is where flavour is built.
Once seared, finish it gently — either in a low oven or over indirect heat — aiming for medium-rare.
And then, crucially, let it rest. Properly. Resting allows the juices to redistribute, giving you that buttery, sliceable perfection.
Method
- Bring to room temperature and dry all over with kitchen towel. Season with sea salt and pepper.
- Pre-heat the oven to 170C
- Take a hot cast-iron pan and without adding any oil place the steak in the centre of the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side* on a high heat to brown and then turn the heat down. Keep on turning every couple of minutes. The total cooking time should be 10 minutes
- The steak should feel slightly springy when pressed. Then pop in the oven for 10 mins.
- Take out and put on the hob for 1 minute to melt butter with garlic to create a lush butter foam and spoon over the beef.
- Remove and cover loosely with foil to rest for around 15 minutes at room temp.
- usually the meat will tell you when to first turn i.e. it will stick to the pan but then when you can lift it without it sticking, this is the time
What to Serve With It
Think supporting cast, not centre stage.
Crisp potatoes are a natural partner — roasties, chunky chips, or pan-fried in beef fat.
Roasted vegetables or a simple bitter green like spinach, cavolo nero, or tenderstem broccoli brings balance.
If you want a sauce, keep it classic and restrained: béarnaise, peppercorn, or a simple pan reduction.
Or skip the sauce entirely. With great beef, you often don’t need one.
Why 100% Grass-Fed Beef Matters
When you’re cooking a cut as honest as Chateaubriand, the quality of the beef matters more than ever.
100% grass-fed beef comes from cattle raised as nature intended — grazing, growing slowly, and developing real flavour.
The result is meat that tastes deeper and more mineral, with a cleaner finish and better nutritional profile, including higher omega-3 levels.
By contrast, industrialised and supermarket beef is often grain-fed and intensively reared for speed and uniformity.
It may look consistent, but it lacks character — and the welfare and environmental costs are high.
Fast-grown beef simply doesn’t have time to develop flavour.
A Final Word
Chateaubriand isn’t about extravagance — it’s about respect.
Respect for the animal, the farmer, the butcher, and the moment you’re creating at the table.
Cook it simply. Buy it thoughtfully. Share it generously.
That’s where the real luxury lies.
Enjoy.
