Total Time
2 hours
This côte de bœuf recipe comes from MaMou, a modern brasserie in New Orleans and one of our Best New Restaurants of 2023, where executive chef Thomas Branighan reimagines classic French dishes using the Creole influences picked up throughout his Southern Louisiana upbringing. This hearty bone-in ribeye steak recipe is one of the restaurant’s most showstopping main courses, served with a quick pan sauce punctuated with a symphony of peppercorns and the subtle kick of sweet pepper jelly.
Using the reverse-searing technique—always a clever move for large cuts of beef—Branighan slow-roasts the steak until its core temperature reaches his desired doneness, then sears it quickly on the stovetop over high heat to develop a crust. This controlled method allows for a more precise cook time, lessening the risk of under- or over-cooking the rib of beef and ensuring a deeply caramelized crust. (It also means you don’t have to worry about leaving a piece of meat out at room temperature hours before you’re ready to cook.)
The creamy sauce is fortified with apple brandy and grounded by the intense savoriness of the restaurant’s housemade demi-glace. In place of the latter ingredient, we used condensed beef stock (a.k.a. Better Than Bouillon), a home cook-friendly shortcut that mimics Branighan’s prized demi. Our version is seasoned with three types of peppercorns (green, pink, and white), each adding its own unique character. White peppercorns are a stand-in for the Balinese variety, prized for its piquant flavor with notes of cinnamon and cardamom, used at MaMou. If you care to source Balinese peppercorns—sometimes called long pepper—replace the white pepper with 1 Tbsp. finely ground Balinese pepper.
Branighan serves his perfect côte de bœuf with a side dish of exceedingly silky pommes puree; a dairy-rich canvas that lets the peppery sauce shine. At home, classic mashed potatoes would be equally welcomed.
Note: If you can’t find a bone-in ribeye steak you can use a boneless prime rib steak in its place. Start checking the steak after 20 minutes in the oven as a boneless steak will cook faster.
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What you’ll need
Beef Bouillon Paste
$11 At Amazon
Instant-Read Thermometer
$35 At Thermoworks
Spice Mill
$60 $50 At Kitchen Aid
Rimmed Baking Sheet
$26 At Amazon
Cast Iron Skillet
$30 At Amazon
Ingredients
2–4 servings
2
1
1½
1
1
2
2
2
½
2
1
⅓
⅓
1
Preparation
Step 1
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 200°. Mix 2 Tbsp. coarsely ground green pepper, 1 Tbsp. coarsely ground pink pepper, and 1½ tsp. coarsely ground white pepper in a small bowl to combine; set aside 1 Tbsp. pepper mixture for sauce.
Step 2
Pat one 1½"–2"-thick bone-in rib-eye steak (about 1¾ lb.) dry with paper towels and place on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Season generously on both sides with kosher salt, then sprinkle both sides with remaining pepper mixture, pressing firmly to adhere.
Step 3
Transfer baking sheet to oven and cook steak until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 110°, 65–85 minutes, depending on thickness (start checking after 30 minutes).
Step 4
Meanwhile, stir 1 Tbsp. beef bouillon paste and 1¼ cups warm water in a small bowl until dissolved. Set aside.
Step 5
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high. Add 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, then carefully add steak. Cook steak, undisturbed, until a thick, dark brown crust forms underneath, about 2 minutes. Turn over and add 2 garlic cloves, lightly smashed, 1 thyme sprig, and ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter to skillet. Tilt pan toward you so butter pools on one side; spoon over steak. Cook, basting continuously, until a dark brown crust forms on second side and steak is medium-rare (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part should register an internal temperature of 125°), about 2 minutes. Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest. Pour off fat from skillet; remove and discard garlic and thyme. Let pan cool slightly (do not wipe out).
Step 6
Heat 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter in same skillet over medium-high. Cook 2 medium shallots, finely chopped, stirring often, until softened and starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Add 1 tsp. English mustard powder and cook, stirring constantly, just until mustard starts to stick to bottom of pan, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat. Leaning safely away from pan (mixture may ignite), add ⅓ cup Calvados or other apple brandy and carefully return to heat. Cook, stirring often and scraping up any browned bits stuck to bottom of pan, until mixture is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add reserved bouillon mixture and remaining 1 thyme sprig and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about one third, 5–7 minutes.
Step 7
Stir in ⅓ cup heavy cream, 1 tsp. sweet red pepper jelly, reserved pepper mixture, and remaining 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon, about 4 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
Step 8
To serve, carve meat away from bone and slice against the grain. Spoon some sauce onto a platter and arrange steak on top. Drizzle more sauce over as desired.